692 Gen. Pershing's Story of Our Army in France-Continued. "From Les Eparges around the nose of the salient at St. Mihlel to the Moselle River the line was roughly forty miles long and situated on commanding ground greatly strengthened by artificial defenses. Our Ist Corps (82d, 90th, 5th, and 2d Divisions), under command of Major Gen. Hunter Liggett, restrung its right on Pont-a-Mousson, with its left joining our 3d Corps (the 89th, 42d, and 1st Divisions), under Major Gen. Joseph T. Dickman, in line to Xivray, were to swing toward Vigneulles on the pivot of the Moselle River for the initial assault. From Xivray to Mouilly the 2d Colonial French Corps was in line in the centre, and our 5th Corps, under command of Major Gen. George H. Cameron, with our 26th Divlsion and a French division at the western base of the salient, were to attack three difficult hills-Les Eparges, Combres, and Amaramthe. Our 1st Corps had in reserve the 78th Division, our 4th Corps the 3d Division, and our First Army the 35th and 91st Divisions, with the 80th and 33d Divisions available. It should be understood that our corps organizations are very elastic, and that we have at no time had permanent assignments of divisions to corps. After four hours' artillery preparation, the seven American divisions in the front line advanced at 5 A. M. on September 12, assisted by a limited number of tanks manned partly by Americans and partly by French. These divisions, accompanied by groups of wire cutters and others armed with bangalore torpedoes, went through the successive bands of barbed wire that protected the enemy's front line and support trenches, in irresistible waves on schedule time, breaking down all de fense of an enemy demoralized by the great volume of our artillery fire and our sudden approach out of the fog. Our 1st Corps advanced to Thiaucourt, while our 4th Corps curved back to the southwest through Nonsard. The 2d Colonial French Corps made the slight advance required of it on very difficult ground, and the 5th Corps took its three ridges and repulsed a counter-attack. A rapid march brought reserve reglments of a division of the 5th Corps into Vigneulles in the early morning, where it linked up with patrols of our 4th Corps, closing the salient and forming a new line west of Thiaucourt to Vigneulles and beyond Fresnes-en-Woevre. At the cost of only 7,000 casualties, mostly light, we had taken 16,000 prisoners and 443 guns, a great quantity of material, released the inhabitants of many villages from enemy domination, and established our lines in a position to threaten Metz. This signal success of the American First Army in its first offensive was of prime importance. The Allies found they had a formidable army to aid them, and the enemy learned finally that he had one to reckon with. MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE, FIRST PHASE. "On the day after we had taken the St. Mihiel salient much of our corps and army artillery which had operated at St. Mihiel, and our divisions in reserve at other points, were already on the move toward the area back of the line between the Meuse River and the western edge of the forest of Argonne. With the exception of St. Mihlel, the old German front line from Switzerland to the east of Rheims was still intact. In the general attack all along the line, the operation assigned the American Army as the hinge of this allied offensive was directed toward the important railroad communications of the German armies through Mezieres and Sedan. The enemy must hold fast to this part of his lines or the withdrawal of his forces with four years' accumulation of plants and material would be dangerously imperilled. The Gorman Army had as yet shown no demoralization, and, while the mass of its troops had suffered in morale, Its first-class divisions, and notably its machine-gun defense, were exhibiting remarkable tactical efficiency as well as courage. The German General Staff was fully aware of the consequences of a success on the Meuse-Argonne line. Certain that he would do everything in his power to oppose us, the action was planned with as much secrecy as possible and was undertaken with the determination to use all our divisions in forcing decision. We expected to draw the best German divisions to our front and to consume them while the enemy was held under grave apprehension lest our attack should break his line, which it was our firm purpose to do. "Our right flank was protected by the Meuse, while our left embraced the Argonne Forest, whose ravines, hills, and elaborate defense, screened by dense thickets, had been generally considered impregnable. Our order of battle from right to left was the 3d Corps from the Meuse to Malancourt, with the 33d, 80th, and 4th Divisions in line, and the 3d Division as corps reserve; the 5th Corps from Malancourt to Vauquols, with 79th, 87th, and 91st Divisions in line, and the 32d in corps reserve, and the 1st Corps, from Vauquols to Vienne le Chateau, with 35th, 28th, and 77th