WHO WON THE WAR?

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1928, Page 4

WHO WON THE WAR?

(Auckland “Star.") The “Daily Telegraph” has just drawn attention to the remarkable character of the information supplied to American children by histories dealing with the World War. The “scathing (indictment” to which it refers was anticipated last year by Lieutenant-Colonel Dickson, ChaphvinGenenl of the United States army, who in August, 1927, contributed to “Current History” a summary of a largo number of text books which indulge in purely fictitious accounts ol the war for the purpose of glorifying the American‘soldiers and magnifying the part played by the United States in helping to terminate the struggle The comments recently appearing in the American “Army and Navy Journal" are evidently based upon Lieut-enant-Colonel Dickson’s report on those same “107 history hooks” from which the extracts quoted 'by the “Daily Telegraph’’ were originally derived.

In its cabled form file quotations from the American authorities are misleading, for it is implied that they are all selected from one source. As a matter of fact, almost every sentence in lira cable message is taken front a separate American history. Thus such phrases as “the Germans were dumbfounided” by the American attack, and “we charged across the river yelling like demons," an taken from Mace’s “Beginners’ 11 is t..ry"—Lieutenant-Colonel Dick..' n remarking drily that lie has been “unable to locate” the river in question The reference to “1,200,000. men or a piece of ground three to live mile in area" is from Mnzzey’s “Ameriiai History,” and Dickson’s comment e that it gives each American “a tight mg front space of less than a qtiai ter of an inch.” ’I he, statement line “the American soldi' with si' months’ training was more than match for the German \eicnui" coiiufrom Guittev’s “History ol ihe I nit ed States," v, l.i’e th" a-■ uraneo ilia the American- ’‘gained even objo, live and smashed every connier-at tack” is given by W. S. Long in hi

“America.” an entertaining worn which, among other details, dcserib es the Ante: icons as lighting and advancing tor 27 days and nights continuously” through B lleatt Wood which covers an area of about one square mile.

We have laealed these quotationfor the purpose of proving that not one historian, hut a great number ol American writers, are responsible for the quaint exaggerations and porver sinus of truth deplored by Lieuten-ant-Colonel Dickson. The capture o' St. Mihiol is described in scores of these hooks as a sweeping and overwhelming victory for the Americans though Dickson explains the capture was due I) ‘an Allied force under American command." Ami most ot these authors expatiate at length up on the almost inconceivable horrors of “the tight in the Aigonue.” with b they •describe as “beyond comparison ibe greatest ever tnugllt by an American army." ami “one ol '.be greatest battles in the history ot the world." Yet Dickson. who went through the lighting in this sector toils us that nearly the whole of the Argon lie Forest was to the rear of the Allied line, aml that instead "f having to light their way for weeks through at: “ininrognahlo” last ness which “no one had ever tried ti penetrate before,” ail that the Amor icans had to do was to occupy it small area about live miles to three in cxtout and that they completed thi operation in two (lavs.

It i- easy to understand that. <!is tortious ol the truth, and crude ex aggerat ton.- ot trivial ami unimportant incidents ntt this gigantic scale ha\ e aron-vd the disgust and idigua(ion of the heller rliiss of American critics and n'llilieisls. I'.nt iiiilortn gaiety ifxiut a hundred text Inmks used in tlie American public school are liable to these charges, and collertivch llie\ are to a large extenl responsible for (he conviction. now widespread throilghou tthr 1 ailed States, that • America won the war." The truth is that the Allies fought tin' Central Powers for three years alone, and for a whole year alter tic American Government had definite!;. declared war on Germany the Ameri ens were- so unprepared for Hie i‘inrr geiuy that they imild take no material part in the lighting. The “New York Time'” has said. “We do ourselves lull justice when we say that we did a man’s share of tl*.' fighting for the last three months of the war.’’ Who. then, wan the war?