Sir Douglas Haig went on to say that he was
convinced that the decision would be reached on the Western front :-
" Do you think," the correspondent of the Haves Agency asked, " that the decision can be reached by breaking the German front " " That is just how I conceive the decision as coming about," Sir Douglas Haig replied. " This war of trenches must make way for a war of movement which alone will secure for us the great advantages upon •
which we reckon. The German front in the West will undoubtedly be broken by the Franco-British Armies." " And that, you think, might happen this year ? "
" This year will be decisive in the sense that the decision of the war on the field of battle will be witnessed ; that is to say that we shall see the event after which Germany will appear as beaten in the military sense. It is possible that the year of decision will also be the year of peace. Of course we all hope it may be so ; and we shall do all we can to bring it about."
