The weekly Alaska citizen., 1920-01-19

from ossoy to Cfezancy, except as d IoiioMi.s ua. tJui1 IVJ t..o4v "ciO no Germans in the iOsea. ut.iIu ol iue niru uiylsion sector except tie ueau.
 On this occasion, GeheIaI IeA sn- ing adued, "a single regiment of the Sd division wrot one oI the most brilliant pages in our military annals. It prevented the crossing at certain points on it's front, while on either flank the Germans who had gained a footing pressed forward. Our men, firing in three directions, met the German attacks with counter-attacks at critical points and succeeded in throwing two German divisions into complete confusion, capturing 600 prisoners.
 Due to the magnificent dash anu power displayed nere and on tue neiu of Soissons by our lst anu 2u mvI- sions. the tide of war was definitely turned in favor of the allies. % E
 'sThe force Of American arms had been prot to bear in time to enable the last offensive of the enemy to be crushed"
 Organization of the 1st American army and preparations for its maiden afYOrf-tha aiimipatiop of tho lt Mihiel salient was now taken up Again it was proposed that American troops reinforce the French tor the operation but Pershing again objected. lie explains:
 can participation i'll these opeIauons was not acceptable to Inc because IL | would require the immaculate separa- ton Of the recently formed First American army into several troops, mainly 10 assist French armies This was directly contrary to the principle of forming a distinct American army, | tor which my contention had been 1 insistent. An enormous amount ot l preparation had already been made | in construction of roads, railroads, regulating stations, and other installa- tions looking to the use ana supply of our armies on particular front. | The inherent disinclination of our troops to serve under allied command- CTS would have grown and American morale would have suffered. My pc the strategical employment of the First army as unit would be under taken where desired, but it's disrup- tion to carry out these proposals would not be entertained.
 "A further conference at Marshal Foch's headquarters was held on Sep tember 2, at which General PeLail4 was present. After discussion the question of employing the Ame, lCail army as a unit Was conceded. All the allied armies wee to be ,m- ployed in a converging action. Tne British armies, supported by the lett of the French armies, were to pursue the attack in the direction or C. m- brai; the center Of the French armies, west of Rheims, would continue the ae14ons, already begun, to drive the enemy beyond the Aisne; and the American army, supported b. the right or the French armies, would direct it's attack on Sedan and Mezieres.
 Tt should be recorded that althc this general offensive was fully out lined at the conference no one pres ent expressed the opinion that the final victory could be won in 1915 In fact, 1t was believed by the French high command that the Meuse-Ar. gonne could not be pushed much be- yond Montfaucon before the arrival of winter would force a cessation oi operations.
 "The choice between the two sec tors, that east of the Aisne including the Argonne Forest, or the Cham, pagne sector, was left to me. h my opinion, no other allied troops had the morale or the offensive spirit to overcome successfully the difficult ties to be met in the Meuse-Argonne sector and our plans and installations had been prepared for an expansion of operations in that direction.
 "The salient had been held by the Germans since September, 1914. II covered the most sensitive section oi the enemy's position on the western front; namely. the Mezieres-Sedan- Metz railroad and the Briey Iron basin; 1t threatened the entire region between Verdun and Nancy, and in terrupted the main rail line from Paris to the east It's primary strength lay in the natural defensive fea, lures of the terrain itself. The west ern face of the salient extended along the rugged. heavily wooded eastern heights of the Mause; the southern face followed the heights of the l hovuo f~r O 1.Slov. <o,o tto oo,t