6. Commanding General, L. of C.

:
(a) As for division commanders.
7. Director General of Transportation:
(a) As for division headquarters.

FOX CONNER.
Colonel, General Staff,
Chief of Section.

Cable: P-465-S

Commander-in-Chief Requests to be Consulted Concerning Promotions

HEADQUARTERS, A. E. F..
Chaummt, Haute-Mwne, January 8, 1918.

AGWAR. WASHINGTON

[Extract]

******

1D. In carrying out the department’s promotion policy as outlined in G. 0. 132, all
promotions to be based on demonstrated efficiency, there is sure to be lack of coordination
if officers on duty in France be promoted by the department without ascertaining first
their demonstrated fitness here, Many officers who have had most excellent records in
peacetime have shown themselves utterly unfit for our service in France. In view of this
I request that before any promotions are made either in staff or line of officers on duty
in France that I be given an opportunity to state the result of experience here.

******

PERSHING.

P Conf. Cable: l-500

General Pershing’s View on Breaking up Divisions

HEADQUARTERS, A. E. F..
No. 467-S Chaumont, Haute-Mame, January 8, 1918.

For Chief of Staff

Reference your Cablegrams 558 and 588, am in conference and communication on subject
mentioned. French have not been entirely frank, as unofficial information indicates they
really want to incorporate our regiments into their divisions for such service in the
trenches as they desire. As to our instruction, a certain amount of work with French

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Les Armees Francaises Tome VI, 2d Vol., Annexes 2d Vol.: Message

Reiqforcement of the French Front bg British and Americans

[Editorial Translation]

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS,
FRENCH ARMIES OF THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST.

Telephone Conversation at lo:45 a. m., May 31. 1918. between General Weygand and Colonel
Dufieux. (Extracted from the order register of the 3d Section. General Staff, French
General Headquarters.)
Colonel Dufieux: It is a hard fight and is eating up men. Our means are limited
because of the heavy burdens north of the Oise and especially north of the Somme. Very
soon we will find it impossible to go on with the rotation of reliefs of the divisions
because the first divisions withdrawn from the front are so cut up and weakened that they
will be unable to take over a sector immediately. The time has come when we have to do
something in a big way.
General Weygand: What do you intend to do then?
Colonel Dufieux: We need something to relieve divisions in the east at the earliest
practicable moment, All I can see is the American divisions of the British zone. We shall
throw them into the trenches in the Vosges and Lorraine. The men are good with a rifle,
they will fight well and anyhow they will have nothing in front of them but Landwehr.
General Weygand: But it will be very hard to get them: moreover the questions of
attachment to French units, arxnament. supply will have to be settled: it will take a long
time. What are you going to do in the meantime?
Colonel Dufieux: It is up to you to get these divisions quickly: we will settle the
less important questions. General de Barescut [Deputy Chief of Staff to General Petain]
who is with me agrees with me entirely. With the Tenth Army and with the Americans we
shall manage in the present battle and in the east.
But that isn’t all. The Group of Armies of the Reserve is very depleted and there are
indications of an attack on its front. Its reserves have castled toward the Oise, toward
the battle, its left and its center are weak: they have to be supported. What are you
waiting for before sending us British reserves?
General Weygand: It is impossible. The current battle has not absorbed a single
reserve of the Bavarian Crown Prince: we cannot invite the British to strip themselves for
our benefit.
Colonel Dufieux: Indications point to the arrival of 6 divisions of the Bavarian
Crown Prince toward the Aisne. Moreover an attack south of the Somme would be far more
dangerous than in the north. Look at the map. You will have to bring British reserves
down to the Somme as soon as possible and give us the Americans at once. It is urgent.
General Weygand: I do not agree with you about the British reserves. About the
Americans I will see, but it will not be easy.

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