Chapter XIII

AFTER THE ARMISTICE

HE Armistice was signed at 5:00 draw her armies across the Rhine River. o' clock in the morning of N ovem- They also provided that the Allied forces Tber 11, 1918, on Marshall Foch's should be permitted peaceably to occupy train in the Forest of Compiègne, and bridgeheads, 18 miles in radius, east of took effect at 11: OO a. m. on the same day. the Rhine at Mayence, Coblenz and Its terms, which are summarized on Cologne, and that a neutral zone 6 miles pages 507-509, required Germany to evac- wide in which neither the Allies nor Ger- uate all invaded and occupied territory in many could maintain troops would be Belgium, Luxemburg and France (in- established along the east bank of the cluding Alsace-Lorraine), and to with- Rhine and around each of the bridgeheads.

American and Allied Advance to the Rhine November 17 - December 14, 1918

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(487) 488 AFT E R THE ARMISTICE

The advance of the American and ices for the supply and rapid movement Allied Armies was so regulated that they of more than 200,000 men through country occupied all territory evacuated by the w here transportation lin es in many places Germans within a short time after the were completely destroyed and where German troops withdrew. The plans for food was scarce. Moreover, the weather the advance prescribed that the French was cold and rainy and in many places the should move through Alsace-Lorraine to roads were nearly impassable. Although Mayence, the Americans through Luxem- the troops had been hastily assembled and burg and the Moselle valley to Coblenz, had been allowed no opportunity to rest the British to Cologne, and refit after the trying and the Belgians by way p eri o d of the Meuse- of Aix-la-Chapelle to the Argonne offensive, they lower Rhine River. cheerfully met every de- On N ovember 7 the mand made upon them. Commander-in-Chief of The advance elements the American Expedi- of the T h i r d Ar m y tionary Forces had di- passed through the city rected that an American of Luxemburg on No- Third Army be organ- vember 21 and arrived ized and on N ovem- two days later at the ber 14 this Army, with German frontier. There Major General Joseph they rested until Decem- T. Dickman as com- ber 1 when all of the mander, was designated Armies of Occupation as the Army of Occupa- pushed on into Germany. tion. It was composed Through the liberated initially of the III Corps, districts of France and containing the 2d, 32d Luxemburg the Ameri- and 42d Divisions; and cans were received with the IV Corps, comprising wild demonstrations of the lst, 3d and 4th Divi- joy, but upon entering sions. To these were Germany they were re- added on N ovember 22 garded with a mixture of the VII Corps, contain- curiosity and suspicion. ing the 5th, 89th and However, the fine con- 90th Divisions. On that duct of the Army and the sarne day the T h i rd firmness and justice of Army detached the 5th the American command- Division from the VII ers quickly quieted any Corps and gave it the apprehensions the civil duty of guarding the Major General Joseph T. Dickman population may have extended lines of com- Commanding General of the had and no incidents of munication of the Army. Third Army from November hostility took place. The advance to the 15, 1918, to April 28, 1919 The leading troops of Rhine was begun by the the Third Army reached Americans and Allies on N ovember 17 the Rhine River on December 9. On the along the entire Western Front. Although 13th, American, French and British infan- active operations against a hostile enemy try divisions crossed the river, having been were not involved, there were nevertheless preceded in some cases by advance ele- many difficult problems to be met. For ments the day before. In the American the Americans, these included the crea- Third Army, the III Corps, whose com- tion in a limited time of a staff and serv- position had been changed to include the AFTER THE ARMISTICE 489 lst, 2d and 32d Divisions, was designated remained west of the Rhine. Luxemburg to occupy the northern portion of the was occupied by the 5th and 33d Divisions, bridgehead at Coblenz, the southern por- bath of which were under command of the tion having been transferred to French American Second Army, and not under control. The American bridgehead in- control of the Army of Occupation. cluded the fo rt ress of Ehrenbreitstein To the south of Coblenz the French locat ed immediately across the Rhine occupied a bridgehead with headquarters River from Coblenz and dominating it. at Mayence, while to the north, the The III Corps crossed on four bridges- British occupied a bridgehead with head- two at Coblenz, and one each at Engers q uarters at Cologne. Although the Bel- Zone of American Army of Occupation, December 21, 1918

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A R M i -xxxxx- Boundary of American Zone Verdun. ( - xxxx- Boundary between American Armies ------Division Boundary * Headquarters Third Army Neutra l Zone --- Bridgehea d * and Remagen below Coblenz- and by the gians advanced to the Rhine and occupied night of December 14 had completed jointly with the French a zone in the the occupation of the American part of Rhineland to the north of the British, the bridgehead. The remainder of the with headquarters at Aix-la-Chapelle, American Army of Occupation, consisting they had no force across the river. of the IV Corps, comprising the 3d, 4th An additional bridgehead at Kehl and 42d Divisions, and the VII Corps, across the Rhine from Strasbourg and containing the 89th and 90th Divisions, including the ring of forts of that place, lst Division Marching Into Luxemburg, November 21, 1918 German Army Leaving Luxemburg A Signal Corps photographer of the American Army arrived in rime to take this picture Fort Ehrenbreitstein, as Seen From Across the Rhine River at Coblenz

