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Cold Pizza 
Ohio State Fan
Member since Sep 2011
7639 posts
| Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 6:42 pm)
It's April 6, 1917. You're General Blackjack Pershing. What do you do to break the bloody stalemate of trench warfare?
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boosiebadazz
Member since Feb 2008
36680 posts
| re: Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 6:43 pm to Cold Pizza)
nuke em or develop a laser beam that shoots from space
next question.
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Jim Rockford 
LSU Fan
Member since May 2011
23888 posts
| re: Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 6:48 pm to Cold Pizza)
Whatever Britain and France let me do, since I have no logistical capability, very little artillery, and no ability to coordinate operations above the divisional level. My main task is to fight like hell for my troops to go in as cohesive units instead of as individual replacements for British and French casualties.
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Cold Pizza
Ohio State Fan
Member since Sep 2011
7639 posts
| re: Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 6:50 pm to Jim Rockford)
quote:
My main task is to fight like hell for my troops to go in as cohesive units instead of as individual replacements for British and French casualties.
Was that the case? I know jack dick about WW1.
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Jim Rockford
LSU Fan
Member since May 2011
23888 posts
| re: Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 6:51 pm to Cold Pizza)
yeah, it was quite a conflict over what the American role would be. Britain and France wanted bodies, the US wanted its own army.
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Jim Rockford
LSU Fan
Member since May 2011
23888 posts
| re: Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 6:54 pm to Jim Rockford)
Also, by 1917, both sides were well on their way to figuring out how to break the stalemate: Combined arms, closely coordinated, spearheaded by specialized shock troops. The problem was they were both pretty well punched out by then, and couldn't maintain any kind of momentum once they broke through. Hence the fresh American troops were decisive.
This post was edited on 1/21 at 6:56 pm
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CarrolltonTiger
LSU Fan
New Orleans
Member since Aug 2005
44138 posts
| re: Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 7:01 pm to Jim Rockford)
quote:
Whatever Britain and France let me do, since I have no logistical capability, very little artillery, and no ability to coordinate operations above the divisional level. My main task is to fight like hell for my troops to go in as cohesive units instead of as individual replacements for British and French casualties.
While the inital question of deployment was as you suggest, I think you underestimate what Pershing accomplished.
We were logisticlaly supporting the alllies before we entere the war and the deployment obvioulsy stressed the logistical ability of the nation. But Pershing had besides building a lot of infrastructure created a full Army of 22 US and 4 French Divisions by wars end and was clearly operating above Division level.
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Jim Rockford
LSU Fan
Member since May 2011
23888 posts
| re: Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 7:09 pm to CarrolltonTiger)
Fair point.
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geauxtigers87
LSU Fan
Member since Mar 2011
3605 posts
| re: Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 7:32 pm to Cold Pizza)
they saw American troops as fresh meat for the grinder
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Jma313 
Mississippi St. Fan
Hate,hate,hate,hate,hate,hate
Member since Aug 2010
2358 posts
| re: Tonight's Military History Discussion (Posted on 1/21/13 at 8:44 pm to Cold Pizza)
Do as the USMC did at Beallleau wood and attack rather then defend
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