Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-30
VnTN RIGHT is crushed. my left is
A'A In retreat and / am attacking in

SNUl llbll lS CruSncu' my lclt -
A'A In retreat and l am attacking in
the center"
This was the message sent 10 head
quarters by General Ferdinand Foch,
the new Gencralissimo Of the Allies in
France, before defeating, the Germans
Vat the Marine and saving Paris in 1914.
Ferdinand Foch is the general whom
Marshal Jofrrc called "The greatest
s;rategist in Europe and the humblest."
At the battle Of the Marne Foch
bnke tho German center, led the
French. British and Bclgians in the first
battle of lpres, won the battle of Artois
| in May and June, 1915, commanded the
French forces in the battle of the
| Sommc and recently has been Chief of
! STAFF of all the French armies.
Ioifre and Foch were born in the
/ French Pyrenees within few miles of
each other and within three months of
each other. Foch was born at Tarbes.
in the department of Hautes-Pyrenecs
on October .. 1851, and Jofrre Z in
| Pyrenees sOrientales, January IL. ls52
Foch came of Basque family His
father. Napoleon Foch. was a Bona
partSt. one of his brothers is a lawyer
and the other u Jesuit priest.
Head of War College
In 1870 both Joffre and FoCh served
as subalterns against the Germans.
After the war, foch's genius was rccog-
nized and at the age of twcnty-siX he
received q commission as artillery cap
tain. Later he became professor OF
tactics in the Ecole de Guerrc (war
school, where he stayed five years and
then returned to the line.
AS the years passed lie rose to the
rank of brigadier general. Clemenceau
was Premier. There was much wire
pulling to get the post of director of the
war college. The intrigues made Clemen-
ceau impatient. Few mentioned Foch
for the position. one day after a
casual conference, the Prime Minister
invited Foch to dine with him. The
vacant post was not mentioned. until
near the end of the meal. Clemenceau
sa ID
by the way I've a good bit Of new
for you. You're nominated director o.
the Ecole de Guerre."
"Director of the Ecolc de Guerre! Bu
I'm not candidate for the post,
/. That is possible. But you're ap
pointed all the same. and ! know 70,
, will do excellent work in the position,
Foch thanked the Premier, but adde'
+ dubiousy
! 81 fear you don't know 7 have
brother who Is Jesuit" CThis wa
Just after an effort had been made L
oust all officers in any way religion
, from the army.
Jesuit be d exploded IN
r "Tiger" "You are the director Of tn
r Ecolc de Guerre. All the Jcsuits i
4, creation won't alter that-it is fa'
E accompli.'
, a Brilliant Strategist
\ As director Of the War School Foch
G fame became world wide. His tw
I great books, "Principles OF War an
e "Conduct of War" were translated INT
: English, German and Italian IN
!, AIilitar-wochenblatt," organ OF IN
c German general staff, ranked nm a
t one of the few strategists or nrSt ia,
o ability outside of Germany. his pooi
n Combat" is recognized as inspiring al
authoritative. ,,, ,
e tho command of the Thirteenth Divislo
II then TO the command of the Elgh'
Y Corps, and finally to the Twentieth Corr
Q at Nancy, which he commanded IN u
II dofense of the eastern frontier uurH
q the opening days OF the present wa
u Then he was called to organize ne
! army hastily formed, with whlch
- fought his most famous battle L
p Eere Champenoise. IL phase OF the oa
!. tie Of the Marne. ,,urc
q His army, in the center of the trene
Ia, line faced Won Bellows army con
ar nosed OF the Prussian Guard. On tnr'
"a Lsuccessiye DAYS the enemy forced NJ
"a hack Each morning Foch arose al
"a fought again. on the fourth day sel
.s tan,her O. 1914, he decided the ehei
~ ,,,,,st be crushed He adopted an e
n iremely bold strategy. The for'y-sefo,,
~ division formed his extreme r'sl
w. w. Withdrawing this division III tne "
a tide of battle, he called on uene,
~ Franchet d Esperoy, on his left. 10
~ the gap, and marched the Forty-seco,
y half way across the field behind U
Ia line drove It into the flank OF the Pru
sr alan Guard. broke the center forced I
U.s. GUARD into the marshes OF st. Coma al
ns 1oade IL imperative for the guard al
NJ the Saxons on their flank, now sep
d rated. to retreat
rs BIocked Calais Thrust
1t. A little later he prevented the Germa
oil from breaking through to CALAIS IN th'
he arst smash at Ypres. The next yes
IaI6 he directed the offensive Oh AFRO
in 1 a nartial French success, and III ~
of his handling of the French troops n
~ n,nch TO do with the advance IN
m hattie of the Somme. which resulted u
re sprlng in the German retreat 10
,ix Hindenburg line. .s o.,
X. In April last Foch was detached trs
!. Z y. ~. a "a. - ~