German virus
From Dr L.C. Laming Sir: That Frank Johnson is intrigued by both the question and the answer in Ken- neth Macksey's book (Shared opinion, 2 October) is not surprising. Macksey's thesis he gives, in brief, as `they did not know when to stop'. In particular, instances abound where initial success bred over- reach. The neat thing about this thesis is that it explains both the military efficiency and the debacles.
The analogy is surely with the virus, bac- terium or any organism dedicated to inva- sion: the more success there is at first, the more the immune system of the cells attacked gets provoked enough for decisive retaliation.
Since I have a German wife, I hasten to add that, if this is a consequence of the 'German military character', that itself must in part arise from the mindset of a central people surrounded by others that might become hostile, with no natural bar- riers such as islanders are blest with — as I think Macksey also makes clear.
Cyril Laming
Imperial College,
Exhibition Road, London SW7
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