Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-12-26
Pershing Tells How Yanks Forced
Germans To Ask Allies For
An Armistice.

General Pershing in his specialTeport to
Secretary Baker on the operations of the
American Army in France, says, in effect,
although not in terms. that the American
Army won the war.
1T was this spirit of determination ami
mating every American soldier" says Gen
eral Pershing. referring to the Meuse-Ar-
come battle. that made it impossible for
the enemy to maintain the struggle until
1919"
twenty-five American and four French
divisions" says General Pershine, had
engaged and decisively beaten AT German
divisions, representing rs per cent. of the
enemy's entire divisional strength on the
western front. OF the enemy divisions. 20
had been drawn from the French front and
one from the British front. OF the %
American divisions. IL had, at various
times during this period September 20 to
November II, 19l8) been engaged on other
fronts than our own. The First Army had
suffered loss of about 1000. in killed
and wounded it had captured 10000
prisoners. 847 cannon. 5000 machine
guns and large quantities Of material"
With the American Army holding the
heights dominating Sedan, the report said.
and the German line Of communications
definitely sundered, recognizing that moth
ing but cessation of hostilities could save
his armies from complete disaster. he ap
cd diafa
vember 81"
REPORT GIVES MINUTE DETAILS.
General Pershings report follows in de-
tail the growth Of the American overseas
forces from the date of his departure with
small staff. May %. 1917, until it num-
bered more than 100000 men. Every
step Of organization, every conference with
the Allied generals and the important de-
cisions reached are recorded.
The document. comprising a pamphlet
of about 100 pages. or $4,000 words, is
divided into three sections: Period of
Organization" Operation" and Supply.
Combinations and Administration.
Summarizing the military situation which
existed in the spring of 1917. when the
United States aligned itself with the Allies.
General Pershing said:
in the five months ended June 80, 1917,
German submarines had accomplished the
destructionlof more than 1850. 900 tons of
Allied shipping. During the three years Ger
many had seen practically all her offenses
except Verdun crowned with success. Her
battle lines were held on foreign soil and she
had withstood every attack since the Marine.
The German general staff could foresee
now the complete elimination Of Russia.
the possibility of defeating Italy before
the end of the year, and, finally. the cam
paien of 1918 against the French and
British on the western front which might
terminate the war.
Financial problems Of the Allies were
difficult: supplies were becoming exhausted
and their armies had suffered tremendous
losses. Discouraeement existed not only
among the civil population, but throughout
the armies as we'll
SAW NEED For 100000 MEN.
Within one month of his arrival. Cen
eral Pershing recommended definitely that
100000 men should be in France before
May, 1918, it being evident that "a force
of 100000 is the smallest unit which in
modern war will be a complete. well-bal-
anced and Independent fighting organiza-
ton" Plans for the future, the recon-
mendation added. should be based on
three times this force"
The General was equally specific in
choosing the ground for American opera
tons. He says:
"Our mission was offensive and it was
essential to make plans for striking the
enemy where definite military decision
could be gained. While the Allied armies
had endeavored to maintain the offensive
the British. in order to guard the Channel
ports, were committed to operations in
Flanders and the French to the portion
Of the front protecting Paris. Both lacked
troops to operate elsewhere on large scale.
ITO the east the great fortified district
east of Verdun and around Metz menaced
Central France, protected the most exposed
portion of the German line Of communica :
tons, that between Metz and Sedan, and
covered the Briey iron region, from which
the enemy obtained the greater part Of
the iron required for munitions and mate
rial. The coal fields east of Metz. or the
capture of the Briey region, by threaten
ine the invasion of rich German territory
in the Mosele Valley and the Saar Basin
thus curtailine her supply Of coal or iron
would have decisive effect in forcing a
withdrawal of German troops from North
ern France. The military and economic
situation of the enemy. therefore, indicated
Lorraine as the field promising the most
fruitful results for the employment Of our
armies.
TELLS Or YANKs FIRST BATTLE
American arms drew first blood. the re-
port shows. at Passchendaele Ridge. No.
vember 6-l0. 1917. when the Eleventh
Engineers Joined the British in successful
attack which was part Of general opera
ton designed ito hinder the German con.
quest of Russia and to prevent. il possible
an attack on Italy. or in the Near East"
So afterward, however, came the collapse
Of Russia and the Italian debacle at Ca
poretto. with the result that the enemy s
legions began to gather thickly in France.
Allied commanders viewed the situation
with frank apprehension, General PERISH
ine's report indicates. and the pressure for
an accelerated movement of American di-
visions was felt from all sides. At the
same time came the suggestion that Amer
lean units be brisaded with French and
British in order that no time be wasted
in training In this connection the Gen.
eral reports: