America\'s Military Adversaries. From Colonial Times to the Present

in France. That August, Gen. John J. Persh-
ing launched the first American offensive of
the war by easing Gen. Max von Gallwitz
out of the St. Mihiel Salient in August. This
was followed up by an all-out offensive along
the Western Front, and German forces, bled
white by earlier fighting, could not stem the
tide. American troops fought with distinction
in the Meuse-Argonne offensive of Septem-
ber, and this influx of new manpower proved
decisive. By November it became Hinden-
burg’s melancholy task to inform the kaiser
that the war was lost and that he must abdi-
cate. For the rest of 1918 he also orches-
trated the return of German forces home and
their demobilization. The fact that the war
ended before Germany was invaded, and
that Germany’s armies were still intact, gave
rise to a legacy of political betrayal. This per-
ception came to haunt the newly-created
Weimar Republic.
Defeat did little to dim national veneration
of Hindenburg. After living in retirement for
seven years, the trusty old general was
elected president of the Weimar Republic in

1925. It was an odd turn of events for Hinden-
      burg, a staunch monarchist who despised
      democracies. However, he was a calm, reas-
      suring figure in swirling seas of change and
      served his nation as he always had—with dig-
      nity, bearing, and devotion. The 85-year-old
      general subsequently won a second term in
      1932 by defeating Adolf Hitler. However,
      owing to economic chaos caused by the Great
      Depression of 1929, the German polity paid
      increasing attention to the upstart Nazi
      leader, and eventually Hindenburg was ma-
      neuvered into appointing Hitler chancellor in
      January 1933. He thoroughly detested Hitler, a
      common Austrian, but felt too enfeebled to

oppose him. Hindenburg died in Potsdam on

March 21, 1933, a fine military strategist but

unable to surmount Germany’s difficulties in

a two-front war. Nonetheless, by virtue of per-

sonal dignity and strength of character, he re-

mains Germany’s most renowned hero of

World War I.

See also

Gallwitz, Max von; Hitler, Adolf; Ludendorff, Erich von

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HINDENBURG, PAULLUDWIGVON