On the strength of the conversation we submitted proposals to President
Wilson, with the strong support of Premier Clemenceau, to enable the
combatant strength of the American Army to come into action during this
battle, inasmuch as there was no hope of it coming in as a strong
separate army. By this decision American battalions will be brigaded
with those of the Allies.
This proposal was submitted by the Earl of Reading on behalf of the
British Government to President Wilson, and President Wilson assented to
the proposal without any hesitation, with the result that arrangements
are now being made for the fighting strength of the American Army to be
immediately brought to bear in this struggle--a struggle which is only
now beginning--to this extent, and it is no mere small extent, that the
German attack has been held up. It has stirred up the resolution and
energy of America beyond anything which has yet occurred.
Another important decision taken by the allied Governments I must also
call the attention of the House to. It became more obvious after the
battle than ever before that the allied armies were suffering from the
fact that they were fighting as two separate armies and had to negotiate
support with each other. Valuable time was thus lost. Some of us had
been deeply impressed by this peril for some time and had done our best
to avert it.
But the inherent difficulties to be overcome are tremendous. There are
national prejudices, national interests, professional prejudices and
traditions. The inherent difficulties of getting two or three separate
armies to fight as one are almost insurmountable, and it can only be
done if public opinion in all these countries insists upon it as one
condition of success.
The Versailles conference was an effort at a remedy. How were the
Versailles decisions carried out, and the extent to which they were not
carried out? This is not the time to inquire.