1 8 ▁and ▁in ▁April ▁gained ▁support ▁in ▁the ▁Pr uss ian ▁House ▁of ▁L ords ▁but ▁were ▁strongly ▁opposed ▁by ▁General ▁von ▁Bes eler ▁in ▁a ▁report ▁to ▁Emperor ▁William . ▁ ▁In ▁July , ▁Lud endor ff ▁specified ▁his ▁plans ▁in ▁a ▁memor and um , ▁propos ing ▁an nex ing ▁a ▁greatly ▁en larg ed ▁" border ▁strip " ▁of ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁square ▁kilom eters . ▁In ▁August , ▁Emperor ▁Charles ▁of ▁Austria ▁ins isted ▁on ▁the ▁Aust ro - Pol ish ▁option , ▁forb idd ing ▁Arch du ke ▁Charles ▁Stephen ▁from ▁accepting ▁the ▁crown ▁and ▁declaring ▁his ▁opposition ▁to ▁any ▁German ▁plans ▁for ▁an nex ation . ▁In ▁response , ▁General ▁Lud endor ff ▁agreed ▁to ▁leave ▁Wil no ▁( and ▁possibly ▁Min sk ) ▁to ▁Poland ▁but ▁re aff ir med ▁the ▁" border ▁strip " ▁plan . ▁However , ▁this ▁did ▁little ▁to ▁so othe ▁Polish ▁sentiment , ▁which ▁regarded ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁Wil no ▁as ▁self - ev ident ▁and ▁refused ▁to ▁yield ▁any ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Poland . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁History ▁of ▁Poland ▁( 1 7 9 5 – 1 9 1 8 ) ▁ ▁Diplom atic ▁history ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁S ources ▁▁ ▁Im manuel ▁Ge iss , ▁T zw ., ▁Polski ▁Pas ▁Gran icz ny ▁ 1 9 1 4 - 1 9 1 8 , ▁Warszawa , ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁ ▁Jan usz ▁P