As Beck clearly understood, given the underlying balance in population, raw materials and financial power, it was the Germans not the British and French who needed to force a rapid military decision. Following the logic of Beck’s own analysis it was most unlikely that the French would take the risk of a major offensive in the West. Instead, they would settle for a long war of attrition. The behaviour of Roosevelt’s administration gave them every reason to expect American assistance.100 Furthermore, Beck was clearly correct in his assessment of the state of the German army. Whatever the precise
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