Germany and the Next War | Page 2

our aspirations
from hostile Powers

CHAPTER V
WORLD POWER OR DOWNFALL
Points of view for judging of the political situation--The States of the
Triple Alliance--The political interests of France and Russia-- The
Russo-French Alliance--The policy of Great Britain-- America and the
rising World Powers of the Far East--The importance of Turkey--Spain
and the minor States of Europe--Perilous position of Germany--World
power or downfall--Increase of political power: how to obtain
it--German colonial policy--The principle of the balance of power in
Europe--Neutral States--The principle of non-intervention in the
internal affairs of other States--Germany and the rules of international
politics --The foundations of our internal strength

CHAPTER VI
THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ARMY FOR
WAR
Its necessity--Its twofold aspect--The educational importance of
military efficiency--Different military systems--Change in the nature of
military efficiency due to the advance of civilization-- Variety of
methods of preparation for war--The armaments of minor States--The
armaments of the Great Powers--Harmonious development of all

elements of strength--Influence on armaments of different conceptions
of the duties of the State--Permanent factors to be kept in sight in
relation to military preparedness-- Statecraft in this connection

CHAPTER VII
THE CHARACTER OF OUR NEXT WAR
Our opponents--The French army--The military power of Russia-- The
land forces of England--The military power of Germany and Austria; of
Italy--The Turkish army--The smaller Balkan States --The Roumanian
army--The armies of the lesser States of Central Europe--Greece and
Spain--The fleets of the principal naval Powers--The enmity of
France--The hostility of England-- Russia's probable behaviour in a war
against Germany--The military situation of Germany--Her
isolation--What will be at stake in our next war--Preparation for war

CHAPTER VIII
THE NEXT NAVAL WAR
England's preparations for a naval war against Germany--Germany's
first measures against England--England and the neutrality of the small
neighbouring States--The importance of Denmark--Commercial
mobilization--The two kinds of blockade: The close blockade and the
extended blockade--England's attack on our coasts--Co-operation of the
air-fleet in their defence--The decisive battle and its
importance--Participation of France and Russia in a German-English
war

CHAPTER IX
THE CRUCIAL QUESTION
Reciprocal relations of land and sea power--The governing points of
view in respect of war preparations--Carrying out of universal military
service--The value of intellectual superiority--Masses, weapons, and
transport in modern war--Tactical efficiency and the quality of the
troops--The advantage of the offensive--Points to be kept in view in
war preparations--Refutation of the prevailing restricted notions on this

head--The _Ersatzreserve_--New formations--Employment of the
troops of the line and the new formations--Strengthening of the
standing army--The importance of personality

CHAPTER X
ARMY ORGANIZATION
Not criticism wanted of what is now in existence, but its further
development--Fighting power and tactical efficiency--Strength of the
peace establishment--Number of officers and N.C.O.'s, especially in the
infantry--Relations of the different arms to each other--Distribution of
machine guns--Proportion between infantry and artillery--Lessons to be
learned from recent wars with regard to this--Superiority at the decisive
point--The strength of the artillery and tactical efficiency--Tactical
efficiency of modern armies--Tactical efficiency and the marching
depth of an army corps--Importance of the internal organization of
tactical units--Organization and distribution of field artillery; of heavy
field howitzers--Field pioneers and fortress pioneers--Tasks of the
cavalry and the air-fleet--Increase of the cavalry and formation of
cyclist troops--Tactical organization of the cavalry--Development of
the air-fleet--Summary of the necessary requirements--Different ways
of carrying them out--Importance of governing points of view for war
preparations

CHAPTER XI
TRAINING AND EDUCATION
The spirit of training--Self-dependence and the employment of
masses-- Education in self-dependence--Defects in our training for war
on the grand scale--Need of giving a new character to our manoeuvres
and to the training of our commanders--Practical training of the
artillery-- Training in tactical efficiency--Practice in marching under
war conditions--Training of the train officers and column leaders--
Control of the General Staff by the higher commanders--Value of
manoeuvres: how to arrange them--Preliminary theoretical training of
the higher commanders--Training of the cavalry and the airmen; of the
pioneers and commissariat troops--Promotion of intellectual

development in the army--Training in the military academy

CHAPTER XII
PREPARATION FOR THE NAVAL WAR
The position of a World Power implies naval strength--Development of
German naval ideals--The task of the German fleet; its strength
--Importance of coast defences--Necessity of accelerating our naval
armaments--The building of the fleet--The institution of the
air-fleet--Preliminary measures for a war on commerce--
Mobilization--General points of view with regard to preparations for
the naval war--Lost opportunities in the past

CHAPTER XIII
THE ARMY AND POPULAR EDUCATION
The universal importance of national education--Its value for the
army--Hurtful influences at work on it--Duties of the State with regard
to national health--Work and sport--The importance of the school--The
inadequacy of our national schools--Military education and education
in the national schools--Methods of instruction in the latter--Necessity
for their reform--Continuation schools--Influence of national education
on the Russo-Japanese War--Other means of national education--The
propaganda of action