In accepting the decoration, Marshal Foch said: 

“I will wear this medal with pleasure and pride.  In days of triumph, as well as in dark and critical hours, I will never forget the tragical day last March when General Pershing put at my disposal, without restriction, all the resources of the American army.  The success won in the hard fighting by the American army is the consequence of the excellent conception, command and organization of the American General Staff, and the irreducible will to win of the American troops.  The name ‘Meuse’ may be inscribed proudly upon the American flag.”

MARSHAL FOCH’S RECORD

Ferdinand Foch, Marshal of France, was born at Tarbes in the French Pyrenees, August 4th of 1851—­a year during which all Europe was agitated by the approach of war.  His earlier education, largely religious, was had at the schools of Saint Etienne, Rodez and Metz.  In his twentieth year he entered the Ecole Polytechnique at Paris for a course of instruction in military science, after which he was commissioned a lieutenant in the artillery branch of the French army, rising to a captaincy in 1878.

In 1892, with the rank of major, he became an instructor in the war school, specializing in military history and theory.  He returned to army service as a lieutenant colonel in 1901, and in 1907 was made a general of brigade.  Shortly thereafter, at the close of a term in command of artillery in the Fifth Army Corps, he was put at the head of the war school.

When war broke out in August, 1914, General Foch was in charge of the military post at Nancy, a point commanding the way between the Vosges mountains and the Duchy of Luxemburg.  When the Germans came down toward the Marne and the situation in the field became very critical, his controlling doctrine of attack was brought into brilliant play.

The part of the French line under his command being endangered, he reported to Marshal Joffre:  “My right wing is suffering severe pressure.  My left is suffering from heavy assaults.  I am about to attack with my centre.”

He did.  That attack stopped the German advance, turned their forces from the road to Paris, and sent them suddenly southward.

Looking back over those days, it is seen now that this action marked the shock-point of the war.  It disjointed the whole German plan, saved France, and gave France and England time to raise and equip their armies, and mobilize their industrial resources.  The German high command had promised the German people to finish the war in six weeks.  General Foch inaugurated their finish in less than four.