Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1919-03-08

The war has developed many dramat-
ic phrases, slogans, terse epigrams, or
Iaconic statements. Looking back over
the perspective of four years of fight
ing it appears that the majority OF
these grew out of tense crisis in bat
ties, or marked historic .noH.ents when
the fate of the nations hung in the bal
ance.
Take for example the slogan ''They
shall not Lass" During the ire
meEdous fighting in trent Of Nerdun
when the Germans made their great
desperate drive to break through the
French battle lines in t)1e this saying
passed from lip to lip among the
French soldiers gathered there i'll
king drawn battle to check the terrific
onslaught of the Germans How it
originated is not clear. Some have at
trihuted it to Marshal JJffre, others to
Marshal Petin, who was in command
of the French fighting forces at Yer
dun. Others believe tlc saying orig
mated with The men in tie ranks. At
any event they adopted it and for
months while the Germans vainly
threw their iattalions upon the stub
bornly defended forts around the
french city. The saying "They shall not
Tass became the watChWord at YER
TO Americans the senientious ut
| tcrance of General Petain when he
placed a wreath on the tomb of La
fayette in the Picpus cemetery in Paris
conveyed a significance and an inspIra
ton. Lafayette. we are here was al
| he said, but to the American as well
as to the Frerchman it was better thar
oratory. 1t meant to the American
we are here for business and ou1
business is to fight It thrilled the
hearts of General Pershirg's people al
home, and the modesty Of it filled then
with glow of satisfaction.
/ Another dramatic phrase which
stirred the patriotism OF the American
people was that attributed to an Amer
lean commander at Chateau Thierr5
when he resi- 0nded to the advice o.
I French commanders to retreat by de
claring: 'Tha American flag has beer
compelled to retire. THis is unendur-
ab!e. We are going to counter a. tack
| These staten4. hts have been attributed
10 both Majo~ General Robert L. Bull
| lard and to Major General Omar Bun
| t'y Some observers have regarded
this incident as the turnin" point o
the war. From that time The Amerl
cans advanced. The victory of Cha
tafu Thierry followed and thereafte
the German army reiterated.
| Vice Admiral William S. Sims, com
handing the American naval forces il
European wa'ers. was asked when tn
first Yankee warships arrived in Eng
land early III May. 1917, When viii
you be ready for business - He re
| pied: 1--WE can start a. once. w
made our preparations or the wa.
OK err.
There was a. dramatic moment
great crisis in the worries history whel
General Persiiing placed tbs America
army under command or the then Gen
era Foch, who had Just been mad
commander Of all the alliis'fi torces. bu
none of the phrases tl1a7 General Per
sizing used were widely Il 'oted as cpl
gramatic. one which mieh' so hav
been selected was the words, All tina
we have are yours. Dispose of ther
) Us YOU will.
The retort of Major Charles Whit
t.tSey. commander of tn lost battal
ion OF the American army in the Al
come forest. when the Germans sur
rounded his isolated command AM
tfcir commander demanded its SUI
render was one of the wars histori