May 27, 1918 - Don Martin reports interview with German airman prisoner

Don Martin diary entry for Monday, May 27, 1918: 

Went with [Edwin] James [New York Times] to Boucq. Heard of a raid on the Americans near Bernacourt so I went there over a road said to be very dangerous. No danger while I was on it. Came back by way of Ansauville over a still more dangerous road. 

Ansauville, with German prisoners passing through

Wrote a cable which was mercilessly censored. Stopped at the aviation field and had luncheon with the observation fliers at Ourche. Took Remain as far as Domremy[-la-Pucelle], Joan of Arc’s birthplace, and left him there with the understanding he would write me a story about the people there.

        It is not clear from his diary when Don Martin conducted the interview with a German Lieutenant prisoner, but it was dated Monday, May 27 and published in the New York Herald on Tuesday, May 28, 1918.

“IT’S ALL OVER,” PRISONER CRIES TO AMERICANS

German Lieutenant, Taken Over Lines of Communication, Astounded at Sight

PREDICTS AN UPRISING WHEN PEOPLE REALIZE

Germans Are Not so Ready in Spirit as at Beginning of Last Drive

By DON MARTIN

[Special cable to the Herald]

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, Monday

            That the new German offensive cannot surpass the ferocity of the last one is the opinion of a German lieutenant now a prisoner in the American lines. This lieutenant says the Germans are not so ready in spirit as they were when they launched their great blow, which all believed meant a crushing defeat of Great Britain and the end of the war.

            The prisoner added that when Germany realizes, as he does, the stupendous preparations of America the government will find it difficult to prevent a serious uprising.

            “It’s all over with Germany. People there have no conception of anything approaching this,” he added.

            The prisoner, a man of education and strong feeling for the fatherland, echoed what other prisoners already have said, that the people of Germany are deceived by their government, which is determined not to let the people get an adequate idea of what America is doing.

              The officer, who is very familiar with the flying situation in Germany, says:--

             “The understanding there is that America has only a few flyers on duty and those are using French machines which the French have cast off. Well known Americans, who are members of the Lafayette Escadrille, are working with the French and the Germans have been trying to identify them for a long time, sending aces where the Lafayette men were supposed to be with the intention of killing them off and so giving a lesson to the Americans who are now trying to learn the game so as to compete with the Germans.

              “Germany is having difficulty in getting men as competent flyers to take the place of aces brought down by the tremendous drive of British airmen in the last four months.”

              Another interesting and important statement made by the prisoner was that the men of the 1919 class now called up in Germany are far inferior to the men in the former classes of 1918 and worse than those of 1917 so far. This was owing to the effect of improper food for growing generations in Germany.

              The prisoner says Germany expected to win through the offensive launched on March 21. The soldiers were disappointed at the failure to go through to the sea.

              It is not known what the people home think of the failure, but the prisoner says no doubt they are deeply disturbed.

        Here is an example of Don Martin's dispatches also appearing in The Washington Post, listing him as 'Special Correspondent of The Washington Post and New York Herald', with same text but different headlines.The above story was also published on page 1 of the Washington Post on Tuesday, May 28, 1918.

BERLIN HIDES POWER OF U.S. 

AT THE FRONT

People Would Revolt if They Knew Truth, Says Officer Prisoner—German Army Unable to Surpass Ferocity of March Drive. Defeat Hurts Spirit

By DON MARTIN

Special Correspondent of The Washington Post And New York Herald

                With American Army in France, May 27—That the new German offensive cannot surpass the ferocity of the last one is the opinion of a German lieutenant now a prisoner in the American lines. This lieutenant says the Germans are not so ready in spirit as they were when they launched their great blow, which all believed meant a crushing defeat of Great Britain and the end of the war.

               The prisoner added that when Germany realizes, as he does, the stupendous preparations of America the government will find it difficult to prevent a serious uprising.

               “It’s all over with Germany. People there have no conception of anything approaching this,” he added.

Deceived by Government

               The prisoner, a man of education, and strong feeling for the fatherland, echoed what other prisoners already have said, that the people of Germany are deceived by their government, which is determined not to let the people get an adequate idea of what America is doing.

            The officer, who is very familiar with the flying situation in Germany, says:

           “The understanding there is that America has only a few flyers on duty, and those are using French machines which the French have cast off. Well known Americans, who are members of the Lafayette escadrille, are working with the French, and the Germans have been trying to identify them for a long time, sending aces where the Lafayette men were supposed to be with the intention of killing them off and so giving a lesson to the Americans who are now trying to learn the game so as to compete with the Germans.

Hard to Get Aces

              “Germany is having difficulty in getting men as competent fliers to take the place of aces brought down by the tremendous drive of British airmen in the last few months.”

              Another interesting and important statement made by the prisoner was that the men of the 1919 class now called up in Germany are far inferior to the men in the former classes of 1918 and worse than those of 1917 so far. This was owing to the effect of improper food for growing generations in Germany.

              The prisoner says Germany expected to win through the offensive launched on March 21. The soldiers were disappointed at the failure to go through to the sea.

              It is not known what the people home think of the failure, but the prisoner says no doubt they are deeply disturbed.