Captured German Guns on the Place de la Concorde, Paris, November 1918 492 AFTER THE ARM ISTICE was established on February 4, 1919, by ing was continued after the Armistice the French on their own responsibility. against the remote possibility that opera- When finally located on December 21, tions might be resumed, the higher 1918, the headquarters of the principal commanders realized that this was a most units of the American Army of Occupa- trying period for the soldiers and under- tion in Germany were placed as follows: took measures to make life for them as Third Army ______Coblenz interesting as possible commensurate with III Corps ______Neuwied the maintenance of a satisfactory stand- IV Corps______Cochem ard of discipline and military conduct. VII Corps ______Wittlich Men were allowed regular leaves to visit lst Division ______Montabaur 2d Division ______Heddesdorf leave areas established at various summer 3d Division ______Andernach and winter resorts in France and in the 4 th Division______Bad Bertrich occupied portion of Germany, and ar- 32d Division ______Rengsdorf rangements were made whereby they 42d Division______Ahrweiler 89th Division ______Kylburg could visit several other countries such 90th Division ___ _. _ _ _ _ . _ Bern castel as Great Britain, Belgium and Italy. A vast school system was established, Immediately after the Armistice the in which more than 230,000 men enrolled. American Commander-in-Chief started Wherever troops were quartered in any preparations for moving his forces back to number, classes were organized and in- the United States with the least possible struction given in practically every sub- delay. The Services of Supply was ject taught in the public schools of the promptly reorganized to carry out the in- United States, as well as in trade and tricate details connected with this work, business subjects. At Beaune a huge and approximately 25,500 men of the university was established for advanced American forces actually sailed from instruction and approximately 9,000 sol- France, homeward bound, in N ovember. diers registered to take the course. Before the end of the year this number An Education Corps Commission was had been increased to about 124,000. formed to direct al! lecturers, schools and Upon the cessation of hostilities practi- extension courses in the A.E.F. The cally every man of the 2,000,000 in the men selected as instructors for the schools A.E.F. wanted to return to the United were competent educators with previous States at once; but with the limited experience. This often resulted in classes number of ships available this was, of for officers being conducted by privates course, impossible. While military train- from the ranks. The educational system

28rh Division En Roure to St. Nazaire, April 22, 1919, for Embarkarion to the United States American Soldiers Embarking at St. Nazaire, December 6, 1918 on the whole was democratic, well planned ing New York and Washington, D. C., and produced very substantial results. when the regiment returned to America. Horse shows were held by nearly every In the meantime the transfer of troops division, and many of the units organized to the United States had been progressing theatrical troupes, w hi ch traveled through- rapidly. Marshal Foch wished to retain out the A. E. F. giving performances. a large force, at least 15 divisions, in These activities were encouraged and Europe, but was told that the American aided in every way by the army officials, Army would be withdrawn as soon as and to a large extent contributed to the possible. President Wilson finally agreed pleasure and contentment of the troops. that American representation in the The men were also encouraged to par- occupied territory would be a small ticipate in sports and games, and a great detachment only, to be known as the athletic program was carried out which "American Forces in Germany", which culminated in the Inter-Allied Garnes would serve, as the French said, merely held near Paris in June and July, 1919. to keep the American flag on the Rhine. Upon the invitation of the American By May 19, 1919, all American combat Commander-in-Chief, eighteen of the divisions, except five in occupied German Allied and associated nations sent con- territory, had received their embarkation testants to this meet, which was a re- orders to sail for American ports. markable success from every standpoint. The units of the Army of Occupation The Pershing Stadium, where it took were relieved as fast as practicable place, was built mainly by engineers from during the summer of 1919, and the lst the American Army. The funds were Division, the last large organization to donated by the Young Men's Christian leave for home, began its movement on Association, which presented the structure August 15. With the dissolution of the to General Pershing. It was later turned Third Army on July 2, 1919, the "Amer- over by him to the French people. ican Forces in Germany" consisting of In the spring of 1919 a composite about 6,800 men came into being and re- regiment of selected officers and men was mained on the Rhine for more than three formed from the Third Army. Selection years. The American flag on Fort was based on appearance, soldierly Ehrenbreitstein was finally lowered on qualities and war record. It was used January 24, 1923, when the last of the as an escort of honor to the American American troops in Germany entrained. Commander-in-Chief, and paraded in The American zone was formally turned Paris, London and other places, includ- over to the French three days later on.

( 493 ) General Headquarters of the A. E. F. at Chaumont