The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-09
Eager to Absorb War
knowledge as Quickly
as Possible
YOUNG OFFICERS
SHOW ENTHUSIASM
Much More Eager For Of
fensive Than For De-
fense
(By Associated Press.)

The American Training Camp
Aug. S.-The deepest impression one
gains after three weeks with Ameri'
can soldiers training in France /:
the absolute earnestness Of the men
There is no disposition to under
estimate the seriousness of the tasl
and the hard work which must bt
done before America can take hel
place on the actual firing line.
The troops here feel their responsi-
bility keenly. The men are earnest
in their desire to absorb war knowl-
edge as quickly and as thoroughly
as possible, so when called upon tc
act as instructors to succeeding units
they will be qualified. A great dea,
of this earnestness is largely the re-
suit of enthusiasm Of young officers
who but recently Joined the colors
and have taken UP the business OF
war with courage and determine
ton.
Under the best circumstances
training of soldiers in methods oi
modern warfare requires months oi
painstaking efforts, A thousand oi
the most valuable men in the Brit.
ish army for instance did not put a
foot in France until after they had
had q whole year of training al
home.
Germany Called. Boys.
On the other hand, Germany call
ed boys of IT years last September
and sent many of them into the
trenches after only six weeks OF
infantry training. '-. y.
This was possible because these
boys were merely distributed among
old seasoned troops-stop gaps in the
ranks of decimated divisions.
Six months is nearer the ideal
training period, but this rule applies
to armies which have been fighting
three years and have all the ma
chinery necessary through which the
men are passed to the front.
The building of the machinery Is
the staggering task now being dealt
with. It is a task in way greater
than anything France or Great
Britain have been called upon to do
for Americas problems are those of
France and Great Britain multiplied
by three thousand miles of Atlantic
ocean. ..a .....-. .--=..... -.
The daily thrills and tasks neces-
sarily are much the same thing over
and over again all of which mean a
dearth of real news. But the SOL
diers are anxious that the folks at
home should know that the absence
of news does not mean absence of
work. Nor can the value of each
days training actually be told until
the American soldier at last stands
out as the finished product.
It is not known whether the
French instructional division will re-
main with the Americans. The lat
ter are proving so apt that undoubt-
edIy it will be only a short time
when only a few picked French OFF,
GERS will be retained to assist in the
training. .....
Students of the war are convinced
that the morale of the troops and
the morale of the nations of the
entente will prove to be the final
factor. The morale of the American
soldiers in France can easily be esti-
mated, by the avidity with which
they take up training in offensive
tactics as against the defensive
work. They are sincerely anxious
for their turn in the trenches to
come.
The men are anxious for a glimpse
Of war and there is no doubt that
after they get 1t, will add infinite
zest to their future training and to
their ability to train future divisions.
The men are still far enough off the
line to hear or see little that has to
do with real fighting. A brief tour
of duty in the trenches will explain
much to them however, and will
make them appreciate the training
which they do not wholly UNDER,
stand.