The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-08-03
Ferdinand Foch: The S~trategist With a Soul
BY GILBERT COsULICH ~~~

by
YESTERDAY. his pupils at the Ecole de Guere we're inclined to
aserbc Ito him what Iago called 'booksh thcorc" or apply to him
Meeuhos description Of Tybah "a man that fights by the book
Of arithmetic"
prone to nod wisely and say to each other: Monsieur lie professor is an
admirable man pleasant. courteous. and profound but he Is tout a tt
docbind6e too academic. you know"
That 4. yesterday. Today. friends and enemies agree that Cen
eal Ferdinand Foch. commander of all The allied armies on the western
front which includes the Italian battle line and the Thurman coasts
one Of the greatest living srategeal seniuses some critics, indeed believe
fr stands supreme
Here is what his enemies who re not inclined to be generous in
He is of the few sra,esras of the FIRST class among the entente
allies -" Miliar Wochenblau." the Official organ Of the German gen
eal stat.
General Won Ardenne. the military expert of the Berlin Iaseblau.
wrote the other day that the recent offensive of General foch in the Arne-
Marne region had brought remarkable successes and warned the German
command to beware Of the french general
The best spokesman for his friends probably is also his greatest
rival for European srategical honos BEL Marshal Jofre.
"Foch is the first araiegia in Europe"
Ferdinand FOch was born n the rugged HamesP yenee,, on the
Spanish frontier. xiy-seven years ago. The date OF his birth was four
months from that Of Jofres S, and the place. four miles away. He is said
to be Of Asa,ian and Basque extraction. the former element accounting
Tor the eutone name, the pronunciation oil which however having been
After careful military training. which eliminated a, the Ecolc de
Cuerc. the leading army school Of France, Foch returned to his alma
He had seen real lighting a a subahcrn in tn, Franco Prusaan war,
so that the charge of being a "doctnnane" even then a not justified.
Foch was at the head of the Ecoe for FIVE years During that time,
he had the opportunity Of teaching the science Of arm to many of the
officer, who are now practicing his precepts as his s~bordnates His in
Aucnce on he modern military thought of France has been incalculable.
After leaving the college, Foch headed the Thirteenth division of the
French army, later wa transferred to the Eighth corps at Bourges, and
still later a put in commend Of the Twentieth corps.
When the present war broke out. General Foch wa. in the Lorraine
district Learning that the steam roller was threatening Paris in those
critical days of September. 1914, he hurried to Jodres SIDE, to help him
stem the tide at the Marine.
On September g. 1914. he found the enemy weak point. and sep.
aTated the Prussan Guard fromthe Saxon army. II was at this time that
he sent Jofre his historic message:
My right has been rolled up My left has been driven back. My
center has been smashed have ordered an advance from all directions
Truly, tins uterance rs destined to take its place with Caesars Il
came. saw, conquered" Captain Lawrence's Don't give up the
ship" and Jofres They shall not pass"
In the three great allied victories of 1914 a, Nancy, at the Marne
and at the Gser-Foch saved the day for France Al the User he wor
the dramatic race to the sea, and stopped the German drive to CALAIS.
Last spring, when he was made generahssmo Of the allied armies
his first message to the world was Wat a bit"
The world has waited Not only has that drive of March n beer
checked. but two OF three others as we'll At tins moment, the allies hav
wreaed the initiative from the Zoe. Some observers, in fact, believe tina
the decisive battle of the war is at hand
Fochs great strategic principle rs attack he rs particularly happ
in his delivery of quick. unexpected blows against his enemys weak spot
As some one has said. he makes his decisions with clear thinking i'm
pulSveness'
Though perhaps the most skilled military scientist the world has eve
known, Foch does not believe that war is an exact science. He realize
that in 1t. moral force plays II important part, He knows that soldier
best obey the leader whom they loNe-that is why he mnges with h
men, though always without letting down the necessary bars of discipline
He studies his mems needs and desires. He knows where the