Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21
INTIMATE REVELATIONS OF FOCITS CHARACTER
| AND MARSTIALS VIEWS ON CONDUCT OF ALLIED
FORCES DURING WAR DISCLOSED IN AIDES BOOK
! 4 t u .
Disagreement With Clemen-
ceau and High Command in
Turbulent Days Is Told.
FELT SUCCESS ASSURED
Spartan Attitude Of French
Military Leader Depicted by
Commandment Bugnet.

intimate views of the late Marshal Foch
upon his actions as commander -chief of
| This article is based upon the forthco.n-
ing b4ok of Commandant Bugnet. the mar
shaPs4 aide de camp. which was withheld
Foch until after sft his death. '''' y ' '"
Written Exclusively for The Star and the
North American Newspaper Alliance.
PARIS, April 20.-Intimate revela-
tons of Marshal Foch's character and
his private views of his conduct Of
operations as generalissimo of the
allied forces in the World War are con-
tanned in book by his aide de camp,
Commandant Bugnet which will ap-
pear simultaneously in Paris and Lon
don next week.
Commandant Bugnet prepared the
book with the late marshal's approval,
with the understanding that it would
not be published until after Foch's
death. Marshal Foch wished to avoid
any possible criticism that the book was
inspired in any fashion by himself.
In explaining the man who led the
allied forces to victory and who was
admittedly disappointed in the settle
ments after it, Commandant Bugnet
throws light for the first time upon
| the motivation Of the spartan and
reticent supreme commander.
Commandant Bugnet served as aide
de camp to Marshal Foch from June,
1921, until the marshals death. His
exposition of the generalissimo S
strategy and military philosophy con-
| sists largely of quotations from the
marshal's discussion with him and his
colleagues.
General staff Is Praised.
1.-THE cause of the superiority of my
general staff during the war, with men
like Weygand, Desticker and Georges,
! was that every one studied his problems
to the core, knew what was the ques-
| ton at issue and reached his decisions
with full knowledge of the CASE
Marshal Foch told Bugnet
Details Of the marshals automobile
accident, which were suppressed during
| the war, Marshal Foch gave Com
mandant Bugnet as follows:
1T was on the road from Amiens
to Chalons. It was in May, 1916 be-
| fore the battle of the Somme. The
road was good. We were not going too
fast, but a country cart in front of
us suddenly stopped. The horse took
fright and swerved across the road.
Our driver put on the brakes and we
were flung against tree.
Il went through the glass. Fournier
| collided with the door frame and broke
the bones Of his nose. I had gashes
all over my face and head. It was
near a place called Plessis-something-
brother.
I'VE were taken to Meaux. MY M.
o., Andre, rushed in from Amiens
and Sewed me up. I still bear the
| scars. It was on Thursday. BY
Sunday I was of again, my head all
bandaged up.
What caused me most inconvenience
was my mouth. I could no longer eat.
When M. Poincare next saw me after
that he said to me: I hope you will
no longer drive SO quickly after this
accident"
Marshal Foch greatly regretted the
french governments policy which pre-
vented him from accepting the proffered
american Government In recognition of
$500 NN~ h@SSSt OOhAAAA04AQdAtG 1ouk1lGL WIlbGS.
Joffre Is Given Credit.
The marshal's aide-de-camp's book
takes the marshal through his career
during the war from the time he leap-
ed into prominence as the defender of
the Marine. The credit for shattering
the Germans great push for Paris
Marshal Foch gave Papa" Jotfre.
Then 1t was he," said Commandant
Bugnet, who really won the Battle of
the Marne?"
Certainly" said Marshal Foch. eft
was his doing. He had made prepara-
lions Tor 1t He simply translated
them into fact. He had grasped that
the action had begun badly, so he sus-
pended operations while he corrected
mistakes and repaired weaknesses. He
reorganized the higher command; alter
ed the distribution of his forces, and
then awaited the movement for ener-
getically resuming the offensive he in
tended. The Battle of the Marine was
certainly great victory. Joffre was the
right man In the right place; he knew
how to avoid Knockout. And, fur
ther, he saw eye to eye with the gov
eminent. That was hard enough"
Then what about Gallieni?"
'Gallieni? He said he thought the
moment to strike had come. Joffre,
who wanted to retreat to the Seine, de-
ferred to his opinion. But. all the same,
it was Joffre who took the decision. If
he had been beaten no one would have
taken the blame for the defeat. Let
me add: If we had not had him in 1914
don't know what would have become
of u.s."
Most Illuminating and certain to
create great discussion are the parts OF
Commandment Bugnets book dealing
with Gen. Foch'S elevation to the SUI
preme command.
Lloyd George Invented" Foch.
"It is Lloyd George" comments Foch,
"who contributed the most toward the
attainment Of the unified command. AS
early as the Rapollo conference, when
the Versailles committee was set up
even earlier, as far back as october II,
1914, he saw everything clearly. He
even invented me! Ever since 1914
they had praised me in England. Lloyd
George often said to me:
"'You are the man OF the Saint-Pol
program
9saint-Polp What program? don't
understand I said.
Eyes, you do he replied. You
remember quite well. 1t was October
II, 1914. You said to me: We are go
ing to dig trenches: they want to break
through. They shall not break through
And they did not. You carried out
/ your program"
Unfortunately, this general reserve.
created on paper by the supreme war
council, could not be constituted. There
were no resources! On March IA and
Is, the Versailles committee held a
meeting in London. !
OF this Marshal Foch said:
II was present with Clemenceau and
| Stephen Pichon. had just been given
the command Of striking force which
did not exist. ] asked the English
| to share in the formation of this force
| by providing troops. Haig declared this