Pershing: General of the Armies (review)

General of the Armies John J. Pershing was the twentieth century's most famous American soldier before World War II. As the commander of the more than two million soldiers in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) which contributed much to the Allied victory in World War I, he deserved that fame. In this new edition of the second volume of his well-written biography, Donald Smythe provides a balanced and detailed study not only of the man but also of the World War I campaigns and his life after the war.

A Jesuit who taught at John Carroll University, Don Smythe devoted his scholarly career of more than twenty-five years to Pershing. He was an indefatigable researcher who not only exhaustively explored the printed and manuscript primary and secondary sources but also tracked down and interviewed a long list of people who had known Pershing. In many cases, Smythe was the only historian who had ever talked with them and he used these conversations in deft descriptions of how Pershing handled his staff and subordinate commanders, of his routine, and of his personality. Pershing's greatest tasks in France were building and maintaining a huge organization three thousand miles from the United States, negotiating with the Allies about the use of the American troops, and fighting the Germans. From the beginning, he realized that large numbers of troops would be needed to change the course of the war and, generally, the War Department supported these plans. He had a tougher time fending off British efforts to use the Americans as replacements in their ranks. While he made concessions in his negotiations with not only Allied Commanders but also Prime Ministers, he eventually got the large AEF that he deemed necessary to win the war.

Although the Americans did not reach the front in large numbers until the summer of 1918, they did make particularly important contributions in the Second Battle of the Marne in July when they spearheaded a counter offensive and in the Meuse-Argonne campaign that raged from late September to the end of the war. While the British made the largest advances in the fall of 1918, the hammering of one million Americans on the German defenders in a critical sector and the realization that more Americans were on the way left the Germans with no hope of victory.

Throughout, Smythe skillfully limns key personalities and Pershing's relations with them. His descriptions of the battles are also vividly drawn as he covers them from the viewpoints of the men who went over the top and fought hand to hand as well as those of the strategists who planned and of the commanders who carried out those plans. He keeps Pershing in proper perspective and does not fail to criticize him when he deserves it and he provides solid analyses of his and his troops' actions. His lively prose makes this a page turner for anyone interested in the subject. It is the first book one should turn to about Pershing and the war fought by the AEF.