Central Powers Quotes

When the armistice was declared American forces had fought their way to Sedan.

I now seriously ask whether an English victory would not be more desirable for our future than a German victory.

I do not believe for a moment that, at the end of this war [WWI], even if we stand aside, we should be able to undo what had happened … to prevent the whole of the West of Europe opposite us from falling under the domination of a single power … and we should, I believe, sacrifice our respect and good name and reputation before the world and should not escape the most serious and grave consequences.

Although not ratified by the United States, the Peace of Versailles has been termed an American peace. It was based on propositions laid down in advance by the United States and in the main adhered to. This is particularly true of the geographical provisions where the doctrine of self-determination, which was one of President Wilson's cardinal tenets and which roughly corresponded with that of nationalities, was accepted as the guiding principle.

With Germany herself falling, it is not strange that the nations leagued with her also went down to defeat.

Heart and Brain are the two lords of life. In the metaphors of ordinary speech and in the stricter language of science, we use these terms to indicate two central powers, from which all motives radiate, to which all influences converge.

The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.

GREAT WAR ENDS CHRISTMAS DAY. FORD TO STOP IT.

My attitude toward the war [WWI] was that it must be won at all costs.

I was born in Vienna on November 7, 1929, eleven years after the multiethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire fell apart following its defeat in World War I.

It's essentially taught in high school and college survey courses as an item on a timeline: 'The Lusitania was sunk; the U.S. gets into World War I'.

Speaking as somebody who is half English and half Hungarian, World War I still seems to me a familiar and seismic event, as if it had only just ended.

I'm a bit embarrassed about how little I know about the First World War. I didn't even know that tanks were used in it.

At the Imperial Conference on December 1, it was decided to make war against England and the United States.

The year 1915 was one of meager results, the advantages remaining on the side of the Central Powers, with this understanding, however: The Allies were growing stronger because Great Britain was making rapid progress in marshaling her resources for war.

The Treaty includes no provision for the economic rehabilitation of Europe -- nothing to make the defeated Central Powers into good neighbors, nothing to stabilize the new States of Europe, nothing to reclaim Russia; nor does it promote in any way a compact of economic solidarity amongst the Allies themselves; no arrangement was reached at Paris for restoring the disordered finances of France and Italy, or to adjust the systems of the Old World and the New.

The sinking of the Lusitania wasn't the proximal cause for the U.S. entering WWI. It was almost two years between the sinking and the war declaration, and President Wilson's request for war never mentions the Lusitania.

The success of the Allies in the west was in a measure offset by Teutonic victories in the east. When the invasion of Belgium began, Russia made immediate efforts to counteract by invasion of East Prussia.

Having achieved such signal successes in the east, Russia and Roumania being both disposed of, the German leaders planned a campaign designed to crush Italy.

The First World War may have been a uniquely horrific war, but it was also plainly a just war.

The first war zone was declared by Great Britain. She gave us and the world notice of it on the 4th day of November, 1914. The zone became effective Nov. 5, 1914.

The natural alliance is between ourselves and the great German Empire.

This is the first war in history that on the morrow the victors sued for peace and the vanquished called for unconditional surrender.

We've talked and written about the World War so much that it has almost been purged off. The bitterness is gone. The drama came to an end and it is history.

My father fought on the side of the Central Powers, as a soldier in the Imperial and Royal Austro-Hungarian Army, my maternal grandfather fought in the British Army, on different sides, and both were so traumatized by the experience that they never talked about it.