Tri a large volume just issued by. the "Rikola Verlag," the last chief of the Austrien General Staff, Colonel-General Ara, publishes" con tributions to the history of the Great War," giving detailed descriptions of the events from 1914 nom etl in 1017, he eye early in 1917, he says (when the writer was appointed Chief of "the General Staff) the German Emperor wad in full command of the operations and forees of the Central sand their allies, and his were binding' on all of them, Arz subordinated himself to Hindenburg and Tudendor!
May, 1917, the Ge started the unrestricted U-boat ws Av had doubts whether it could force England to make peace in six months. Arz describes the Emperor Karl as @ high-thinking, earnest man, who had the best intentions, but circumstances were too strong for him, He also de-claros that the Empress Zita did not interfere with military matters.
In autumn, 1917, Karl urgently applied to Wilhelm for heavy article ery to fight the Italians at the Isonzo, feeling convinced that Austria had to strike her hardest blow at Italy if she was to be victorious. German artillery and an army were sent, and Aust offensive was successful. But later on the German troops had to go to the western front suid in the middle of January 1918 the Austrian army was badly lacking in provisions. Strikes broke out almost simul taneously at Budapest, Berlin, and Hamburg, and Austein found herself in_an oxteemely critical situation, The ominous event of the letters of Prince Sixte, which showed Karl's rated far into enemy territory on all sides, her troops in Venetia were too weak to carry through the final attack on the Italians at Asiago successfully. It" had been started against Arzs advice. English troops were stationed there, and the Austrians had no experience of them. 'The attack, which turned into " bad defeat, marked the end of the Austrian' offensive. The moral effect of this fiasco was very marked, and the* simultaneous defeats of the Germans along the Western front brought things to a. head. Still, it is almost touching sce" how, up to the very last moment, and conscious that the {cause was lost, Karl tried to stick: to Germany, and ever when the breakdown compelled him to appeal for an armistice and separate peace, he wrote to Wilhelm in moving terms of friendship, 'The last birthday of the young' Emperor which w: laily zolemnized was that on August 17, 1918. But the celebration was marred by the news of the recognition of Gzecho-Slovakia as an_ independent. State by the Butente, Then gradually the whole dual monarchy fell to pieces, and when Karl began dimly to' realize hix doom and ad-Aressed the sto. to his Beoples" it was too lute. The march Of events which began with the disaster of Bulgaria was not stayed tuntit the new democratic rulers the German part of Austria declarced the country " republic Perhaps one mare be mentioned, The An whole certainty nev pressing desire for separate peace, Gid not improve relations with the ans.
Thus, although Aus had penetbravery and. ingly dong under the realest hardships.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.