Chapter IX: Book V: The Dénouement

I

THE GERMAN ACCOUNT

On June 7, at ten to four in the morning, Fort Vaux was still breathing.

A German account of its last agonies and its death--doctored, no doubt, to suit the German public, but nevertheless paying a tribute of respect to the defenders--was published in the _Breisgauer Zeitung_ of June 16, 17, and 18. The first part is dated June 4, the second June 7. It is signed by one of the war correspondents admitted to the Great General Headquarters, Kurt von Reden, but it is dated from “the Great General Headquarters of the attacking troops,” and it is easy to guess from certain details that it was revised, if not actually written, by the Staff. Here is the complete text of the enemy version: