Foreign Command of U.S. Forces (Extract).
Abstract
Prior to World War I, commanders of American expeditionary forces retained the command of their forces and co-operated with allied forces without subordinating themselves to a foreign commander. During World War I, General Pershing preserved unit identity and integrity, but attached separate regiments, divisions and corps to both French and British higher commands for training and combat. The commander of the 1918 American Expeditionary Forces, North Russia retained administrative control of his forces but accepted the operational control of the British officer serving as Allied Forces Commander. The commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, Siberia did not recognize the command authority of the Japanese general who was designated Supreme Commander, Allied Forces in the Far East, but functioned on the old basis of co-operation. During World War II, the bulk of American forces served in areas in which the Supreme Allied Commander was an American. Nevertheless, there were occasions when divisions went into combat attached to the corps of other national forces. For example, in the Southwest Pacific, I Corps and the 32d and 41st Infantry divisions fought under Australian command until Sixth Army arrived. In North Africa, the 34th Infantry Division was attached to the British IX Corps during the battle of Fondouk Gap, and in France the 36th Division was attached to the French II Corps during the battle for Colmar. During the Korean and Vietnam Wars, American officers occupied senior allied command positions and the more common experience was for foreign troop units to serve under a higher American operational command. Beginning in 1948 on the Israeli border and from 1949-1954 in India/Pakistan, United Nations Truce Supervision resulted in small numbers of Americans serving with United Nations peacekeeping forces.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 25, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA323720
Entities
Organizations
- Joint Chiefs of Staff