WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

368 WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE
the assumption that we could disregard the solemn admonitions
involved in these documents.
ALTERNATIVES
The fundamental error of the Allied strategy up to the present
has been the refusal of their war direction to recognise the fact
that the European battlefield is one and indivisible. A corollary
to this error has been the concentration of the strongest armies
on the attacking of the strongest fronts, whilst the weakest fronts
have been left to the less well-equipped armies. We have thus
allowed the Balkans to be captured by the Central Powers, who
had at any rate the intelligence to realise the strategic importance
of that area. Austria and Turkey, which might by well-directed
blows have been overthrown in 1915 or 1916, have been regarded
by France and England as mere "side shows" having no bearing
upon the general result of the campaign. This narrow and unimaginative
conception of our military strategy will, I predict,
always be pointed to as the reason why the Allies, in spite of their
overwhelming preponderance, have been so successfully held at
bay by an enemy considerably inferior in numbers. The question
is whether it is too late even now to retrieve the consequence of
this mistake. I believe another opportunity is presenting itself
to the Allies, and the same prejudices and narrowness of outlook
are conspiring to repeat our blunders. Austria and Turkey are
still the weakest fronts, but we still insist on ignoring that fact,
and wasting our strength on endeavouring to break through the
strongest and best-fortified, the most skilfully and powerfully
held front in the whole battlefield. If either Turkey or Austria
were overthrown it would be the beginning of the disintegration
and consequent destruction of the Central Powers. If Austria were
defeated it would lead to a separate peace with that Empire.
Turkey and Bulgaria would be isolated, and being left without
supplies or support from the Central Powers could much more
easily be overthrown. The Russian Army could then concentrate
against Germany alone; a million men would be withdrawn from
the Austrian frontier and thrown on to the German Front. The