Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-20
GeneraIissimo of the Allied
Armies in World War Had
Had Pneumonia.
DOCTORS LOST HOPE
SEVERAL DAYS AGO
French Hero Given Unified Com
mand on March %, 1918, Re
storing Waning Morale.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, March 20-Marshal Ferdi-
nand Foch. famous generalissimo, whc
led the allied armies to victory in the
World War. died at his home today
after a lengthy illness. He was II
years old.
He died at $50 pm. G2:50 pm
Eastern standard time).
Although it had long been apparent
that the great general was fighting his
'last campaign" his warrior heart
would not give in and day after day
he fought off the inevitable end with
grim courage. But coalition OF heart
trouble. kidney disease and lung in
lection were too great at his age.
Heart Collapse Fatal.
On February IS the Associated Press
was authoritatively informed that the
msrshals death seemed only a matter
of days-a week, perhaps. or 10 days
But the marshal, with indomitable VIII
held off death even longer than ms
doctors thought possible.
It was the sudden collapse OF nus
heart after several days OF improvement
that brought death to the intrepid war
rior.
THE foremost fighter of the Great
War" displayed in Illness that same
grit that he had displayed as the COM
rnander-in-chi who led the allied
armies to victory in the World War
throughout 1t all, from January IA.
when he first became gravely Ill, until
the end. he showed courage, unfalllng
euuanimity and even good humor.
The end came just as his doctors
reached the marshals house this eve
ming. He had been conscious the en-
tire afternoon and had been found IN
a somewhat improved condition at lC
o'clock this morning when the hrsi
visit of the day was made
Others who called upon the marshal
were Queen Marie of Rumania, Gen.
Weygand, his faithful chief OF stan
during the World War Myron 7. Her
rick the American Ambassador, and
many of the most distinguished men IN
France. All wrote their names In the
visitors books.
Years Prove Handicap.
IT was a series of ups ana GOWNS
through the illness. After the nrst
crisis at the beginning Of his illness
which was marked by severe near'
attack the marshal was faced With the
development Of kidney trouble and tner
pulmonary infection.
The marshal had been indispoSed fol
several days, but this appeared to of
merely due to a cold, and there was
h
next day. however. the kidney compli'
cations set in and the seriousness OF
the famous commanders condition be-
came apparent.
With the development of pulmonary
infection it became more and more
plain that, despite the gallant battle
which he was waging. the years wnlcf
he carried were too great handlcaI
and a fatal termination could be th'
only outcome.
Doctors Battied Desperately.
At times there were as many as eigh
physicians in attendance upon the mar
shal. The four chief physicians were Dr
Heitz-B Boyer, who specialized on the pui
Ynonary side of the marshafs Illness; Dr
de Gennes. who cared for the kidneys
Prof. Laubry. who cared for his heart
and DR.. Davenieres, army doctor, ant
the marshal's personal attendant 10
many years, who also cared Tor Tn
heart.
All these physicians held daily con
situations, each one fighting his shar
of the battle but they knew that tn
marshal's age was too great under tn
circumstances and that he could no
muster the recuperative strength neces
sary for an eventual recovery.
"The foremost strategist of the grea
war was the characterization Of Ferdi
rand Foch, marshal of France, by Fiei
Marshal Viscount French. first com
mander of the British forces in France
His memorable message to Joffre. tn
hero of the Marne, when Won Kluc
was sweeping on toward Paris on Sep
tenber 9, 1914. will ever remain classi
with all soldiers. He said:
MY right is crushed. My left is Il
retreat I am attacking with m
center"
The appointment of Foch as gen
eralissimo of all the allied forces o
March 29. 1918. was generally regarde
as the master diplomatic stroke OF tn
war Unity of command brought Tres
confidence to the allies.
l0ree nlOTl1S VI iIlOIc dAbci bnhaii
the supreme command Marshal Foe
maintained an unbroken front of moi
than $50 miles from the North Sea
Belfort. The arrival of American II
inforcements gave him numerical supt
riority over the enemy and on July
he began the ponderous smash that Ws
TO end in the cessation of hostilities.
Blocks Way to Paris.
With the British French and Be
gians he stopped the enemy's advan'
toward the English Channel: with Il
French and Americans he blocked Il
way 10 Paris Then the Germans b.
gan to retire and, following the Amer
can victory at Chateau Thierry, the lor
battle line from Switzerland to the 81
receded daily northward and eastws1
toward the Rhine.
Each of the five big battles that We
fought under Foch's direction in Il
closing days of the war was so tim
and placed that each army support
the other. all forming an indispensat
part OF the whole and all working
smoothly as the parts of well adjust
automobile engine. All were direct
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