Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-07
Secretary of War Given
Differences Between
Our Training Method
and Those of Allies.
TOLD FRENCH HOLD
SELVES SUPERIOR
Explanation Outgrowth
of Criticism TO Col. E.
NJ. House, for which
Petain Apologized.

h
methods, resulting in an apology
i from Gen. Petain for criticism he
had made to Col. E. M. House,
felt it advisable at this time to write
Secretary of War Baker. Excerpts OF
my letter of January II, 1918, follow:
when the 1st Division arrived in
its training area the French kindly
placed division nearby to aid IN ~
struction. Through association the
French officers and soldiers and our
own became cordial and the spirit Of
fraternity has been passed on to sue
ceeding divisions. This training along
side the French was limited mainly TO
the specialties of trench warfare and,
under the then division commander, II
was left almost wholly to the French
Their method was mainly to give
demonstrationS-tha is, they went over
and over their trench exercises while
our platoons, companies and battalionS
were usually only observers. They
failed to realize that for us, at least,
it, was necessary that officers COM
handing their own units should work
out problems for themselves instead OF
! remaining mere imitators.
Another point of difference was as
to tactical value of open warfare. We
have held that our young officers lacked
experience in handling their units IN
the open and that a knowledge OF the
methods of trench warfare was not
enough to prepare them for the I'M
portant duties of commanding UNITS
where there was a possibility OF open
| warfare have spent much time my
| self explaining that our company Of
ficers must have training in handling
and be thoroughly schooled In the
principles of what We call minor tao
| ties II
site view and have held that our OF
ficers did not need that training now.
Notwithstanding that many instances
in both British and French experience
prove the contrary, the French are
very firm in their view. They are just
| a little bit inclined to hold themselves
superior in the art of war to both
/ the British and ourselves, and that
| does not always set very well.
Selected Best Methods.
$50 finally they criticized us, not
| oplv tn their war office, but Gen.
| Petain commented on our methods
i rather hastily to Mr.. House ana also
| to Gen. Bliss. I explained our posi-
ton to both these gentiemen' aooi na
| that had myself studied, and nao re-
nlIired as thorough study as possible py
our officers of both French and BLUSH
methods and experience and had en-
deavored to select and adopt the best.
"Naturally it would be quite 1mpoS-
sible for us to adopt French taetlcs
| throughout That we must retain our
basic principles is agreed 70 by an
| officers experienced In tralnli1g oI.
troons So we have used the French
| example less, and following more our
own ideas of requiring men 10 think
| for themselves and learn practlcaLy
the PRINCIPLES applicable both to open
| and trench warfare, the French haStlly
| concluded that we were not progress
ing. IL. oo,,sa NJ the
| feeling. AS NJ. Clemenceau was seny
ai1xioIls for harmony, he rather eXas-
oerated the thing in his own nina. !
later explained my view to him, as l
Ma also to Gen. Petain, who saw the
| force of nv position and frankly salo
I CT However. in the course OF THESE
discussions and correspondence, IL oe-
veloped that the French We're Ieany
| honing to have our units amalgdlIlaIte13
| for service with theirs, with the speclaf
n ~ in mind of their not being COM
neIled to reduce the number OF tnen
"This was hidden away under the m
| e;stance unon taking over our LraHnns'
| Of course we realized that the FIeIloii
| are short of men, but, except IN tenn
porary emergency, differences IN Ano
| r1Iapes and methods would make Ciie
| Combination for actual hghtlng quiCe
| out OF the question. In my recent qlo
cueeio,s with them I have made Lnat
noint clear, and they seem to nave &C
| cented it. so we had but to settle the
| question of training. IN. ~
an the end, my conferences with M
| Clemenceau and Gen. Petain nave re-
suited in what now seems TO DE a very
satisfactory understanding. 1t mas peeh
agreed then that we should go on as IN
tSe past, aided by French instructors
| and a more limited number OF french
+, units. following such courses OF training
| as We should prescribe, and that latef
| orr regiments should go into french
| divisions, posted in quiet sector, 1oF
experience in the trenches, the generals
and staff officers to have service WIN
corresponding grades and commands III
French units.
"This duty with the French divisions
Is 70 be for training only, and when
finished the elements of our divisions
are to be reunited under our own ON
GERS. I think the plan is the very pest
that we could adopt, and the Freneh
seem equally satisfied A few days ago
I had a very cordial telegram from M.
Clemenceau expressing his gratif1catlon
that an agreement had been reached.
Wanted March in France.
ct is to be noted that Gen. Bliss is
to be continued on the active list !
presume you have found his visit here
made him very valuable. Moreover, l
am not so sure that it would be safe to
change now anyway. II you should de-