The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1918-12-12
Pershing Convinced Foch.

There have long been rumors that
Gen. Pershing took the initiative in
urging that the allied counter often
sive begin in July, instead OF being
postponed until the spring vi 1919.
There is no doubt that general mill
tary opinion was in favor OF waiting
for spring. until enough sufficiently
trained Americans would be on hand
to make their strength felt. For four
months the allies had been on the de-
it's forces released by the collapse i'll
the east to force decision before
America could throw in its iull
strength. 1t sent its "circus army"
of shock troops along the western
front, striking here and there tn
maintain the illusion of German in
vincibility During the four months
both Calais and Paris had been in
imminent peril. But for six weeks
the Marine salient had bulged to a
degree that all military men saw was
dangerous. A drive at the base of
the salient to close the pocket was
tempting. but military observers gen
orally overestimated the German
strength and felt that the allies did
not have men enough to risk such all
attempt
The rumors that Persfihg stormed
about, with profane emphasis, were
exaggerations. Foch had early an
nounced that the only way to fight
was by advancing. Hence there
could not have been any clash OF
theories between Foch and Pershing.
Nor is raving Pershing character,
istic. But evidence accumulates that
he began counseling counter Of
fensive month before he could per-
suade Foch that it was safe. In his
admirable report on the American
army in France he says concerning
the deep Marine salient: "Seizing
this opportunity to support my con-
viction, every division with any sort
of training was made available for
use in a counter offensive
This sentence is illuminated ~
Mai. Frederick Palmer's book.
America in France" appearing
simultaneously with Gen. Pershing's
report. This eminent war corre-
spondent, who had been major
since 1916 and who went over with
Pershing and kept in close touch
with headquarters, says that Per-
shing early saw the opportunity to
end the war at once and that when
Premier Clemenceau and Gen. Foch
called to American headquarters
June 22 for a conference, he again
pointed to the obvious yulnerability
of the Marine salient and vigorously
advocated an offensive. He had
faith that the German strength was
overestimated, and that under a de-
termined' attack tho salient would
crack like an eggshell." But his main |
task was in proving that the Ameri-
cans in France were fully prepared
to bear a full share in the offensive
and that the flow of forces from
overseas would be sufficient to main
tain the offensive to the end. Maj.
Palmer says that Gen. Foch gave the
word for attack and Gen. Petain
worked out the plans taking Gen.
Pershino at his word. Further evil
dence of Gen. Pershing's foresight is
furnished by the fact that he framed
his organization to be expanded into
an army of 5000 600 men and that in
August, 1917, he cabled instructions
to drill American troops at home in
open warfare. All theories of along
drawn-out war were based o. the
supposition that it would be impos-
sible to get away from trench fight
ing. History will accord Pershing
due credit, but he could not have
convinced. Foch had it not been for
the marvellous fighting Of the Ameri- !