Part 12/15:
Hindenburg and Ludendorff, recognizing the precariousness of their position, urged Max to seek an immediate armistice. Max, citing the need to hold the line and avoid further territorial losses—particularly to the west and in East Prussia—initially hesitated. Nonetheless, with support from Austria-Hungary, he sent a telegram to the United States requesting negotiations to end the war.
The Endgame and the Final Collapse
By late September and early October, the combined military failures and internal political upheaval made continued fighting impossible. Ludendorff and Hindenburg acknowledged that Germany could no longer sustain the conflict. Ludendorff’s famous statement on September 30th, “we cannot fight against the whole world,” reflected a recognition that defeat was inevitable.