The daily Alaska citizen., 1920-01-15

fighting qualities was soon put to the
 test"
 Aitho his suggestion was not ac-
 centgd American forces found glory
 in the action which was undertaken. . Al Chateau-Thieuy. when the Ger mans first advanced, the 3rd division
 commander reported:
 "Altho the rush of the German . troops overwhelmed some of the front
 line positions, causing the infantry and machine-gun companies 10 suffer l in some cases a 50 per cent loss, no l German soldiers crossed the road
 from Fossoy to Crezancy except as a prisoner of war, and by noon of the following day (July 16) there were no Germans in the foreground of the Third division sector except the dead ! "On this occasion" General PeGsh- ing added "a single regiment of the ] Sd division wrot one of the most 1 brilliant pages in our military annals. ] It prevented the crossing at certain points on its 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 countor-attacks at critical points and succeeded in throwing two German divisions into complete confusion capturing 800 prisoners
 i Due to the magnincent dash and power displayed here and on the field of Soissons by our 1st and 2d diyl- stons, the tide of war was definitely turned in favor of the allies. **
 The force of American arms had been brot to bear in time to enable the last offensive of the enemy to be crushed"
 Organization of the lst American army and preparations for its maiden effort the elimination of the St MihieI salient was now taken up. Again if was proposed that American troops reinforce the French for the operation but Pershing again objected. He explains.
 "The plan suggested for the Ameri- can participation in these operations was not acceptable 10 me because it would require the immediate separa- ton of the recently formed First i American army into several troops mainly to assist French armies This was directly contrary to the principle of forming a distinct American army, for which my contention had been 1 insistent An enormous amount of Dreparation had already been made in construction of roads, railroads regulating stations and other installa- ! tions looking to the use and supply i of our armies on a particular front. | The inherent disinclination of our l troops to serve under allied command CTS would have grown and American morale would have suffered My po- eition was stated quite clearly that 1 the st~atogical employment of the Tiret army as a unit would be under taken whore desired, but its disrup- ton to carry out these proposals would not be entertained.
 | "A further conference at Marshal Foch's hoadQuarters was held on Sep tember 9. at which General Petain was present After discussion the question of employing the Ame, ican army as a unit was conceded. All 1 tho allied armies wee 10 D" tn- nloyed In a converging action The l British armies supported by the left of the French armies, were to pursue the attack In the direction of C. m- brai the center of the French armies. west of Rheims would continue the actions. already begun, to drive the enemy beyond the Aisne; and the l American army, supported b the right or the French armies, would direct It's attack on Sedan and l MeZieres.
 | "It should be recorded that altho this general offensive was fully out lined at the conference no one pres ent eyDressed the Oninion that the final victory could be won in 1918. 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 cessation of
 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. In
 my opinion. no other allied troops had the morale or the offensive spirit to overcome successfully the difficult
 ties to be met In the Mouse -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. It
 covered the most sensitive section of bo rr