us als . ▁Fal ken h ay n ▁held ▁that ▁decis ive ▁military ▁victory ▁against ▁Russia ▁was ▁impossible ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁Western ▁Front ▁was ▁the ▁decis ive ▁theatre ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁So on ▁after ▁taking ▁over ▁from ▁Fal ken h ay n , ▁H inden burg ▁and ▁Lud endor ff ▁had ▁no ▁choice ▁but ▁to ▁recogn ise ▁the ▁wisdom ▁of ▁the ▁emphas is ▁given ▁by ▁Fal ken h ay n ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Front , ▁despite ▁the ▁crisis ▁in ▁the ▁east ▁caused ▁by ▁the ▁Br us il ov ▁Off ensive ▁( 4 ▁June ▁– ▁ 2 0 ▁September ) ▁and ▁the ▁Roman ian ▁declaration ▁of ▁war ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁August . ▁ ▁P rel ude ▁ ▁Camb rai ▁conference ▁ ▁On ▁ 8 ▁September , ▁H inden burg ▁and ▁Lud endor ff ▁held ▁a ▁conference ▁at ▁Camb rai ▁with ▁the ▁chief s ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁arm ies ▁of ▁the ▁West he er ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁tour ▁of ▁ins pection ▁of ▁the ▁Western ▁Front . ▁Both ▁men ▁were ▁dis may ed ▁at ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁tren ch ▁war fare ▁that ▁they ▁found , ▁in ▁such ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁conditions ▁on ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front ▁and ▁the ▁dil ap id ated ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁West he er . ▁The ▁Battle ▁of ▁Verd un ▁and ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Som me ▁had ▁been ▁extra ordin arily ▁cost ly ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁Som me , ▁ ▁cas ual ties ▁had ▁been ▁suffered ▁from ▁ 2 4 ▁June ▁to ▁ 2 8 ▁August . ▁The