THE GREATEST DRAMA: THE IRON COMMANDER

a greatest drama a memorable story of the great among us written by you the people [Applause] this chapter the iron commander the story of General John J Pershing 1919 the First World War was over in Paris American Dubois marched in a great victory parade but so many doughboys would never march again those flowers were for the dead heroes as well as for the living so it seemed to one man in that parade that man was General John J Pershing later he went to the graves of his fallen comrades in those rows of simple crosses was the story of his life a tragedy within the tragedy 36 years before he had entered West Point poor but ambitious the army would be his career remnants of Geronimo's Indian band still rated the western frontier when he graduated he fought against them already then a man of iron in the spanish-american war he was a captain with Teddy Roosevelt in Cuba and off to the Philippines to pacify the savage Laurel Drive world war began he was General Pershing patrolling the Mexican border against Pancho Villa's rebels it was wild country dangerous beauty he was far from home when death struck at his health a sudden fire in San Francisco mrs. Pershing and the children trapped in the house only his young son Warren survived the iron commander permitted no tears he carried on grimly just as well perhaps that Persians personal tragedy merged quickly with the tragedy of his era President Wilson had struggled to keep the United States out of the great war raging in Europe he failed Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare had made neutrality impossible General Pershing was named to command the American Expeditionary Force across the western front for three blood-soaked years millions of men had been locked in trench warfare hundreds of thousands had died in indecisive battles Germany was still strong France and Griffin were near the limit of their endurance realize look to the United States for freshman power to fill the gaps in their ranks May 1917 with the advanced guard of the American Expeditionary Force you sail to France no time for Mourning no time for your young son the nation had been totally unprepared for war on your shoulders was the vast responsibility for creating a civilian army and leading it to victory realize welcome you as the Saviour you met with Sir Douglas Haig the British field commander and with a French generals patan for jean-jacques they asked you to give up the idea of an American army combine your troops were there seasoned veterans under their experienced command you refused then the French and British demanded those newly arrived American troops to get them they tried to have you depose that the wire pulling it was your job to make soldiers out of those raw recruits drill and more drill harsh discipline the doughboys might hate you but you'd make them fit for battle in time those men would smash the German front but the Germans were aware of that danger the German divisions drove forward in a great effort to break the deadlock on the Western Front had to be done now before the American Expeditionary Force was ready for ice drove a huge wedge between the French and British armies Paris was threatened it seemed the war was lost when the Germans were stopped and the gap was closed but that was only a respite the Germans would strike again they had in the united states troop ships were loading with new recruits the doughboys were singing over there the Yanks were coming they were green untrained but eventually they could turn the tide of the war in France meanwhile the French and British awaited the next German offensive to bolster their lines they demanded American troops immediately without more training if Pershing refused and disaster resulted the blame would be on him again General Pershing refused he would risk defeat and disgrace rather than sacrifice the lives of his men July in 1918 it had come Germany's supreme effort to slash the Western Front before Pershing to take the offensive one American division stood between the Germans and Vickers if they broke through Pershing would go down in history as a man responsible for looting the war with blazing machine guns the Yanks held fast and stop the enemy Germany's last and greatest offensive had failed you had been writing holding the American army together at any risk two months later your men were ready for decisive action they moved up toward the front those men you had fought so hard to retain under your command from clerks and farmers and mechanics you had transformed them into professional soldiers the best in the world now they entered the trenches prepared to attack it began with a huge artillery barrage on a morning in September 1918 the first blow was struck by seven American divisions charging over the town it was the beginning of a general offensive with which you hope to crush the Germans and end the war the first objective Sami al the months of drill and discipline paid off the town fell two days after the start of the offensive no pause in the field you direct the troops toward the neck they are gone for the German positions in the Argonne was said to be invincible but they fell after hard and bloody fighting the German front was crumbling one more blow would do it the city of sedan was the target by now the American Expeditionary Force was the Magnificent fighting machine with great field commanders including Douglas MacArthur and George P Marshall the German army was shattered retreating in defeat sedan fell nothing left for Germany but surrender your iron resolve to hold your army together had caused her downfall in Paris where you met Woodrow Wilson it was suggested that you could become President of the United States you rejected the idea you were a soldier returning home you were offered positions of wealth and power you turned down all such offers who you wealth was as unimportant as Spain you would remain in the army waving goodbye to the crowd you moved back into obscurity one post you accepted proudly chief of staff of the United States Army the years passed quietly you became a remote almost legendary figure to the American people and Armistice Day celebrations you warned of the danger of new conflicts during trips to Europe you had seen the military rebirth of Germany America must be kept strong lest another world war find us again on but the people didn't listen they now had other interests in the late 1920s it was speakeasies booth like booze and rum run shipwreck Kelley was the new hero and flagpole sitting with the latest outdoor sport in the 1930s it was the pros and cons of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal the German invasion of Poland jolted the United States out of her complacency the nation was at the brink of another war there was confusion as public opinion divided between isolation and interventional up in Pershing 's mind there was no confusion although eighty years old he spoke out strongly the Allies are fighting a war for civilization they are holding our frontline and we have a vital concern in the outcome we should send not only food clothing and medical supplies but also arrange to send airplanes artillery small arms and ammunition in unlimited quantities there is no time to lose the Allies need every encouragement it is possible for us to kill when the United States entered the war Pershing yearned to lead the GIS into battle as he had led their fathers it was impossible to old but he had this satisfaction their leaders would be men he had trained in the hard school of the First World War General Dwight Eisenhower General Douglas MacArthur General George C Marshall another satisfaction Pershing son enlisted the old man was pleased Warren would make a good soldier first with alarm then with pride he followed the course of the war he had a new ambition with victory he'd go to Paris for the victory parade but when it came he was too weak for many years he had been living on borrowed time General Pershing celebrated the victory and Walter Reed Hospital his end came three years later the iron commander lay in state in the nation's capital now that he was gone the people realized the towering stature of the man in the greatness of their loss from all over the nation his comrades-in-arms of the First World War came to pay their last respects from the Capitol they carried his casket to Arlington Cemetery the saddle of his horse was empty boots reversed in the stove for sixty years Pershing had fought his nation's battles he had surmounted personal loss and the mass tragedy of a world war achieved the highest rank ever bestowed on an American military leader General of the armies Arlington Cemetery last resting place of America's military great to this hallowed place they brought the iron commander he had always been a man apart from ordinary men separated from them by size and rank and duty now as John J Pershing was put to rest with robert e lee and other great leaders he found his proper place in the roster of the nation's heroes an end to Wars no more lonely burdens of decision for the iron commander the long tour of duty was finished [Music] you [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] be with us again next week at this time when the greatest drama to film biographies of the great among us again comes your way you