Our formulae varied little: 'according to prisoners
the German losses in the course of the attack have been considerable' ...
'it is proved that the losses' ... 'the enemy exhausted by his losses
has not renewed the attack' ... Certain formulae, later abandoned
because they had been overworked, were used each day: 'under
our artillery and machine gun fire' ... 'mowed down by our artillery
and machine gun fire' ... Constant repetition impressed the neutrals
and Germany itself, and helped to create a bloody background in spite
of the denials from Nauen (the German wireless) which tried vainly to
destroy the bad effect of this perpetual repetition." [Footnote: _Op.
cit._, pp. 138-139.]
The thesis of the French Command, which it wished to establish
publicly by these reports, was formulated as follows for the guidance
of the censors:
"This offensive engages the active forces of our opponent whose
manpower is declining. We have learned that the class of 1916 is
already at the front. There will remain the 1917 class already being
called up, and the resources of the third category (men above
forty-five, or convalescents). In a few weeks, the German forces
exhausted by this effort, will find themselves confronted with all the
forces of the coalition (ten millions against seven millions)."
[Footnote: _Op. cit._, p. 147.]
According to M. de Pierrefeu, the French command had converted itself
to this belief.
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