w now that much of this fury of haste which was so
bewildering at the time, which certainly has no parallel in history, was
due to the perfection of Germany's long-laid plans. Major-General
Farquarson, in his "Military History of the Invasion," says:

"It may be doubted whether in all the history of warfare anything so
scientifically perfect as the preparations for this attack can be found.
It is safe to say that every inch of General von Fuechter's progress was
mapped out in Berlin long months before it came to astound and horrify
England. The maps and plans in the possession of the German staff were
masterpieces of cartographical science and art. The German Army knew
almost to a bale of hay what provender lay between London and the coast,
and where it was stored; and certainly their knowledge of East Anglia
far exceeded that of our own authorities. The world has never seen a
quicker blow struck; it has seldom seen a blow so crushingly severe; it
has not often seen one so aggressively unjustifiable. And, be it noted,
that down to the last halter and the least fragment of detail, the
German Army was provided with every conceivable aid to success--_in
duplicate_.

"Never in any enterprise known to history was less left to chance. The
German War Office left nothing at all to chance, not even its
conception--a certainty really--of Britain's amazing unreadiness. And
the German Army took no risks. A soldier's business, whether he be
private or Field Marshal, is, after all, to obey orders. It would be
both foolish and unjust to blame General von Fuechter. But the fact
remains that no victorious army ever risked less by generosity than the
invading German Army. Its tactics were undoubtedly ruthless; they were
the tactics necessitated by the orders of the Chief of the Army. They
were more severe, more crushing, than any that have ever been adopted
even by a punitive expedition under British colours. They were
successful. For that they were intended. Swiftness and thoroughness were
of the essence of the contract.

"With regard to their humanity or morality I am not here concerned. But
it should always be remembered by critics that British apathy and
neglect made British soil a standing temptation to the invader. The
invasion was entirely unprovoked, so far as direct provocation goes. But
who shall say it was entirely undeserved, or even unforeseen, by
advisers whom the nation chose to ignore? This much is certain: Black
Satur