The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-09-05
Foch, the First Strategist of Europe

ing the NapOleOnlc custom, bestowed upon his most
successful lieutenant title Joffre could not name
the general who had delivered the decisive thrust
Count of La Fere ChampeLoise or Duke of St. Gond
He could not even make him a Marshal of France,
since he was not himself Marshal, but he could and
did name Foch the first strategist of Europe" and
after nearly four years this remains the highest dis
tinction of the soldier, who has now summoned to
command the Allied armies in Battle of the
Nations and in situation threatening a supreme
disaster
The history of Foch in the present war is the
history of the great crisis of Allied arms. He was
only general of division, commanding a famous
army corps on the eastern frontier. when the
came. Men knew of him rather teacher of war
in the Ecole de Guerre than as a commander of
armies. Some of his phrases a teacher were re-
membered when he battles, Of his writings,
highly praised by the professional soldier, were
quoted then, but for the most part F0ch
unknown man.
Yet three weeks after the fighting began it was
Foch who saved Nancy, when French army had
been routed at Morhange and flung back in rou up
on the old capital of Lorraine. As Thomas the
Rock of Chickamauga," Foch was the Gibraltar of
the Grand Couronne. With the ever famous Iron
Corps he held the flank and stopped the rush of the
Germans until order had been restored. Nancy saved
the eastern frontier maintained and the victory of
the Marine made possible.
Long before the Marine was fought however,
Foch had been summoned to command army
one of the armies created by Joffre to stem the
German flood. When German armies checked
before Paris and Verdun, German High Command p.
attempted final blow at the center. Things must
be going bad for them elsewhere" said Foch, when
he felt the violence of the attack at La Fere
Champenose. my left is retiring. my shaken
my right routed. shall attack" this was his final
word on the decisive day of the Marine. and in the
afternoon he drove wedge, with his last reserve,
right through gap in the German lines, and two
days later he in Chalons.
After Chalons he fingered few days about
Rheims to check the vain effort of the Germans to
resume the great offensive. This done, he off
to Flanders to organize that desperate resistance
which saved CALAIS and Boulogne. For nearly two
months with only the stricken Belgans, the gallant
but outnumbered British and few French troops he
held the gateway the open against the Kaiser
The Belgians call this battle, the User, the British,
"Wipers,' the French. the Race to the Sea-" but
all three battles of Foch's planning. Outnum-
bered FIVE to one, commanding army composed of
troops of three nations. in which Africa America
and Asia were represented, he won.
After the Marine and the User came the offensive
in Artois in 1915 and of the Somme in 1916 and in
both Foch revealed abilities and earned new
laurels. He broke the German line about Lens he
advanced to the Somme south of Albert. but, as he
recognized and said, the Allies still lacking in
munitions and the local gains had decisive value.
With the coming of Nivelle, Foch's waned
for brief hour. Men spoke of him finished. but
when Petain succeeded Nivee. Foch returned as
Chief of Staff and little later, when Italy suffered
disaster at the Isonzo it Foch that all turned
aud Foch went to Venetia. Once more supreme
disaster averted, the Austro- German invasion
at the Pave, another forlorn hope headed by Foch.
had prevailed.
With the defeat of the British Fifth Army be-
fore St. Quentin Allied publics in late March
brought face face with another prospect of
ruin. few more miles of German advance and
British and French armies would be separated Hin
denburg would win his great battle. and the Kaiser
might impose German peace upon the world And
in this crisis the Allies turned again Foch. All
minor questions of national pride laid aside,
Englishman, American and Italian alike accepted
the victor of the Marine and User as chief.
Physically. Foch is little man. his inches
about those of Napoleon's and he has Grants fond
frankness of speech which his old commander has
never displayed. Unlike Petan his words are rarely
caustic and he has made friends among all his Allies
| An old man. close to seventy. yet younger than
| Clemenceau, he still handsome when the
war began, but the strain has marked his face and