Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-12-17
STORY OF WAR IS
TOLD BY PERsH|NG
Detailed Report of How U. S. Men
Won Battles.
CRISIS CAME ON MARCH 81

Says American Operations Previous to
That Date Were Only Part OF
Their Training Pays SUI
preme Tribute to Army.
Washington, Dec. 5.-GenA John j.
| Pershing's account of his stewardship
| as commander of the American expe-
| ditienary 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. Ii closes with these
words from the leader Of the great
army in France, expressing his feeling
| for those who served under him:
II pay the supreme tribute TO our
| officers and soldiers of the line. When
| | think of their heroism, their patience
under hardships their unflinchng spir-
IT OF offensive action. 1 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 10
| smash German resistance on the
| Mouse and give vital aid to the allies
| in forcing Germany to it's knees 10
months later.
| Crisis on March II.
General Pershing views the encOun-
| tiers before March 81 of this year. in
| which American troops participated as
| q 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 the
time equal to any demands of batrIe
| action"
THE crisis which this offensive ie-
veloped was sueh," General Perish ng
says, that on March % placed at
| the disposal of Marshal Foch, who had
| been agreed upon as commander in
chief of the allied armies, all of our
forces. At his request the First divi-
sion was transferred from the Toul
sector to position in reserve at Chau-
mont en- VeXin.
GAS German superiority in numbers
| required prompt action, an agreement
was reached at the Abbeville confer
/ Cf he Cd nd
manders and myself on May by
which British shipping was to trans
port ten American divisions to the
British army area, where they were to
be trained and equipped, and addition
al British shipping was to be provided
for as many divisions as possible for
use elsewhere.
Men Eager for Test.
con April 90 the First division had
gone into the line in the Montdidier
salient, on the Picardy battle front.
Tactics had been 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 % this division
attacked the commanding German po-
sitiOn in it's front. taking with splendid
/ dash the town of Cantigny and all
other detectives, which were organized
and held steadfastly against vicious
| counter-attacks and CALLING artillery
| FIRE
although local, this brilliant action
had an electrical effect, as it demon
strated our fighting qualities under
extreme battle conditions and also that
the enemy's troops were not altogether
/ invincible."
Hold Foe at Chateau Thierry.
There followed Immediately the Ger
man thrust across the Aisne river to-
ward Paris He continues:
1.-THE Third division, which had just
come from its preliminary training in
| the trenches, was hurried to the
| Marine It's motorized machine-gun
battalion preceded the other units and
successfully held the bridgehead at
| the Marine, opposite Chateau Thierry.
| 1.-THE Second division, in reserve
| near Montdidier, 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 sta
| ton at Bouresches and sturdily held
| its ground against the enemy'S best
| guard divisions.
In the battle of Belleau wood, which
followed, our men proved their SUI
| periOrity and gained a strong tactical
| position. with far greater loss TO the
! enemy than to ourselves. On July l,
! before the Second was relieved, it cap
tured the village of Vaux with splen-
did precision.
Stand Between Paris and Foe.
Meanwhile our Second corps. under
Maj. Gen. George w. Read, had been
| organized for the command of our
| divisions with the British, which were
! held back in training areas or as
! signed to second-hne defenseS. Five of
! the ten divisions were withdrawn from
/ the Rritish area in June, three to re-
/ lieve divisions in Lorraine and the
! Vosges and two were sent TO the Paris
area to join the group of American
/ divisions which stood between the city
and any further advance of the enemy
| in that direction
BY that time the great tide of Amer
lean troop movements to France was
in full swing and the older divisions
could be used freely. The Forty-sec-
! SECRETARY OF WARS REPORT