Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-03
BY MARSHAL Focn.

OF the first Battle of the Marine, told
Tor the first time b. the worlds
greatest soldier.
BY sARsHAL FOCH.
Especial to Universal ServiccJ
The German defeat on the Marne
orchestra in discord-the orchestra
OF the German General STAFF.
Until September the German
leaders were in perfect harmony-or
nth came the first mistakes Of Great
Headquarters. Out OF touch with the
army. they allowed each general
Bulow. klnck. Hausen-to act as
they thought best.
II they had only waited. But each
played his part without considering
fis neishbor. and the result Of this
cacophony was the military fiasco
whereof all the world now knows.
In other words. | blame the Ger
man Grea, headquarters Tor the Ger
man defeat, and after them tnc gem
trais themselves The Germans COM
lnenced with a rigid plan. one of
inose plans which could not cman-
ttc except from the military brains
of across the Rhine. ana which take
no count OF the unexpected And. az
every soldier hnows. IL is the uacX-
p"ctcd that happens ofteucst in bat
tie.
Paris Was the German Goal
This plan. after Charlcroi, was TO
push the French backward as fast
- possible and to TAX. Paris. E.ucl;.
forced march which was to rr3ul. In
The cnp:ur; Of Paris. And Iiluck
'Gargcd-charGed like a ciumry bar.
iaiO.
marches OF Won Kiuck. one is s,upe.
led Positively. they were extra
ordinary. Always obsessed 10y his
id"a OF enveioping the French left,
be CHARGED toward Paris without
even .spar!ng thought TO Galiicni
who. In turn. was mcnacing his own
LEFT. And this was his downfall.
|; was the famous and exploded
'oiltng onward. eyer on, until either
victory resulted or-defeat
There waA just ono thing which the
Great HEADQUARTERS should have done
halt on the rapid advance OF Won
Kluck, to gather the various armies
on a prepared line and hold them
lirinly in leash. And what did Great
d'i.r,crs, which was at Luxembourg.
Lnd which had been At Luxcnibur-;
since August 80. did nothing--sa!d
nothing. Al Luxcmburg! Can you
see Marshal Joffrc'a General Head
quarters At Lyons or Marsciiles?
French Fall on Crown Prince.
Md then. at the same time tina:
iallicni fell on Won Kluck. all the
line and turned on Bulow. ilausen.
WurtcmburS and the Crown Prince.
This time /, was the disarray com
plctc Mol,kc was unable 10 reeather
the rcnS he had let fall from his
hands. II seemed almost as though
he ignored tho battle entirely, and his
blindness was paid for by his sub
Iltcrn generals. and thus by their
troops. Splendid fruits OF German
pride. OF their impertur bablc faith in
their rigid plans-faith of which
even the Marine DISASTER failed to cure
them.
Here 1t may be interesting II re-
count an anacdote related 10 me by
NJ. de Crawhez Burgermaster OF spa.
which was the kaiser's general head
quarters during the latter part OF the
war 1t will prove my contention that
the Marine was lesson half-learned
by the Germans.
On July s. 1918, on the eve OF the
supreme Bochc offensive. there was
II great hustle and evidence of move
!ncni in Spa. Truckloads OF baggage
were carted TO the station. The i'm
pcrial train was kept steam UP. Of
iicers dashed hither and thlther in
extraordinary AID unwonted activity.
Even the servants in the kaiser's
villa were held in readiness for in
slant departure.
Finally the Burgermaster inquired
discreeuy what 1t was All about. And
Versailles" Just that. simply: We
leave for Versailles"
do not know the precise hour
they started. but I do know that tho
Rurgcrmaster told me that on July
60 he was at the station when the
Easor's sDecia: train returned.
There was no more talk Of going TO
Versailles. !: Gourand and Mangin
had barred the way!
Let US return to the battle of the
Marine. All, VIC passed anxious. l>1t
also splendid hours then! 1 remen-
TENDER 8. when the Forty-second
Division. which, I wished to launca
on IIausen's flank. was kept wait
ing. Generals Grcsetti arrived at
last, little late. Oh, 1t wasn't his
fault. one does not arrive always
when one wishes!
1t is $40 F. NJ. I have given the
order to take the offensive on all the
50 slowly! Grosetti himself. than
whom is no more courageous general,
darcs not advance into unknown
country too precipitatelys and post
pones, his attack until the morning.
night, my telephone rings.
I'VE are in the station Of Fere
Champcnoise."
chair. Ferc- Champenose? why
the Germans had it!
"who-who are you?" I cry.
Colonel Simon. of the Moussy di-
VISION.
And Moussy himself knew nothing
nor Dubois!
| answer: "a la bonnie heurei
Bravo. bravo, bravo!"
Weary Divisions Advance.
Immediately I telephone TO all my
, divisions-.my tired, weary divisions:
/ In action! Advance! En- avant.
Grosetti! En- avant. Humbert! En-
avant, Battesti! En- avant, Lefe-
bvro! You can go no further. Radi-
Suet? Very well-but listen; at $50
{ precisely, all your elements in action.
| don't want eXcuses"
Parbleu! Each ono of them had
! his objections. his good reasons why
he could not go n step further. II
was deaf to all. 1t is necessary to be
leaf sometimes. in war.
Editorial Note-It was mt this
point that General Foch sent his
famous telegram to Marshal Joffre;
My right is falling back. my left Is
in disarray; attack with my CEN
arrived at Fara r,hanna,