When I was a member of
ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) in college, I was a member of a drill
team called the Pershing Rifles. The
national organization was named for General of the Armies John J.
Pershing. I read the brief history of
the organization and knew that Pershing was commander of U. S. forces during
World War One, but I knew little else.
In this readable volume, John Perry gives an overview of a man we can
identify as the first modern military commander along with the forces that shaped
him.
Pershing’s life story
parallels the story of America. Born
during the Civil War, his journey from a middle class American upbringing to
service on the western frontier and then in Cuba and the Philippines is tied to
the growth of the United States from a frontier society to a colonial power and
world influence. Along the way, Pershing
learned many lessons that molded his view of military strategy and national
service.
Perry does a good job of
pointing out how Pershing developed the skills that made him a unique military
leader in the early 20th century.
He was, first of all a teacher.
He taught black children, college students (at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln where the Pershing Rifles was formed), West Point cadets, Moro
natives in the Philippines, and young officers in the field. As Army Chief of Staff, he revamped and
modernized the Command and General Staff School and the War College. He mentored men like George Marshall, Douglas
McArthur, and George Patton who would play a decisive role in the Second World
War.
Pershing was one of the
first American military leaders to understand the importance of organization
and logistics in winning a war. Troops
could not do their job effectively without supplies, food, armament, and the
necessities of life. As leader of
American forces in France during WW I, he insisted that everything be in place
before committing his troops to battle.
He also understood the important of an overall strategy and not just
individual battles or campaigns. He was
a “big picture” commander.
His service in the west
with Native Americans and African American “buffalo soldiers,” in the
Philippines with the Muslim Moros, and in Mexico taught him the importance of learning
the culture of a people. He was
remarkably tolerant and accepting during a time when Americans were notoriously
racist and xenophobic. Pershing
attempted to understand the people to whom he related and negotiate before
resorting to physical force.
The author tries to
emphasize the humanity behind the stern commander, perhaps most significantly
in his personal relationships. Although
a notorious “ladies’ man” when he was a bachelor, he became a devoted husband
and father. When his wife and daughters
died tragically in a fire, he continued to show his commitment as a father to his
son Warren, but he dallied with several women and maintained a relationship
with a French mistress for over thirty years. In all his personal
relationships, he was generous and giving even in times of stress.
Perry gives some attention
to understanding Pershing’s religious experience. Although Pershing’s religious upbringing is
unclear, he often acknowledged his dependence on God and this became more
pronounced as he faced greater challenges in life. He and his family joined the Episcopal Church
while they live in the Philippines.
After his retirement from the military, he committed himself to the
completion of the National Cathedral in Washington as an expression of “American
values.” Perhaps his commitment comes
through most clearly when he tells an interviewer after the war that he no
longer wants to talk about war, courage, and sacrifice. “The most glorious thing is life,” Pershing
said. “And we who are alive must cling
to it, each of us helping.”
Pershing was innovative in
areas of military life including the coordinated use of artillery, air, and
ground forces and the establishment of the Military Police; however, he was
never a proponent of a strong air force and could not understand the need of
armor (tanks) as an independent force.
Both of these would play a decisive role in the Second World War.
This is by no means a
comprehensive biography, but Perry gives us a very helpful review of the life
of one of the most important military leaders of the early 20th
century, one whose choices shaped the role of the United States later in the century. This is a good contribution to this series.
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