I believed that our own public would keep this in mind even in this serious crisis, and stand firm if only we at the front continued to stand firm too.

In war, only the simple succeeds.

In spite of certain distressing but isolated occurrences in the last battle, I certainly hoped that the Army would be in a position to continue to hold out.

It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire is at stake.

I also believed that our public at home would be strong enough to survive even the present crisis.

However, the fact that the tanks had now been raised to such a pitch of technical perfection that they could cross our undamaged trenches and obstacles did not fail to have a marked effect on our troops.

I believed that our own public would keep this in mind even in this serious crisis, and stand firm if only we at the front continued to stand firm too.