Divisions in line, and the 92d In corps reserve. The army reserve consisted of the 1st, 29th, and 82d Divisions. "On the night of September 25 our troops quletly took the place of the French who thinly held the line in this sector, which had long been inactive. In the attack which began on the 26th we drove through the barbed wire entanglements and the sea of shell craters across No Man's Land, mastering all the firstline defenses. Continuing on the 27th and 28th, against machine guns and artillery of an increasing number of enemy reserve divisions, we penetrated to a depth of from three to seven miles and took the village of Montfaucon and its commanding hill and Exermont, Gercourt, Cuisy, Septsarges, Malancourt, Ivoiry, Epinonville, Charpentry, Very, and other villages. East of the Meuse one of our divisions, which was with the 2d Colonial French Corps, captured Marcheville and Rieville, giving further protection to the flank of our main body. We had taken 10,000 prisoners, we had gained our point of forcing the battle into the open, and were prepared for the enemy's reaction, which was bound to come, as he had good roads and ample railroad facilities for bringing up his artillery and reserves. In the chill rain of dark nights our engineers had to build new roads across spongy, shell-torn areas, repair broken roads beyond No Man's Land, and build bridges. Our gunners, with no thought of sleep, put their shoulders to wheels and dragropes to bring their guns through the mire in support of the infantry, now under the increasing fire of the enemy's artillery. Our attack had taken the enemy by surprise; but, quickly recovering himself, he be gan to fire counterattacks in strong force, supported by heavy bombardments, with large quantities of gas. From September 28 until October 4, we maintained the offensive against patches of woods defended by snipers and continuous lines of machine guns, and pushed forward our guns and transport, seizing strategical points in preparation for further attacks. OTHER UNITS WITH ALLIES. "Other divisions attached to the Allied Armies were doing their part. It was the fortune of our 2d Corps, composed of the 27th and 30th Divisions, which had remained with the British, to have a place of honor in co-operation with the Australian Corps on September 29 and October 1, in the assault on the Hindenburg Line where the St. Quentin Canal passes through a tunnel under a ridge. The 30th Divislon speedily broke through the main line of defense for all its objectives, while the 27th Division pushed on impetuously through the main line until some of its elements reached Gouy. In the midst of the maze of trenches and shell craters and under crosstire from machine guns the other elements fought desperately against odds. In this and in later actions, from October 6 to October 19, our 2d Corps captured over 6,000 prisoners and advanced over thirteen miles. The spirit and aggressiveness of these divisions have been highly praised by the British Army commander under whom they served. "On October 2-9 our 2d and 36th Divisions were sent to assist the French in an important attack against the old German positions before Rheims. The 2d Division conquered the complicated defense works on their front against a persistent defense worthy of the grimmest period of trench warfare and attacked the strongly held wooded hill of Blanc Mont, which they captured in a second assault, sweeping over it with consummate dash and skill. This division then repulsed strong counter-attacks before the village and cemetery of St. Etienne and took the town, forcing the Germans to fall back from before Rheims and yield positions they had held since September, 1914. On October 9 the 36th Division relieved the 2d Division, and in its first experience under fire withstood very severe artillery bombardment and rapidly took up the pursuit of the enemy, now retiring behind the Aisne. : Gen. Pershing's Story of Our Army in France-Continued. 693 MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE, SECOND PHASE. "The allied progress elsewhere, cheered the efforts of our men in this crucial contest, as the German command threw in more and more first-class troops to stop our advance. We made steady headway in the almost impenetrable and strongly held Argonne Forest, for, despite this reinforcement, it was our army doing the driving. Our aircraft was increasing in skill and numbers and forcing the issue, and our infantry and artillery were improving rapidly with each new experience. The replacements fresh from home were put into exhausted divisions with little time for traming, but they had the advantage of serving beside men who knew their business and who had almost become veterans overnight. The enemy had taken every advantage of the terrain, which especially favored the defense, by a prodigal use of machine guns manned by highly trained veterans and by using lus artillery at short ranges. In the face of such strong frontal positions we should have been unable