wn of Germany's elaborate and grandiose
defense of her misdeeds--by a tardy confession of error, which swept
everything she had previously said into the discard. On May 8, 1916,
the same day on which the American note had been dispatched, Germany
sent a further communication acknowledging that, as result of further
investigation, her previous contention "that the damage of the
_Sussex_ was to be traced back to a cause other than the attack of a
German submarine cannot be maintained." It now seems that the _Sussex_
had been mistaken by the submarine commander for a British transport.
Nothing could be more complete than Germany's belated resort to an
amende honorable after the United States had proved her guilt:

"In view of the general impression of all the facts at hand the German
Government considers it beyond doubt that the commander of the
submarine acted in the bona fide belief that he was facing an enemy
warship. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that, misled by the
appearance of the vessel under the pressure of the circumstances, he
formed his judgment too hurriedly in establishing her character and
did not, therefore, act fully in accordance with the strict
instructions which called upon him to exercise particular care.

"In view of these circumstances the German Government frankly admits
that the assurance given to the American Government, in accordance
with which passenger vessels were not to be attacked without warning,
has not been adhered to in the present case.... The German Government
does not hesitate to draw from this resultant consequences. It
therefore expresses to the American Government its sincere regret
regarding the deplorable incident, and declares its readiness to pay
an adequate indemnity to the injured American citizens. It also
disapproved of the conduct of the commander, who has been
appropriately punished."

TWO YEARS OF THE WAR

BY FRANK H. SIMONDS

The purpose of this article is to review rapidly and briefly the
history of the military operations in the European conflict during the
first two years, from the attack upon Liege to the opening of the
first general Allied offensive. Necessarily, in view of the space
limitations it will be confined to a summary of events in the three
more considerable campaigns, that of Germany against France in 1914,
that of Germany against Russia in 1915, and the second German attack
upon France at Verdun in 1916. All other land operations