New Britain herald., 1918-12-05
PERSHING PRAISES
 YANKEE FIGHTERS
In His Report on America'S Part
 in Winning the War

public today by Secretary Baker. IL is in the form of 8 preliminary re- port to the secretary, covering opera tions up to November 20. after the German collopSe. It closes with these words from the leader of the great army in France, expressing his feeling for those who served under him:
 T pay the supreme tribute to our officers and soldiers of the line. When I think of their heroism: their patience under hardships, their un- flnching spirit of offensive action. | am filled with emotion which l am unable to express, Their deeds are immortal. and they have earned the eternal gratitude of our country.
 The report begins with General Pershings departure for France to pave the way for the army that was to smash German resistance on the Mouse and give vital aid to the allies in forcing Germany to it's knees nine teen months later. It's striking feat ure is the section devoted to ''combat operations where it told t7 ; story of fighting by the man who directed it.
 YanlIS Equal to Demand.
 General Pershing views the en- counters before March 21 of this year in which American troops partlci- pated as a part of their training and dismisses them briefly. On that date, however, the great German offensive was launched and a crucial situation quickly developed il 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. ''
 The first crisis of the German drive S,o1 in rCH
 'The crisis which this offensive de- Veloped was such,' General Pershing says that our occupation of an Am ericaa sector must be postponed. On March 28 I placed at the disposal of Marshal 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 re- uuest the first division was transfer red from the Foul sector to a posi- ton in reserve at Chaumont en Vexin. As German superiority in numbers required prompt action, an agree ment was reached at the AbbeY1lle conference of the Allied premiers and commanders and myself on May 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 possi-
 "On April 26 the First Division had gone into the line in the Montdidier salient on the Picardy battle front. Tactics had been suddenly revolution ized 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 28 this division attacked the commanding German position in it's front, taking with splendid dash the town of Cantigny and all other objectives, which were organized and held steadfastly against vicious counter-attacks and galling ar tillery fire. Although local, this bril- liant action had an electrical effect, as it demonstrated our fighting quail ties under extreme battle conditions, and also that the enemy's troops were not altogether invincible."
 Germans Threaten Paris.
 There followed immediately the German thrust across the Aisne toward Paris.
 The Allies" General Pershimg says, faced a crisis equally as grave as that of the Picardy offensive in March. Again every available man was placed at Marshal Fochs disposal, and the Third Division, which had just come from it's preliminary training in the trenches, was hurried to the Marne. It's motorized machine-g'Gn battalion preceded the other units and successfully held the bridgehead at the Marne, opposite Chateau-Thierry. The Second Division, in reserve near Mont didier, was sent by motor trucks and other available transport to check the progress of the enemy toward Paris. The division attacked and retook the town and railroad station at Boures- ches and sturdily held it's ground against the enemy'S best guard divi- sions.
 Tn the battle of Belleau Wood, which followed, our men proved thcir superiority and gained 8 strong tact- cal position, with far greater loss to the enemy than to ourselves On Jl} 1, before the Second was relieve l, it captured the village of Vaux With most splendid precision.
 Meanwhile our Second Corps, un- der Mai. Gen. George ". Read, had been organized for the command of our divisions with the British, which were held back in training areas or assigned to second line defenses. Five of the ten divisions were withdrawn from the British area in June, three to relieve divisions in Lorraine and the Vosges and two to the Paris area to join the group of Amercan divi- sions which stood between the city and any farther advance of the enemy in that direction''
 United States Strength Felt
 
 By that time the great tide of American troop movements to France was in full swing and the older di~ visions could be used freely The 42d, in line east of Rheims, faced the Ger man assault of July 5 and held their