Abstract
During the Great War, a professional feud developed between John J. Pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), and Peyton C. March, the Chief of Staff of the Army. The feud centered on disputes over who was the senior officer and what was the proper relationship between the Chief of Staff in Washington and the commander in the field. These disputes developed due to conflicting precedents in American military history, the absence of a clearly defined command structure in the War Department, as well as specific disagreements between the two generals. Due to these circumstances, March and Pershing each arrived at their own interpretation as to the proper command structure, each emphasizing the primacy of their position. From disputes over promotions, supplying the AEF, the uniform of officers, and the future size of the AEF, the two generals allowed their considerable egos and desire for authority to increase the tension between them to the point that it developed into a severe personal hatred for one another. The feud subsided somewhat during the 1920s, as circumstances kept the generals apart. But when participants in the war began to write about their experiences, the rivalry emerged again. Pershing and March each allowed their feelings for one another to influence their writings on the war. Pershing's memoirs, My Experiences in the World War, published in 1931, virtually omitted March's considerable contribution to the American war effort. March responded in 1932 with his own memoirs, The Nation at War. In it, March harshly criticized Pershing's actions during the war, his military ability, and his treatment of the War Department. The dispute ended with the publication of James G. Harbord's The American Army in France, 1917-1919, in 1936. Harbord, Pershing's former chief of staff of the AEF and longtime friend and advisor, attempted to refute some of March's statements about the AEF commander, and effectively ended the active part of the feud. Though the men continued to hate each other, they had no major contact for the rest of their lives.
Neumann, Brian Fisher (2001). Who is in command here?: the March-Pershing feud, 1917-1937. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -2001 -THESIS -N456.