"Retreat!" Retreat!".
Herman Friedman and Theobald Schmidt, and their fellow soldiers, had long since lost count of the number of times they had heard those words. Over the last few hours, the Germans had been forced back hundreds of miles, or so it seemed, and it was only getting worse. Every minute, it seemed, the Allies would push forward, and the Germans would fall back. At first Herman had tried to reassure Theobald that this was just a tactical retreat, that the Germans would soon be able to mount a counterattack, but the Allies had kept on with their remorseless advance. At this rate, Cambrai would soon be in their hands. At almost every moment would come the sharp sound of a shell exploding nearby, or the terrifying roar of the Allied tanks.
Herman, an average sized man with black hair, a round face and a nervous smile, turned to his friend.
"How are you feeling?"
Theobald, slightly taller, with dark hair and fixed brown eyes, stared straight ahead and grunted in response.
"Don't worry", smiled Herman. "God has sent this to test us, but soon it'll be all right, we'll get back what they've taken."
"You still think that", growled Theobald, though despite himself he could not prevent the slightest and briefest smile crossing his lips. "You must be the last man who does."
He was right of course. Just weeks earlier, just about all of the soldiers had been confident that victory would be theirs, that glory would be Germany's: very few thought like that now. There were constant mutterings and grumblings about the pointlessness of the war, and the stupidity of the Kaiser and the generals who had led them into it. Increasing numbers of men had been deserting: the officers were even losing the will to court-martial them. More and more there was talk that change was needed back home, that a new political system was necessary, even a few whispered expressions of admiration for Lenin. Herman and Theobald had done their best to rally their comrades, Herman by assuring them that it would all come right eventually, and Theobald with his habitual cry of "For God and Kaiser!", but it seemed the other soldiers had simply stopped listening to them.
Suddenly Theobald let out a gasp, as though he had been punched in the stomach, and he rolled onto the ground, unconscious, his mouth open. The horrified Herman knew instantly what had happened:
"Help! Gas!", he shouted.
Such was the increasing panic and chaos in the German lines, that it took nearly 10 minutes for the combat medics to reach the stricken man: Herman became increasingly panicky. Eventually, however, Theobald was placed on a stretcher and hurried to the field hospital, some five miles behind the front line. Herman asked to be allowed to accompany him but was firmly told to stay put.
Herman and his comrades continued to resist valiantly, but it was all to no avail, and as the Allies surged forward, the Germans broke ranks and fled for their lives. Herman felt a sniper's bullet whistle past his right ear. There was no thought now of victory or national glory: self-preservation was the one thing on everyone's mind. The battle had lasted just 36 hours.
Theobald woke up with a start.
"What . . . why . . . where . . ."
He stared around, trying to take in the strange surroundings, breathing heavily. Then he saw Herman's face, at first worried, but then breaking into a smile.
"Where am I?", he asked.
"In the field hospital", said Herman gently.
"Why, what happened to me?"
"You were gassed", Herman explained.
Theobald sighed heavily. "So they've given you leave to come and see me?", he inquired.
Herman looked awkward. How do I break the news, he wondered.
"The war's over", he said.
"What?", spluttered Theobald. "We haven't given up, we can't have, the Kaiser would never . . ."
His voice faded as he saw the solemn look on Herman's face.
"The Kaiser has gone", said Herman, speaking as slowly and delicately as he could manage. "He fled to Holland."
"So has the Crown Prince now taken over?", asked Theobald: his tone was that of a man asking if part of his house had survived a fire.
"No", said Herman. "A republic was established, and two days later the new government signed a armistice."
"No! No! No! It can't be true!", cried Theobald, so loud as to bring the nurses rushing over to him. "Please tell me it's not true!"
He looked pleadingly at Herman, but Herman's solemn expression told him all he needed to know. Theobald let out a long, loud, despairing scream. Herman put a consoling hand on Theobald's shoulder.
"It's all right", he said. "You've got Gertrud to go back to, and then there's me and Lena's wedding."
Theobald turned away and buried his face into his pillow, weeping bitterly.
