General Pershing and the U.S. Marines
Abstract
It is widely believed that the Marine Corps participation in World War I was only grudgingly allowed. The U.S. Army and General John J. Pershing are often cast as being vehemently opposed to Marines being assigned to frontline units or actively participating in combat. While there is no evidence that Pershing advocated against using Marines, other than his opposition to creating an all-Marine division, there is little direct evidence that he let his preference for the Army override his professional judgment in employing Marines in the American Expeditionary Forces. If the Corps ever had a bte noir, it seems it was General Pershing. However, while Perishing's personal views about Marines can only be surmised, his decisions on their employment in the AEF indicate that he was guided by the demands of war and military logic rather than personal pique. This article attempts to seek the truth of how Perishing's purported attitudes toward Marines affected his decisions regarding Marine employment in the AEF.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 23, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1118794
Entities
People
- Peter T. Underwood
Organizations
- Marine Corps University