TheCodeBreakers
beneath the guns of victory. Foch, who realized that other German
assaults would come and that he would have to defend against them,
knew at last that he would some day take the offensive. He knew then
that the war was not lost, and could eventually be won. Within a few
weeks, the final German thrusts did come, but they had run out of
steam, and the French parried them. Soon the initiative passed to the
Allies, bolstered by the Americans, and their powerful counterstrokes
drove the German armies back and back until the Kaiser, his militaristic
dreams wrecked, abdicated and fled while his generals signed the
Armistice at Compiegne. The World War was ended.
For Painvin, who had lost 33 pounds while simply seated at his desk,
there was a long leave of convalescence. Afterwards, he engaged in an
immensely successful business career, becoming president and director
general of Ugine, the chemical giant of France, president of a phosphate
annaabi.ee 
