The Amazing Armistice: Inside Story of the Premature Peace Report1921 - World War, 1914-1918 - 16 pages |
Common terms and phrases
Admiral Wilson Admiral Wilson's office admiral's afternoon editions Allied Amazing Armistice American armistice celebration Armistice signed army ARTHUR HORNBLOW beat believe biggest Brest censor ceived censorship CENTURY MAGAZINE Chaumont command counter-espionage cruel Depeche desk destroyer doughboy due to sail enemy espionage enemy plenipotentiaries Ensign Sellards ently eral exalted rank fact fate filing Foch France FRED NEWTON French cable French waters German heard hoax hostilities ceased Howard Inside Story intelligence officer intelligence section issue of November La Depeche looked Marseillaise military Ministry morning of November naval headquarters naval office navy newspaper noon editions office in Paris operations Paris censor Paris embassy pass pected Place du President pleni possible potentiaries Premature Peace Report President Wilson public square report from Paris rumor secret service seemed sent shortly Simms suddenly tele telegraph room tice United Press communications United Press messages UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN untrue wanted wire York City York Globe
Popular passages
Page 12 - I grasped and opened the message that was handed to me. I felt Howard's eye on me as I read, and the blood rushed to my head. The communication was in intelligence code, and the process of translation was slow and fearful. Finally it was done. I had only to read it aloud to that screaming mob about me to be torn to little pieces. The message said: Armistice report untrue. War Ministry issues absolute denial and declares enemy plenipotentiaries to be still on way through lines. Cannot meet Foch until...
Page 4 - We walked inside and stopped at the telegraph room, which was nearest the door, and Howard entered animatedly into conversation with the operator on duty in a French that was as utilitarian as it was full of gestures. I gradually gathered a fact that was to have tremendous bearing later on. It seems that, apart from our own signal lines, there were only two ways of communicating by telegraph between Paris and Brest. One was by the regular wires of the public telegraph service; the other was by the...
Page 9 - Howard's that enabled him to get his cable past the local censors. I say "unintended" because it is inconceivable that in the circumstances any man, however alert, could have thought up so extraordinarily clever a devise. Knowing that type of French official as I do, I am convinced that no one in Brest, of whatever exalted rank, could have caused the local French censors to let by so portentous a message without having the O. K.
Page 8 - ... yet been given to the press in Paris. He could beat every competitor in the business on the biggest news break in history! He could get his message to the States in time for the afternoon editions. The others might not get there until morning. Admiral Wilson expressed his willingness that Howard should use the report. In company, therefore, with Ensign Sellards to assist him in arranging things Howard rushed to the pastes.
Page 10 - IO" to get into immediate touch with the French Ministry of War and advise me of consequences as soon as possible. But seeming set-back did not serve to shake Howard's confidence. On the contrary, it indicated to him that his "beat
Page 12 - Roberston's definite words, impelled Howard to go in search of Admiral Wilson. The two of us finally located him dining en famille with a French local official, and in answer to the inquiries we sent inside Ensign Sellards came out to tell us that the admiral had heard from Paris that the news he had...
Page 4 - ... be coming across the lines to sue for an armistice. A small, excited crowd was discussing the tidings and waiting eagerly around for more. Oddly enough, a rumor was seeping through it to the effect that an armistice had already been signed, and Howard told me that he had heard the same thing --hen he came in at the station that morning. The sight of "La Depeche...
Page 15 - ... that there was an armistice, and let them taste of the joy that would naturally await upon the news. Had the American people not been rewarded with a real termination of the struggle a short time after their wild celebration of the supposed, it must be believed that the reaction of their disappointment...
Page 14 - ... at one point — work actively on their own initiative and without orders, taking into consideration the news and needs of the day, it is reasonable to suppose that an intelligent enemy agent in Paris would set...
Page 3 - ... Howard perched on the edge of my desk and in short order made me glad he had come. He immediately laid the groundwork for the historic occurrence that was to take place within a few hours by his expressed desire to effect a change in the transportation plans that had been made for him in Paris. "I'm due to sail at two this afternoon on some ark that takes two weeks getting home,