Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-12-06
STORY OF WAR IS
TOLD BY PERSRING
Detailed Report of How U. S. Men
Won Battles.
CRISIS CAME ON MARCH q
Says American Operations Previous to
That Date Were Only Part Of
Their Trsinino-Pays SUI
preme Tribute to Army.

Washington. Dec. 5.-Gen. John J.
persbing's account of his stewardship
as commander of the American expo
dictionary forces was given to the pub
| lie Wednesday by Secretary Baker.
1t is in the form of preliminary re-
port to the secretary, covering opera
tons up to November 20, after the
German collapse. 1t closes with these
words from the leader of the great
army In France. expressing his feeling
for those who served under him:
Il pay the supreme tribute to our
| officers and soldiers of the line. When
think of their heroism, their patience
under hardsips, their unfiinching spirit
of offensive action, | am filled with
emotion which am unable to express.
Their deeds are immortal and they
have earned the eternal gratitude of
our country"
The report begins with General
| Pershing's departure for France to
pave the way for the army that was TO
smash German resistance on the
Mouse ana give vital aid to the allies
IN forcing Germany to its knees 10
months later.
Crisis on March a.
General Pershlng views the encoun-
terS before March y of this year. IN
which American troops participated as
part of their training, and dismisses
them briefly. On that dare. however,
the great German offensive was
| launched and crucial situation quick
ly developed in the allied lines which
called for prompt use Of the four
American divisions that were AT the
time equal to any demands of barle
action"
lie leads up to the time the stage was
set for the eounfer-offensive which, he
| ginning with the smashing of the enc
my'S Marine salient. brought ovrrs
whelning victory 10 the allies and the
United States IN the eventfu months
shat have followed The intimation is
strong that General Pershing's advice
helped Marshal Foch to reach his de-
| cision to strike
Counter Offensive Opens.
General pershing continues
The great force of the German
| Chateau Thlerry offensive established
the deep Marine salient but the enemy
was taking chances and the vulnera-
biIity of this pocket TO attack might
be turned 10 his disadvantage.
Selling this opportunity to support
| my conviction, every division with any
sort of training was made available
| for use in counter-offensive. The
place of honor in the thrust toward
| scissors on July Is was given to our
| First and Second divisions in com
pany With chosen French divisions.
without the usual brief warning of
preliminary bombardment. The
| massed French and American artillery
firing by the map. laid down it's rolling
| barrage at dawn while the infantry he
| gan its charge. The tactical handling
of our troops under these trying cOndi-
! tons was excellent throughout the ac-
| ton.
The enemy brought up large num-
bers of reserves and made a stubborn
! defense both with machine guns and
artillery, but through five days fight
ing the First division continued 10 adj
vance until Il gained the heights
above SoisS, nd captured the vii
lage of Berry See.
THE Second Division took Beau Re
/ paire farm and Vierzy in j rery rapid
advance and reached d posinGa In
| front of Tigny al the end of its second
day. These two divisions captured T.
900 prisoners and over 100 pieces of
artillery
Battle of st. Mihiei.
| OF the reduction of the st. Mihiel
salient General Pershing SAYS:
/ after four hours artillery prepa-
! ration the seven American divisions
In the front line advanced at a. IN.
on September Il. assisted by a limit
| ed number of tanks manned partly by
Americans and partly by the French.
"These divisions. accompanied by
groups of wire-cutters and others
armed with hangalore torpedoes. went
! through the successive bands of
| harbed wire that protected the enc
1 NV s trout Aliit anu
in irresistible waves on schedule time.
breaking down az defense of an en-
envy demoralized by the great volume
of our artillery fire and our sudden
| approach out of the fog.
our First corps advanced to THAI
court. while our Fourth corps curved
hack to the southwest through Non
sard. The Second Colonial French
corps made the slight advance re-
onired of IL on very difficult ground,
and the Firth corps took its three
ridges ara repulsed a connter-a,tack.
"a rtpl6 narch brought reserve reg
iments OF eivision of the Fifth corps
into Visneulies in the early morning
where II linked up with patrols Of our
Fourth corps. closing the salient and
| toy,,;nv a new line west of ThiaucOurt