|
|||
|
After this victory he was appointed chief of staff to Paul von Hindenburg. In the Battle of Tannenberg in East Prussia (1914) he proved the value of his idea that it was more important to destroy the enemy than to capture and hold terrain. The overwhelming victory of this Battle changed the whole military situation at the eastern front and was the foundation of the later ceasefire between Germany and Russia. |
When Hindenburg was appointed as the chief of the general staff of the German field army in 1916, Ludendorff became his first quartermaster general. Although Ludendorff was was only responsible for organizational and supply problems, he always tried to influence the the planning and direction of combat operations. In his opinion Germany needed to concentrate equally on sea and land warfare in order to defeat Great Britain. He therefor was a strong supporter of the unrestricted submarine warfare in 1917. This policy was mainly responsible for the entrance of the United States into the war. Outnumbered in men and supplies United States President Woodrow Wilson demanded an unconditional surrender from Germany. Ludendorff opposed this demand and as a result of it was removed from the German Army. After the ceasefire came into effect in November 1918 he left Germany and moved to Sweden. |
||
|
|||
