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.
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.
 |
| Ansauville, with German prisoners passing through |
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.
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