WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

294 WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE
ish coast. I consider that this is possible if Belgium is closely associated
with the German Empire economically, divided into
Walloon and Flemish areas, takes over her own defence against
France and England in course of time, and has her own army
and navy after the period of occupation comes to an end.
The association of Belgium with Germany will have as a
result that Holland, if she pursues her obvious interests, will be
attracted to us, especially if her colonial possessions are guaranteed
by a Japan which is allied to us. In that way we shall
reach another part of the coast of the continent which faces
England, and realise the aim for which the navy is even now
striving, justly recognising its importance. We shall have a position
with regard to England which will enable us to keep our trade
going in the next war. That is the third great object which we
must always keep in mind.
To this aspect of affairs belong, besides Russia, points d'appui
overseas in South America, a colonial empire in Africa and naval
stations in or outside the colonial empire. At the very moment
when we are abandoning the Flemish coast, the navy has a special
claim by way of compensation to points d'appui — the Imperial
Chancellor has himself said so — which will enable it in the next
war to keep the way to the world seas open to Germany and
thereby secure her imports from abroad. The greater our failure
to achieve this aim, the larger must be the stocks of raw material
which we shall have to accumulate, getting no return, in Germany.
I need only mention that a favourable commercial treaty
with a Denmark closely associated with us would increase our
maritime strength and freedom of trade enormously.
LUDENDORFF. 1
14th September, 1917.
The footnote gives an idea of the conditions of peace
which would be imposed at this date by Austria-Hungary:
1,4 The General Staff and Its Problems", by General Ludendorff, pp. 491-498.