AN OFFENSIVE APOLOGY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 57, 23 March 1937, Page 6

AN OFFENSIVE APOLOGY

g f H. R.

FRENGH*

Sir, — It is more than poeaible that* had General Gough realised that the beiated apology made to him by Mr Lloyd George would have been tele« graphed round the world as another accusation againat Field-Marshal Haig, he would not have failed to defend his former C-in-C. He may have done so, but the news-agency has not told us. The debate between Haig and Lloyd George as to whether the Great War could have ended sooner by operations in minor theatres, or whether, as Haig strongly held, the issue would be .de- • ci.ded on the western front will continue to be discussed. But the evidence now. open for all to read is that Haig's prevision of what did happen ih March 1918 was right, and that Mr Lloyd George failed to take the desperate action neeessary to supply the reserves Haig demanded in order to withstand the final German attaek. That attack was meant to be overwhelming and came dangerously near to success. Haig expected'the blow to fall on the Fifth Army, yet he moved his meagre x& serves nearer to the coast because, hro the blow f allen there, aid would have been too slow in reaching the point' of peril. Mr Duff Cooper's ' ' Haig" in two volumes is in our Public Iibrary. Those who read those volumes and others will feel that Mr Lloyd George is .virtually; admitting to General Gough that he was unjustly saerificed by the then Prime Minister, who was David Lloyd George, is not fair .to Haig in again blaming him when ha constantly failed to ap-> preciate the sound judgment pf the British C-in-G and in this. particular: crisis failed to act with his usuai energy in answering Haig's plea for every man possible before. .the great blow was struck, The Germans present at Gough 'a rehabilitation would not .praise Gough by blaming Haig. Had Haig's counsel been accepted at the Armistice, and the Peace Conference, Europe might have won jto sanity ere this. — Youra. ete..

Hastings, March 23, 1937,