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Show PERSHING IS GIVEN MUCH CREDIT. In his book, "America in France," Major Frederick Palmer accords credit cred-it to General Pershing for urging the counter offensive cn the Marne salient, sa-lient, which was the beginnirig of the end of German military glory. Major Palmer states that on June 22, when General Foch and Premier Clemenceau came to American headquarters for a conference, Pershing pointed out the vulnerability of the salient and, declaring declar-ing that German strength was overestl-jmated, overestl-jmated, said that; under a determined (attack, the salient would crack like an egg shell. ... v Pershing was asked as to the available avail-able forces. Major Palmer goes on to ! say : The events of the four years of war, which had placed such heavy responsibilities respon-sibilities upon the French army, had made the French thrifty of their manpower. man-power. Although no sufficient strategic strateg-ic reserve for a counter-offensive existed, exist-ed, General Pershing suggested that there were divisions In rest which could be mobilized. Our untrained divisions di-visions could release other French divisions di-visions from quiet sectors. Our older divisions had proved their mettle. We had others which might not be fully trained, but they would fight. They knew how to shoot; they had initiative. initia-tive. Behind them were still other American divisions rapidly training and others arriving from America. The time had come to prick the bubble of the Marno salient. It was only a bubble, bub-ble, though it was German. Let the veteran French army attack with its 'old elan and the young American army attack by its side with the energy of Its youth, and we should force the Germans Ger-mans to dance to our tune Instead of our dancing to their tune. Tho result of the German offensive of July 16 justified the general's premises prem-ises and conclusions both in the repulse re-pulse of the enemy and in the way which the Third and Fourth divisions and the French and British divisions had fought. All the Germans had gained was to deepen their pocket. They had put the point of their salient ' over a river in a bloody and unsuccessful unsuc-cessful effort. They were in reaction as tho result of their failure; wo were In reaction from our depression. It was the turning point of psychology. Immediate advantage must bo taken of the opportunity. The Germans had started a war of movement; we accepted accept-ed tho challenge at tho moment that they -were trembling and confused from the failure of their own initiative. oo |
