[Jenny]

I too occasionally play "What if?" I will elaborate later as I am involved in putting on a fashion show that runs tonight, and I don't have much time this AM. Walther Rathnau, "As great a German nationalist as there ever was" says my Dad, was responsible managing food distribution. He squeezed the civilian population, so that the Army could fight. Had Rathnau not been running things on that end, the military would not have lasted as long as is did. I'd say another year. Remember, the blockade continued until the treaty was signed, so for many people it was as though the war was still going on.

Ah influenza. There is a hypotheses that it came out of the transit station/depot in Etaples, France. There was a documentry to that effect that ran a year or so back. Better bet, Haskel County Kansas. For more information, Read "The Great Influenza", by John M. Barry. Brillant book. By the way, I was not aware that Australia had no conscription. Gee, the things you don't learn from watching Aussie WW1 War films. In October, 1918, the US Government had issued an order extending conscription to all men 18-45. FDR was planning to enlist in the Navy. Jenny