The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-12-07

General Baron Won GallWltZ, OIL tue
German high command, has written
his opinion of the effect of American
soldiers on the world war, and the
position occupied by this officer pro-
badly entities him to speak for Of
fetal Germany during the war. The
following article, covering the period
from January to August, 1918, ap-
peared in the Atlanta Sunday Ameri-
can, December 8:
The effect of the gradual appear
ance of the Americans in France was
due not only to the number of Ameri-
can troops, but also to the character
of those troops. The American divis-
ions that required more thorough
military training were kept at the
rear. The American forces Of most
Importance during this first period
were the working troops, which cared
for the billeting, feeding, ways and
means of transportation, etc.
Next came the military recruits.
These were trained with the French
troops in encampments and on train
ing grounds, and finally in the rear
ranks.
The great number Of those en-
ployed merely as working troops
seemed to show that the first idea of
American collaboration was to assist
technically, but very soon it appeared
that their plan was more far-reach-
ing-that we had to deal with the
preparation and development of mill
tary strength upon a colossal scale.
In the summer of 1918 I heard
that the first American division
would be brought in, in opposition
to my army. On February a patrol
of the Sixteenth Regiment of 1nfan-
try was surprised and four men taken
prisoners. We learned that the
First Division (Pershing) was pre-
sent with the Sixteenth and Eigh-
teenth Regiments in the first line, and
that the Twenty-Sixth and Twenty
Eighth Regiments were in the rear.
Our new opponents held our in
terest. We tried to make strong
impression upon them but they ap-
peared to be very prudent. At first we
saw French and Americans combined
in the trenches. Then we saw de-
tachments of Americans with French
always around them, and finally in
dependent American detachments.
American Prisoners Costing Dearly
On March / we made strong de-
against the American
front. This carried us some five hun
dred meters into the enemy position.
Twelve prisoners of the Eighteenth
Regiment were brought in here, and
then more at Chavignon, but they
were costing us dear. Some Of the
Americans, when surprised in their
trenches, refused to surrender, pre-
ferring to be blown up into the air
proof that we had to deal with an op-
ponent who must be highly esteemed.
Of course, there we're few prison
ers who declared that they were glad
it was over, as far as they were con-
cerned. They stated that their rela-
tions with the French were not cor
dial. We learned from them that
General Duncan was in command.
Pershing's promotion had already
begun.
On March II we faced the first ad-
vance of American patrols to the
front of our lines, without loss to us.
On April 8 we ascertained that the
Second American Division was en-
trenched among the French bat
talions. Prisoners we captured told
us that this division had come over
in September, 1917.
In the course of the month Of April
the number of Americans present
was increased, especially around st.
Mihiel, with the appearance, of the
Twenty-Sixth Division. AT this time
the French division withdrew.
We tried to reconnoiter by fur
ther advances, and to get acquainted
with the new opponent. Between the
18th and goth Of April several prison
ers we're taken, five officers on the
last day, besides 17S men and 20
machine guns of the First Battalion
of One Hundred and Second Regl'
ment of Infantry, Twenty-Sixth DlVls-
ion. This battalion had only been al
the front two hours when we attack
ed.
All of these skirmishes Increased
our knowledge. I shall not deny
rorv pandlH