to accomplish any progress according to previously accepted standards, but I had every confidence in our aggressive tactics and the courage of our troops. "On October 4 the attack was renewed all along our front. The 3d Corps, tilting to the left, followed the Briculles-Cunel Road; our 5th Corps took Gesnes, while the 1st Corps advanced for over two miles along the irregular valley of the Aire River and in the wooded hills of the Argonne that bordered the river, used by the enemy with all his art and weapons of defense. This sort of fighting continued against an eneшу striving to hold every foot of ground and whose very strong counter-attacks challenged us at every point. On the 7th the 1st Corps captured Chatel-Chenery and continued along the river to Cornay. On the east of Meuse sector one of the two divisions, co-operating with the French, captured Consenvoye and the Haumont Woods. On the 9th the 5th Corps, in its progress up the Aire, took Fleville, and the 3d Corps, which had had continuous fighting against odds, was working its way through Brieulles and Cunel. On the 10th we had cleared the Argonne Forest of the enemy. "It was now necessary to constitute a Second Army, and on October 9 the immediate command of the First Army was turned over to Lieut. Gen. Hunter Liggett. The command of the Second Army, whose divisions occupied a sector in the Woevre, was given to Lieut. Gen. Robert L. Buliard, who had been commander of the 1st Division and then of the 3d Corps Major Gen. Dickman was transferred to the command of the 1st Corps, while the 5th Corps was placed under Major Gen. Charles P. Summerall, who had recently commanded the 1st Division. Major Gen. John L. Hines, who had gone rapidly up from regimental to division commander, was assigned to the 3d Corps. These four officers had been in France from the early days of the expedition and had learned their lessons in the school of practical warfare. Our constant pressure against the enemy brought day by day more prisoners, mostly survivors from machine-gun nests captured in fighting at close quarters. "On October 18 there was very fierce fighting in the Caures Woods east of the Meuse and in the Ormont Woods. On the 14th the 1st Corps took St. Juvin, and the 5th Corps, in hand-to-hand_encounters, entered the formidable Kriemhild line, where the enemy had hoped to check us indefinitely. Later the 5tir Corре penetrated further the Kriemhild line, and the 1st Corps took Champigneulles and the important town of Grand Pre. Our dogged offensive was wearing down the enemy, who continued desperately to throw his best troops against us, thus weakening his line in front of our Allies and making their advance less difficult. DIVISIONS IN BELGIUM. "Meanwhile we were not only able to continue the battle, but our 37th and 91st Divisions were hastily withdrawn from our front and dispatched to help the French Army in Be'gium. Detraining in the neighborhood of pres, these divisions advanced by rapid stages to the fighting line and were assigned to adiacent French corps. On October 31, in continuation of the Flanders offensive, they attacked and methodically broke down all enemy resistance. On November 3 the 37th had completed its mission in dividing the enemy across the Escaut River and firmly established itself along the east bank included in the division zone of action. By a clever flanking movement troops of the 91st Division captured Spitaals Bosschen, & dificult wood extending across the central part of the division sector, reached the Escaut, and penetrated into the town of Audenarde. These divisions received high commendation from their corps commanders for their dash and energy. MEUSE-ARGONNE-LAST PHASE. "On the 23d the 3d and 5th Corps pushed northward to the level of Bantheville. While we continued to press forward and throw back the enemy's violent counterattacks with great loss to him, a regrouping of our forces was under way for the final assault. Evidences of loss of morale by the enemy gave our men more confidence in attack and more fortitude in enduring the fatigue of incessant effort and the hardships of very Inclement weather. "With comparatively well-rested divisions, the final advance in the Meuse-Argonne front was begun on November 1. Our increased artillery force acquitted itself magnificently in support of the advance, and the enemy broke before the determined infantry, which, by its persistent fighting of the past weeks and the dash of this attack, had overcome his will to resist. The 3d Corps took Ancreville, Doulcon, and Andevanne, and the 5th Corps took Landres et St. Georges and pressed through successive lines of resistance to Bayonville and Chennery. On the 2d the 1st Corps joined in the movement, which now became an impetuous onslaught that could not be stayed. "On the 3d advance troops surged forward in pursuit, some by motor trucks, while the artillery pressed along the country roads close behind. The 1st Corps reached Authe and Chatillon-sur-Bar, the 5th Corps, Fosse