WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

556 WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE
live to bless even the Italian disaster, for without it I did
not believe it would have been possible to secure real unity.
I then read a very remarkable message from Washington,
which had appeared in the Times, and said that shrewd men
in America, calmly observing the course of events from a
distance of thousands of miles, had come to conclusions
which we would have done well to make ours years ago. The
message ran:
" 'It is realised here that delicate questions of prestige exist
between the great European nations engaged in the War, and
that this militates against quick decisions and effective action
when these are most needed. It is believed by some of President
Wilson's closest advisers that Germany owes much of her
success in this war to her unity of control, which permits the
full direction of all Teutonic efforts from Berlin. Indeed, it is
felt here that unless the Allies can achieve a degree of coordination
equal to that which has enabled Germany to score her
striking, though perhaps ineffectual successes, she will be able
to hold out far longer than otherwise would have been believed
possible. American military experts believe that if the Allied
help rushed to General Cadorna's assistance to stem the tide
of invasion had been thrown into the balance when Italy's forces
were within forty miles of Laibach, the Allies would have been
able to force the road to Vienna. Victory at Laibach would
have spelled a new Austerlitz, and the magnitude of the prize
almost within its grasp is believed here to have justified General
Cadorna in taking the risk of advancing his centre too far and
temporarily weakening his left flank. The lack of cooperation
between France, Great Britain, and Italy is blamed here
for the disaster which ensued, and which it is believed would
not have occurred if one supreme military authority had directed
the combined operations of the Allies with the sole aim
of victory without regard to any other considerations.'
I continued: