Evening star., 1936-09-27
u. S. Troops Began to Crusl,
Hindenblrg Line Is Years 4 go
PirOtaI Attack That Led to COLLAPSE of
Imperial Army Lasted AZ Days on
Meuse-ArgOnue Front.
Copyright, A. P. Wirephoto.

between the British and French for
control and use of our forces. even
before We had an army in the field,
bore out my impression that those
two governments were not working
entirely in harmony"
Such was the situation which
prompted Newton D. Baker, then
Secretary of War. to incorporate in
his instructions to Gen. Pershing,
written on May 26, 1917, this para
graph:
In military operations against the
imperial German government. you are
directed to cooperate with the forces
of the other countries employed
against that enemy; but in so doing
the underlying idea must be kept in
view that the forces of the United
States are a separate and distinct
component of the combined forces,
the identity Of which must be pre-
! served
Not only were these Pershing' s
orders; they represented his own per-
sonal views.
Il was decidedly against our be-
coming recruiting agency for either
the French or British" he said.
While fully realizing the difficulties.
it was definitely understood between
the Secretary of War and myself
that We should proceed to organize
our own units from top to bottom
and build a distinctive army Of our
own as rapidly as possible"
Transport Ships Sought.
But he was not long in discovering
that he would meet energetic oppo-
sition from his own allies in carry
ing out his orders In this respect. He
asked the allies for ships in which
to bring American soldiers to Europe
and found that their apparent in
difference gave further color to the
suspicion that perhaps an American
army as such was not wanted"
Meanwhile, the Balfour and Joffre
missions to the United States had re-
newed in Washington the urgings of
their respective governments that the
United States ship infantry men and
machine gunners as fast as possible
10 the fighting lines for inclusion in
both armies, disregarding other di-
visional components such as artillery,
supply and engineers.
Lloyd George sent a confidential
memorandum to Col. Edward M.
House in which he stated that Amer
lean soldiers would not be ready to
fight as an army until late in 1918
and that 'even half-trained Amer
lean companies or battalions would
fight we'll if mixed with two or three
years veterans"
Under pressure from all sides. Per-
shing, in whose hands had been placed
full responsibility for organizing
American forces in France, finally
compromised to the extent of agree
ing to send a maximum of six divi-
sions Of infantry, machine gun. en-
gineer and signal troops during May.
1918. for training and service with
the British Army.
Won Official Sanction.
At the same time, however. he
wfested from the supreme war coun-
Gil at a historic meeting at Able
vile, France, official recognition that
"an American army should be formed
as early as possible under its own
commander and its own flag"
| 1t was at this meeting that Pershing
facing Lloyd George, Premier Glenn
enceau of France, Premier Orlando
! of Italy, Marshal Foch and other
| o11;ed cor,orna nderS said.
Gentlemen, I will not be CO.
creed"
That was in answer to their re-