On the other hand, the leading men in the Entente--Clemenceau from the first and Lloyd George later--were firmly resolved to crush Germany, and therefore profited by the continuous German threats to suppress all pacifist movements in their own countries, always ready to prove that a peace of understanding with Berlin would be a "pact between the fox and the geese." Thanks to the attitude of the leading Ministers in Germany, the Entente was fully persuaded that an understanding with Germany was quite out of the question, and insisted obstinately on peace terms which could not be accepted by a Germany still unbeaten.

This closes the _circular vitiosus_ which paralysed all negotiating activities.
_We_ were wedged in between these two movements and unable to strike out for ourselves, because the Entente, bound by their promises to their Allies, had already disposed of us by the Pact of London and the undertakings to Roumania and Serbia.

We therefore _could_ not exercise extreme pressure on Germany, as we were unable to effect the annulment of those treaties.
In the early summer of 1917 the possibility of an understanding _seemed_ to show itself on the horizon, but it was wrecked by the previously mentioned events.
FOOTNOTES: [8] Helfferich's _expose_ is reproduced in the Appendix.

(See p.

288.) [9] At this time I did not know that my secret report to the Emperor was handed over to Herr Erzberger and not kept secret by him.