and Nouart, and the 3d Corps, Halles, penetrating the enemy's line to a depth of twelve miles. Our large-calibre guns had advanced and were skillfully brought into position to fire upon the important lines at Montmedy, Longuyon, and Conflans. Our 3d Corps crossed the Meuse on the 5th and the other corps, in the full confidence that the day was theirs, eagerly cleared the way of machine guns as they swept northward. maintaining complete co-ordination throughout. On the 6th, a division of the 1st Corps reached a point on the Meuse opposite Sedan, twenty-five miles from our line of departure. The strategical goal which was our highest hope was gained. We had cut the enemy's main line of communications, and nothing but surrender or an armistice could save his army from complete disaster. In all forty enemy divisions had been used against us in the Meuse-Argonne battle. Between September 26 and November 6 we took 26,059 prisoners and 468 guns on this front. Our divisions engaged were the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 26th, 28th, 29th, 32d, 33d, 35th, 37th, 420, 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 82d, 89th, 90th, and 91st. Many of our divisions remained in line for a length of time that required nerves of steel, while others were sent in again after only a few days of rest. The 1st, 5th, 26th, 42d, 77th, 80th, 89th, and 90th were in the line twice. Although some of the divisions were fighting their first battle, they soon became equal to the best. OPERATIONS EAST OF THE MEUSE. "On the three days preceding November 10, the 3d, the 2d Colonial, and the 17th French Corps fought a difficult struggle through the Meuse Hills south of Stenay and forced the enemy into the plain. Meanwhile, my plans for further use of the American forces contemplated an advance between the Meuse and the Moselle in the direction of Longwy by the First Army, while, at the same time, the Second Army should assure the offensive toward the rich coal fields of Briey. These operations were to be followed by an offensive toward Chateau-Salins east of the Moselle, thus isolating Metz. Accordingly, attacks on the Americanfront had been ordered, and that of the Second Army was in progress on the morning of Nov. 11, when instructions were received that hostilities should cease at If o'clock A. M. At this moment the line of the American sector, from right to left, began at Port-sur-Seille, thence across the Moselle to Vandieres and through the Woevre to Bezonvaux, in the foothills of the Meuse, thence along to the foothills and through the northern edge of the Woevre forests to the Meuse at Moumay, thence along the Meuse connecting with the French under Sedan. 694 Army Pay Abroad and Here Compared. GEN. PERSHING'S STORY OF OUR ARMY IN FRANCE-Continued. "Co-operation among the Allies has at all times been most cordial. A far greater effort has been put forth by the allied armies and staffs to assist us than could have been expected. The French Government, and Army have always stood ready to furnish us with supplies, equipment, and transportation and to aid us in every way. In the towns and hamlets wherever our troops have been stationed or billeted the French people have everywhere received them more as relatives and intimate friends than as soldiers of a foreign army. For these things words are quite inadequate to express our gratitude. There can be no doubt that the relations growing out of our associations here assure a permanent friendship between the two peoples. Although we have not been so intimately associated with the people of Great Britain, yet their troорв and ours when thrown together have always warmly fraternized. The reception of those of our forces who have passed through England and of those who have been stationed there has always been enthusiastic. Altogether it has been deeply impressed upon us that the ties of language and blood bring the British and ourselves together completely and inseparably. STRENGTH. "There are in Europe altogether, including a regiment and some sanitary units with the Italian Army and the organizations at Murmansk, also including those en route from the States, approximately 2,053,347 men, less our losses. Of this total there are in France 1,338,169 combatant troops. Forty divisions have arrived, of which the infantry personnel of ten have been used as replacements, leaving thirty divisions now in France organized into three armies of three corps each. "The losses of the Americans up to November 18 are: Killed and wounded, 36,145; died of disease, 14,811; deaths unclassified, 2,204; wounded, 179,625; prisoners, 2,163; missing, 1,160. We have captured about 44,000 prisoners and 1,400 guns, howitzers, and trench mortars. COMMENDATION. ̇ "The duties of the General Staff, as well as those of the army and corps staffs, have been very ably performed. Especially is this true when we consider the new and difficult problems with which they have been confronted. This body of officers, both as individuals