The Farmington times., 1918-12-13
Pershing Inspired Foch to
Begin Big Offensive, Which
Brought Defeat to Germany

Washington, d. c., Dec. Cen.
John j. Pershing's account of his stew
ardship as commander of the Ameri-
can Expeditionary Forces was given
to the public to-day by Secretary Ba-
ker. 1t is in the form of a prelm-
mary report to the Secretary, cover
ing operations up to November 20, af-
ter 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 pa
tience under hardships; their unfinch-
ing spirit of offensive action, | am
filled with emotion which | am unable
to express. Their deeds are immortal
and they have earned the eternal graf
itude of our country.
The report begins with Pershing's
departure for France to pave the way
for the army that was to smash Ger
man resistance on the Meuse, and give
vital aid to the Allies in forcing Ger
many to its knees 19 months later. Its
striking feature is the section devoted
to Combat operations, where it told
the story of fighting by the man who
directed it.
Pershing views the encounters be-
fore March 2l of this year in which
American troops participate as a
part of their training and dismisses
them briefly. On that date, 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 that
time equal to any demands of battle
action"
D. Crisis Is Reached
"The crisis which this offensive de-
veloped was such," Pershing says,
chat our occupation of an American
sector must be postponed. On March
28, / placed at the disposal of Mar
shall Foch, who had been agreed upon
as Commander in Chief of the Allied
armies, all of our forces, to be used
as he might decide. At his request,
the first division was transferred from
the Toul sector to a position in re-
serve at Chaumont en- VeXin. AS
German superiority in numbers re-
quired prompt action, an agreement
was reached at the Abbeville confer
ence of the Allied Premicrs and com
manders and myself on May 2 by
which British shipping was to trans
port 10 American divisions to the
British army area, where they were
to be trained and equipped, and addi-
tional British shipping was to be pro-
vided for as many divisions as posi-
BILE for use elsewhere.
"On April 2s the ist Division had |
gone into the line in the Montdidier
salient ON the Picardy battle front. |
Tactics had beep suddenly revolution
lied to those of open warfare, and
our men, confident of the results of
their training, were eager for the test.
On the morning of May 2S this di-
vision attacked the commanding Ger
man position in the front, taking with !
splendid dash the town of Cantigny |
and all other detectives, which were
organized and held steadfastly against |
vicious counter attacks and gallant ar
tillery fire. Although local, this brill
liant action had an electrical effect,
as it demonstrated our fighting quail
tiles under extreme battle conditions,
and also that the enemy's troops were
not altogether invincible."
German Thrust Follows
"The Allies" Pershing says, "faced