Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-29
War Ends as Germans
Accept Severe Terms
of Armistice Given
Then by FOch.
AMERICAN SUCCESS
ABROAD REVIEWED
Ne. F. Cautioned Against
Laxity in Conducting
Themselves in France
After Fighting Ceases.
CHAPTER LXXVII.

CHAPTER LXXVU.
A s the conference between Mar
" shall Foch and the German del
"A egates proceeded, and in an
4 A tieipation of advices regarding
the armistice, telephone lines
were kept constantly open between my
headquarters and those of the LIST and
I'd Armies.
When word came to me at 8 am.
November IL that hostilities would
cease at ii am. directions TO that
effect were sent to our armies imme-
diately. Our troops had been advanc-
ing rapidly during the preceding two
days and, although every effort was
made to reach them promptly, a few
could not be overtaken before the pre-
| seribed hour.
A brief account of the conference
with the German delegates was given
to me a few days later by Gen.
Weygand. He said the Germans came
across the line by automobile the aft
ernoon of November 7 and boarded q
special railway coach sent by the
French to meet them. During the
| night this car and the marshal's were
placed side by side in the forest be-
tween Compiegne and Scissors.
FOch Didn't Want Armistice.
The emissaries we're ushered into the
marshal's presence and, after producing
their credentials, were asked the object
of their visit. They replied that they
aFmistice. The marshal then made it
clear that he himself was not request
ing an armistice and did not care to
have one.
When asked II they wished an
armistice they replied that they did.
The marshal said that If that was the
case here were the terms, q copy Of
which he handed them. The severity
of the demands seemed to surprise
depressed. They had no power to sign
an arnistice, they said, without the
consent Of the chancellor. and after
some little discussion they started an
officeF to the German capital with the
terms.
They did not seem to object to turn
ing over 5000 cannon, but deplored the
condition which required them to sur
render $4,000 machine guns. They
finally succeeded In having this re-
duced to $4,000 machine guns on the
ground that they might have some left
for riot duty. In speaking of the dan
ger of riots the delegates were asked
why they did not send some Of their
reserve divisions to maintain order in
the interior.
Their reply was that they had no d.
visions in reserve, as every division that
they had was actually in line. Then
they complained about the short time
allowed for evacuation, stating that the
German Army was In no condition to
move, either forward or backward.
During November 9 and 10, while
waiting for instructions from their gov
eminent, the delegates talked very
freely with Weygand about conditions
In Germany and spoke particularly Of
the lack of food and the fear that
there would be famine in places because
Of the bad transportation service.
A wireless message from the German
government authorizing the delegates to
sign the arnistice was received about
IL pm. November 10. 1t took until 5
am. the 18th to deeode the message,
complete the discussion and draw up
the terms in the rough.
Last Page Written First.
To stop bloodshed the last page of
the conditions was written first, and
this was signed a few minutes after
am. on the 18th. Word was then
sent out TO troops that hostilities would
cease at IL am.
Between September % and Novem-
Der II twenty-five American and six
French divisions, with an approximate
fighting strength Of 100000 men, on a
front extending from southeast of YER
don to the Argonne Forest, had en-
gagged and deeisively beaten 80 differ
ent German divisions, with an esti-
mated fighting strength of 100000. OF
the % American divisions, had at
different times during this period been
in action on fronts other than our own.
The enemy suffered an estimated loss
of over 100 900 casualties in this battle,
and our lst Army lost about $4,000.
The total strength of the 1st Army, In
Guiding 1875, 900 French troops. reached
]. 031, 900 men. 1t captured $4,000 prts-
oners, 874 cannon, 5000 machine guns
and large quantities of material.
The transportation and supply OF d.
visions TO and from our front during
this battle was a gigantic task. There
were rs American and French d.
visions, besides hundreds of thousands
Of corps and army troops, moved in
and out of the American zone. A total
Of l73. 900 men were evacuated to the
rear and more than 1000 replace
ments we're received
IT need hardly be restated that our
entry into the war gave the allies the
preponderance of force vitality necessary
To outweigh the tremendous increase in
the strength Of the Germans on the
western front due TO the collapse Of
Russia and the consequent release Of
German divisions employed against her.
From the military po.nt Of view. we
began IN aid the allies early In 1918.
when our divisions. with insufficient
| training to take active part In battle
were cent 70 the inactive front TO re-
| lieve French divisions. that they might
! be used in the fighting line
| The assistance we gave the allies in