The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-08-13

sions were pressing. The First, Sec
ond and Third had already become ac-
lively engaged, the First being slated
to go to the reserve near the Chateau
Thierry salient when relieved from
Cantigny. The Second was still in
line at Belleau wood, and the Third
south of the Marine.
General Foch had asked for five of
the divisions recently arrived that
were training with the British. OF
these the Fourth and Twenty-eighth,
while en- route to the quiet Vosges Sec
tor to relieve French divisions, had
been diverted to the reserve near the
western face of the Marine salient.
The Thirty-fifth moved to the vicin-
ity of Epinal and the Seventy-seventh
was about to enter the trenches in the
Baccarat sector to replace the Forty
second, which was to reinforce Gou-
raud's army east ofRheims. The Eighty
second had started for the TOul sec
tor to relieve the TwenIy-sixth, which
in turn was soon to relieve the Second.
Thus there were three American d.
visions in quiet sectors and seven
either in the battle line or held in
readiness to meet any eventuality
which might result from further ac-
tivity of the Germans in the great
wedge they had driven toward Paris.
British DispIeased.
The British were displeased at the
transfer of our divisions from their
area, claiming priority to retain them
by reason of having brought them
over. When General Foch inquired
of the conditions under which these
troops were serving with the British.
my reply made it clear that he had
entire authority to direct where they
should go in the emergency, as with
out it the theory Of supreme COM
mand would fail.
The rapid succession of German
offensives had seriously crippled the
allies, and not only materially reduced
their powers of resistance but had de-
pressed their morale and caused the
darkest misgivings among them. They
grew more and more fearful lest the
enemy might still have untold reserves
ready to swell his forces. That the
morale Of the allies was low was
shown by the conclusions of many of
their soldiers returning from the front
to the rest areas.
Reports from the British front were
no better. Their troops continuously
told our men who We're with them
for trimming that we had come too late
and that our entry into the battle
would only postpone allied defeat.
This attitude seemed so alarming that
I took steps to prevent such spirit
from affecting our army by promptly
reporting the facts to allied authori-
ties. The presence of such sentiments
was another important reason for op-
posing any form of amalgamation.
Vastness of Request UnreaIized.
Far short had we fallen of the ex-
pectations of the preceding November,
when Foch, General Robertson Of the
British, and had joined in an urgent
appeal for twenty-four trained Ameri-
can divisions by the following June
1t is small wonder that the allies
were now so insistent in urging in
creased and continuous shipments Of
men, trained or unframed.
So serious was the situation re-
garded that it was no longer demand
for twenty-four divisions but for one
hundred. It is probable that the vast
ness Of this request was not fully
realized, or else the allies had greatly
exaggerated ideas of our power of ac-
complishment, surprising as it actu-
ally proved to be.
A brief calculation Of these demands
of the prime ministers showed that
they were asking more than 100000
combatant troops by the following
spring, which, augmented by those re-
quired for the services of supply, con-
servatively calculated for well-bal-
anced force situated in foreign coun-
try under the circumstances that sur
rounded us, would amount at least to
100000 men.
The American combatant force
would thus have equaled 200 divisions
Of the allies, and their apprehension
may be imagined when we realize that
this was greater by one-fourth than
the combined allied armies of 162 d.
visions then on the western front.
Saw 100000 as Limit.
Although no such number as this
could have been considered feasible,
as it is unlikely that it could have
been either transported. equipped or
supplied. it was necessary, in view of
the situation, to lay plans for bringing
over all we could. After giving the
question careful study. it seemed to