and as an organization, have, I believe, no superiors in professional ability, in efficiency, or in loyalty. Nothing that we have in France better reflects the efficiency and devotion to duty of Americans in general than the Service of Supply, whose personnel is thoroughly imbued with a patriotic desire to do its full duty. They have at all times fully appreciated their responsibility to the rest of the army. and the results produced have been most gratifying. "Our Medical Corps is especially entitled to praise for the general effectiveness of Its work, both in hospital and at the front. Embracing men of high professional attainments, and splendid women devoted to their calling and untiring in their efforts, this department has made a new record for medical and sanitary proficiency. The Quartermaster Department has had difficult a various tasks, but it has more than met all demands that have been made upon it. Its management and its personnel have been exceptionally efficient, and deserve every possible commendation. As to the more technical services, the able personnel of the Ordnance Department in France has splendidly fulfilled its functions, both in procurement and in forwarding the immense quantities of ordnance required. The officers and men and the young women of the Signal Corps have performed their duties with a large conception of the problem, and with a devoted and patriotic spirit to which the perfection of our communications daily testifies. While the Engineer Corps has been referred to in another part of this report, it should be further stated that the work has required large vision and high professional skill, and great credit is due their personnel for the high proficiency that they have constantly maintained. "Our aviators have no equals in daring or in fighting ability and have left a record of courageous deeds that will ever remain a brilliant page in the annals of our army. While the Tank Corps has had limited opportunities, its personnel has responded gallantly on every possible occasion and has shown courage of the highest order. "The Adjutant General's Department has been directed with a systematic thoroughness and excellence that surpassed any previous work of its kind. The Inspector General's Department has risen to the highest standards, and throughout has ably assisted commanders in the enforcement of discipline. The able personnel of the Judge Advocate General's Department has solved with judgment and wisdom the multitude of difficult legal problems, many of them involving questions of great international importance. It would be impossible in this brief preliminary report to do justice to the personnel of all the different branches of this organization, which I shall cover in detail in a later report. "The navy in European waters has at all times most cordially aided the army, and it is most gratifying to report that there has never before been such perfect co-operation between these two branches of the service. "As to the Americans in Europe not in the military service, it is the greatest pleasure to say that, both in official and in private life, they are intensely patriotic and loyal, and have been invariably sympathetlo and helpful to the army. "Finally, I pay the supreme tribute to our officers and soldiers of the line. When I think of their heroism, their patience under hardships, their unflinching spirit of offensive action, I am filled with emotion which I am unable to express. Their deeds are immortal, and they have earned the eternal gratitude of our country. I am. Mr. Secretary, very respectfully, "JOHN J. PERSHING, General, Commander in Chief, American Expeditionary Forces. "To the Secretary of War." ARMY PAY ABROAD AND HERE COMPARED. THE General in the American Army, which is the rank of General Pershing, receives $883.33 per month: twice the pay of a German General and a little less than twice that of a French General, but less than the base pay of a General in the British Army, which is $1,380 a month.. U. S. Military Operations in Europe. SECRETARY OF WAR'S FICURES ON ARMY'S CROWTH; (Taken from Mr. Baker's Report to the President, Dec. 5, 1918.) 695 The size of the Army has increased from April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918, from 190,000 το 3,665,000 men, of whom more than 2,000,000 were in France. The appropriations for the War Department, on the executive side alone, were increased in that period from $2,000,000 a year to $20,000,000; and the civilian employees had increased from about 2,000 to about 25,000. For the year ending June 30. 