JFK+50: Volume 7, No. 2342
GERMANS SCOFF AT AMERICA'S IMPACT ON THE WORLD WAR
London (JFK+50) One hundred years ago today, June 16, 1917, former University of Berlin professor Frederick Sefton Delmer* shared his impressions of German reactions to the entry into the world war by the United States.
Professor Delmer wrote...
"Berlin generally pooh-poohs the importance of America as a factor in the war."
He stated that there was a "campaign of depreciation and ridicule of American men and institutions."
The professor further stated that one of the objects of Germany "at the outset" was to "win the war before America woke up to their intentions" but after the passage of a year, began to believe "America would be paralyzed by internal dissention."
According to Professor Delmer the only Germans with "a sane outlook...in this matter" were the bankers, financiers and industrialists. One Dresden bank manager said...
"What hope can we have of winning the war so long as we have a government capable of making such a fatal mistake as this?"
*Frederick Sefton Delmer was born in Hobart, Tasmania. He was professor of English Literature at Berlin University & authored a standard text for German schools.
FSD was sent to an internment camp as an enemy alien in 1917 where upon he & his family were repatriated to England.
SOURCE
"America Hated and Scoffed At By The Germans", The Chicago Sunday Tribune, June 17, 1917.
Mobilmachung
August 1, 1914
German Federal Archive
Bundesarchiv
Bild 146-1974-118-181
CC-BY-SA 3.0
GERMANS SCOFF AT AMERICA'S IMPACT ON THE WORLD WAR
London (JFK+50) One hundred years ago today, June 16, 1917, former University of Berlin professor Frederick Sefton Delmer* shared his impressions of German reactions to the entry into the world war by the United States.
Professor Delmer wrote...
"Berlin generally pooh-poohs the importance of America as a factor in the war."
He stated that there was a "campaign of depreciation and ridicule of American men and institutions."
The professor further stated that one of the objects of Germany "at the outset" was to "win the war before America woke up to their intentions" but after the passage of a year, began to believe "America would be paralyzed by internal dissention."
According to Professor Delmer the only Germans with "a sane outlook...in this matter" were the bankers, financiers and industrialists. One Dresden bank manager said...
"What hope can we have of winning the war so long as we have a government capable of making such a fatal mistake as this?"
*Frederick Sefton Delmer was born in Hobart, Tasmania. He was professor of English Literature at Berlin University & authored a standard text for German schools.
FSD was sent to an internment camp as an enemy alien in 1917 where upon he & his family were repatriated to England.
SOURCE
"America Hated and Scoffed At By The Germans", The Chicago Sunday Tribune, June 17, 1917.
Mobilmachung
August 1, 1914
German Federal Archive
Bundesarchiv
Bild 146-1974-118-181
CC-BY-SA 3.0
