Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-05
GREAT STRATEGIST
What Marshal Joffre Says Of Gen
fOch.
TIE han WHO SAVED PARIS.
His Plan 10 to Find Out the Weak
Spot Of tho Enemy and If there is no
Weak Spot to Make One.

Find out the weak point Of your
enemy. and deliver your blow there,
i said Foch. commander Of the Twen-
tieth French army corps. at a ban
quet In Nancy In 1913. 1t was his
idea OF how to lick the enemy.
But suppose. general" interrupted
an artillery officer. that the enemy
has no weak point?"
Foch's eyes cleaned and his chin
tilted aggressively.
III the enemy has no weak point
make one!"
Foch Is fond Of quoting Joseph de
Maistre's remark:
A battle lost Is a battle which one
believes to have lost" and Foch adds:
"a battle won is a battle in which
one will not admit ones self van
quished."
discipline Foch has written
does not mean the mere execution
Of orders received. 1t means that
you have entirely grasped the ideas
Of the leader who has given the order
and that you take every possible
means Of satisfying him."
How old is Foch? Where did he
come from?
Ferdinand Foch will be ST on Oc-
tober z, 1918. He was born IN Tarbes
little town in southern France, near
the Spanish border.
When did he become q soldier?
Foch has been q soldier all his life.
He fought the Germans when q boy
in the war of 1870. He served as a
subaltern. as did Joffre. After the
war he began to win notice. At &c
he was an artillery captain. Later,
he became professor OF tactics In the
French West Point'-the Ecole de
Guerre. After five years teaching he
returned to regimental work. He had
reached the rank Of brigadier gen.
eral when Clemencau made him di-
rector OF the Ecole de Guerre. From
TINS post he went to command the
Thirteenth division. then the Eighth
corps at Brouges. and then the Twen-
tieth corps ut Nancy, where he was
stationed when the war broke out.
Does he 30 in for society"
No. Has no taste for social func-
tions. Makes only formal calls re-
quircd Of him.
How do you pronounce his name?
Fokh--with long 90
What kind of a fellow Is he per-
sonally?
Modest. quiet, retiring; slim, active
and graceful; looks and acts now like
Il man of 40: large gray-blue eyes;
you'd notice his eyes particularly-so
clear and keen; quick Of speech, pre-
else, logical; no use for shirkerS-used
To make II hot for them at the acad-
cmy; nervous temperament; energetic;
works almost constantly; the dramatic
In the war appeals to him--secrecy
and suddenness, gigantic and bold
moves: much more dash than Joffre;
interesting companion; uncanny facul-
~ for inspiring men to do their best.
What is his hobby?
Strategy-particular the strategy
of the campaigns of Napoleon and
Caesar. French officers say he Is pos
sessed Of almost an obsession on the
subject Of Napoleon.
What does Joffre think Of Foch?
Joffre says: 'Foch is the greatest
strategist In Europe and the hum
blest." Joffre and Foch have been
lifelong friends.
How does he stand with the pcilus?
French writer's say Foch knows the
human element in the French army
better than any other man living.
They idolize him.
What do the Germans think of him
The hfilitar- ar-Wochenblatt, organ OF
the German general staff, ranks him
as one OF the few flrst-class strategists
among the allies.
How did he stand with the French
people before the war?
They hardly knew of him. The
army knew him as one Of it's greatest
officers. Military men in other coun-
tries knew him, principally through
his two widely studied books. "Prin-
ciplcs OF War;" and Conduct Of War"
But the French public knew no more
about him than the American public
does about the head of West Point in
peace times.
Docs he go out among his men?
Yes. Frequently. Much as Ma
poleon used to. No hob-nobbing; no
joking: no familiarity. Drops into a
trench or an occupied village. looks
men and food and equipment over
informally. makes useful comment,
drops Il phrase worth remembering
and leaves behind him confidence, re-
spect, enthusiasm.
Why has Frances great fight been
called "Foch's fight?"
Because he taught many Of the
French commanders and strategists of
this war. Because he often warned
that great war was inevitable and
demanded that France get ready. $50
certain was he OF this that many off,
GERS called him "Foch, the alarmist.")
Because of his work on the larger
guns of the French field artillery
which have proved Of such worth in
this war. Working secretly on the
gun problem, Foch went week after
week TO the great Creusot gun works
In the grimy blouse OF a workingman,
experimenting, testing, analyzing.
The Hero Of tho Marne.
Foch's STRATEGY won the battle Of
the Marne. saving Paris and prevent
ing the development and destruction
OF the French army. The battle line
extended from just east Of Paris to
Verdun. Foch commanded the
French center. Over near Paris Won
Kluck. swinging around the French
and British left. was surprised and
fianked by a hastily collected French
army. Won kluck had to pause. draw
back. and lean eastward, planning to
envelop this new army with the rest,
to stretch to the east. This caused
a thinning Of the line which extended
clear to the center opposite Foch.
Instantly Foch saw his chance. He
concentrated his artillery where 1t
would be needed. He got his army
OF maneuver" ready to strike. Then
he waited until September when
Won Kluck had pulled the line farthest
east. All that day Foch's right fell
back before the attacking Germans.
drawing the enemy westward as they
retreated. This drew q gap" in the
taut German line. and Foch's yelling
reserves poured through. His concen-
trated artillery pounded the Prussian
guard to pieces in the st. Gond
marshes. The German line was brok-
en-. Foch's victorious poilus tore on.
The German high command quickly
ordered the whole line to retreat.
Foch had won the battle OF the Marne.
The Man Of Ypres." COM
manded this battle that saved Calais.
He had under him British, French and
Belgian troops. so Joint command Is
not new to him.
First Aid to Italy-Foch led the
Anglo French army that rushed into
Italy to stop the Teuton rush across
M .N