1918, the appro priations for the support of the military establishment aggregated $8,000,000,000. For the year ending June 30, 1919, the appropriations aggregate $15,300,000,000. The first units of the American Expeditionary Force reached France in June, 1917. With remarkable foresight the Commanding General, John J. Pershing, Immediately set about laying the foundations for а big American Army. Docks were built, miles of railroad were laid, machine shops and storage depots were constructed, training areas were laid out. While the force in France and in immediate prospect numbered but few thousands, essential preparations were made for an army mounting into the millions. Until this groundwork was well under way large shipments of troops could not be handled, but before the end of the year five divisions had reached France the First and Second Divisions of Regulars, the Twenty-sixth Division from New England, and the Forty-second and Forty-first, known as the Rainbow and Sunset Divisions. By the end of October American units had entered the line in quiet sectors in the Vosges, and in November engineers from the Twenty-sixth Division took part in the British engagement at Cambrai. During the Fall and Winter American troops received the intensive training in modern warfare which made them able to lead later at Chateau-Thierry, St. Mihiel, and the Meuse. AMERICAN TROOPS IN ACTION. On March 21 the storm of the German offensive broke. Under the stress of the situation unity of command was effected and by the direction of the President, Gen. Pershing immediately placed his forces, numbering at that time about 343,000, at the disposal of Marshal Foch. During the ensuing months American troops were on trial in the eyes of Europe. A huge army, hastily gathered, consisting largely of inexperienced troops, they upheld the finest traditions of the service. To a large extent at first they relieved French and British divisions in quiet sectors, making these experienced divisions available for service at crucial points. Then as the American troops showed their fighting qualities and the emergency became more acute, they were thrown into the hottest of the battle. At Cantigny on May 28, troops of the First Division fought their first real engagement and carried it through successfully. On June 4, the Second Division of Regulars and Marines went into the line on the Marne, where the Germans were driving toward Paris. On June 15, they met the triumphantly advancing enemy in the Belleau Wood, stopped his advance and in an impetuous charge drove his column back more than 900 yards. It was a brilliant demonstration of the quality of our troops, and among the weary French and British soldiere in the trenches the word flew from mouth to mouth that the Americans were first-class fighting men. The attack on Paris had been definitely stayed by the fine strategy and desperate resistance of the French and American troops. But on July 15 the enemy resumed the attack from Chateau-Thierry eastward to the Argonne. Six American divisions were thrown into the line at Chateau-Thierry, with several more in reserve. Three days later the drive had been stopped and Marshal Foch launched his offensive. From that time the story is one of allied attack and German retreat. In blow after blow which the Commander in Chief of the allied armies struck at the German line, American troops took a conspicuous part. On September 12 the First American Army under the personal direction of Gen. Pershing launched an attack on St. Mihiel and within twenty-four hours had pinched off that heevily fortified salient which had withstood attack through four years of war. The elimination of this salient, which had menaced eastern France, relieved the pressure on Verdun and made possible further advances north of that city. Meanwhile the Twenty-seventh New York Division and the Thirtieth National Guard Division, with troops from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee, were operating with the British. The Three Hundred and Thirty-second Regiment of Infantry, together with aviation and ambulance units operating on the Italian front, had a share in the great Italian victory. Small expeditionary forces were also estab lished at Archangel and Vladivostok. THE BATTLE OF THE MEUSE. From the point of view of military strategy, America's greatest contribution to the successful outcome of the war was the hotly contested battle of the Meuse, which resulted in cutting the main artery of the German supply system. Up through the middle of September the Germans were able to operate unmolested the Sedan-Mezières railway running parallel to the front and furnishing a base of supply for the whole line from Valenciennes to Metz. To cut this supply line at both ends and force withdrawal or capture on this entire front the British attacked in the north, and on September 26 Gen. Pershing drove in west of the Meuse with the First American Army. The first few days of fighting yielded considerable gains. Fully conscious of the gravity of the situation, the enemy threw in division after division of fresh troops; and during the ensuing weeks occurred the bitterest fighting in which American troops took part. The second week of October practically all available units-about twenty-eight American divisions were in the line. Progress could be made only a few yards at a time, but the continued hammering finally wore out the resistance of the enemy orces, and November 1 the American troops broke through. Day after day steady gains were made ur ne west bank of the Meuse, until, on November 7, the United States forces entered the outskirts of Suan and detinitely cut the German supply line. A day later the French forces came up on the left flank. The meeting of French and American troops on this historic spot signalized the defeat of the German arms, a defeat as decisive and humiliating as that forced upon France forty-seven years before at the same spot. If there had been questions before as to the acceptance of the armistice terms, the allied advance culminating in this meeting at Sedan left no choice in the matter. In the final campaign of the war American troops thus played a part in a triumph which was beyond Casualties reported to October 23: Deaths, 53,160; wounded, 179,625; missing, 1,160; prisoners, 2.163., Total, 236,108. all praise and which made them worthy comrades in arms with French and British veterans. These figures include death from disease as well as battle casualties, slightly as well as severely wounded. Deaths from battle alone would be about 36,000. About half the wounded reported probably suffered very slight injury. It is interesting to compare these figures with losses in previous wars. In the Civil War the battle fatalities on the Union side were approximately 110,000. In the Russo-Japanese War the Japanese losses were 59,000 killed or died of wounds. In the Franco-Prussian War, German battle deaths were 28,600. in the Spanish-American War we lost less than 1,000 men in battle. Compared with recently reported British battle deaths of 659,000 for the period of the war, our losses were astonishingly light. While we rejoice that our losses were no heavier, we still bear in mind the thousands of homes throughout the country upon which the heavy burden of the war has fallen. To these homes the Nation owes a debt of fullest gratitude. From them has sprung unbounded courage to face hardship, heroic strength in battle.. the Nation's power to right the wrongs of selfish despotism. The growth shown by these figures is remarkable, not simply because of the physical and administrative dificulties involved, but especially because the traditions of the country have all been opposed to large armaments. The principle of the draft had for years been opposed by considerable numbers of the population. Yet in a brief nineteen months more than three and a half million men were mobilized, housed, fully equipped with munitions and supplies, and the major part of them given a military training that enabled them to oppose successfully the soldiers of the most warlike of the European nations. This achievement is a tribute to the ability of army leaders, trained in dealing with small forces, to adapt themselves with wonderful effectiveness to the new and tremendous task. It is a tribute to the hearty co-operation of every Government department. It is a tribute, above all else to the ability and enthusiastic patriotism of the American people. An interesting comparison may be drawn between the development of the British and the American expeditionary forces. The British forces in France climbed to one million men in the fall of 1915, and to a high figure of slightly more than two million troops in the summer of 1917, three years after England entered the war. In nineteen months after the United States entered the war, we were represented overseas by an army of two million men. en. The growth of the American force was twice as rapid as that of the British force. It must be borne in mind that the British practically from the beginning used large numbers of men to fill gaps left by casualties, while the American forces could for many months apply practically every man to bullding up the force. GROWTH OF SPECIAL SERVICES. The increase in complexity and variety of services is as striking a feature of the new army as its tremendous growth. The size and relative numerical importance of the branches of the old army are shown in comparison with the new army: COMPARATIVE STRENGTH OF SERVICE MARCH, 1917, AND NOVEMBER, 1918. INDUCTIONS FROM ALL SOURCES. The table below shows the number and per cent. of the entire army which was obtained through the draft and through sources other than the draft from each State. Below appear also the number by geographical divisions. In studying these and similar figures it must be borne in mind that draft figures include roluntary enlistments on the part of men who registered under the Selective Service Law. NUMBER AND PER CENT. OF SOLDIERS COMING FROM EACH STATE AND FROM FOREIGN POSSESSIONS. 86,000 2.5 Montana. + 76,000 79,000 2.3 Colorado. 72,000 2.1 South Dakota. 71,000 2.1 Oregon. MEN INDUCTED THROUGH ALL SOURCES, BY GEOGRAPHICAL DEPARTMENTS. 34,000 1.0 Porto Rico. ... ... * Number of 10 25,000 0.7 22.000 0.6 17,000 0.5 16,000 0.5 16,000 0.5 13,000 0.4 12,000 0.3 12,000 0.3 4 .. 31,000 0.9 Hawali. ... 31,000 0.9 Alaska. 16,000 0.5 6,000 0.2 2.000 0.1 |