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Shannon Luck
Grantham University
HS 315 Leadership Great Commanders
Ray Fullard
April 20, 2021

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Born: September, 13, 1860 in Laclede, MO

Died: July 15, 1948 (87 years old) at Walter Reed Medical Center, Washington, D.C.

Nickname: Black Jack earned from his service with a black regiment early in his career, had come to signify his stern bearing and rigid discipline.

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Leadership Attributes

"Natural leader"

In 1898, he went up San Juan Hill with his Black troopers, proving himself “as cool as a bowl of cracked ice” under fire from Spanish sharpshooters.

From 1899-1903, serving in the Philippines, it was obvious he took great effort to understand and respect the Moro culture.  This earned him great respect and admiration from the local citizens and his own troops.

Thoroughly disrupted Villa's operations.

Withstood pressure from French and British demands to merge his troops into their exhausted armies proving his intuition to keep the Americans as an independent army despite many Germany advancements.

Overcame personal tragedy when his wife and three daughters were killed in a house fire.  He went on to devote his time to the service of his country while still remaining a doting father to his only surviving son.

Entered military service with technology that consisted of animal-drawn transport, the railroad, bolt action rifles, semi-automatic pistol, sabers, and revolvers.; left military service with technology that consisted of telegraphs, motorized transportation, airplanes, machine guns, and tank battalions.

Despite continued segregation, Pershing allowed African-American servicemen to serve under French forces who were better able to treat them and their service toward their country and the allied forces with the respect they equally deserved.

Flaws & Failures

Mediocre student

Not able to capture Villa.

The Meuse-Argonne offensive of September 26 was a prime example of Pershing underestimating new machine gun technology.  His strategy to push against the German advancements failed greatly, but Pershing was willing to admit this failure and turned the battle over to Lt. General Hunter Liggett.

Found on the wrong side of history as being the only commander who opposed the armistice.

Not only did Pershing oppose the armistice, but he also allowed fighting to continue under the guise he was following the orders of France's Marshal Ferdinand Foch who was serving as the chief of Allied Forces.  This resulted in the loss of many more American lives which Pershing was called to testify in defense before Congress.

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General Pershing started off his military service protecting white settlers from Native American Indian invasions. He ended his military service following the end or World War I. No other military commander has seen military warfare change through technological and industrial advancements at such a dramatic pace. The one thing that did not change throughout those decades was the leadership of General Pershing. His adaptive leadership skills and intellect morphed in such a manner and with such energy that allowed the American forces to keep and often outpace their enemies. He did so while also maintaining his integrity, moral steadfastness, and political prowess. He knew when to speak up and when to shut up.

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Yes, there were setbacks and mistakes, but General Pershing was highly successful in his lifetime.  By following his instincts, knowing when to bend to political pressure and when to stand his ground, implementing extensive offensive training, ensuring the rightful administration of logistics, and empowering strong and competent subordinate commanders, he was able to successfully integrate the American forces into the battlefields in many areas of the world.  Through his actions and leadership skills, he was able to gain the trust of his subordinates as well as U.S. politicians who benefited him to make decisions with little oversight.

The general’s experiences prior to WWI allowed him to develop his skills, judgement, and knowledge of out-strategizing the enemy.  Operationally, he was able to make the most of the resources that he had been allotted and was able to demonstrate interoperational cooperation with other forces to supplement what his troops needed.  Upon entering the European battle theater, Pershing was confronted with a new modern warfare which he ultimately was successful by applying his understanding and visualization for warfare to the large-scale logistical requirements seen throughout WWI.

His greatest demonstration of leadership was during the Meuse-Argonne offensive when he was able to admit his mistakes and then allow others to come alongside him and provide support and new strategy.

Not only was he respected for his military prowess, but he was equally great in his leadership skills toward mankind.  Marred by great personal tragedy, he continued to devote time and attention toward his son despite the distance that separated them. General Pershing allowed African-American servicemen to serve with the French helped ensure they had better treatment and respect for their service.

He was a great man on and off the battlefield.  He is a prime example of how a great commander can take learned skills from the warfront and apply them to a large business enterprise.

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(n.d.). Today in history -General John J. Pershing - July 15. Library of Congress. Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/july-15/

Biography.com Editors. (2015). John J. Pershing Biography. A&E Television Networks. Retreived from https://www.biography.com/military-figure/john-j-pershing

Gabel, C. & Willbanks, J. (Eds.). (2010). Great commanders. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat

Studies Institute Press. Retrieved from https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/GreatCommanders.pdf

Mougel, N., & Gratz, J. (2011). World War I casualties. Retrieved April 17, 2021, from http://www.centre-robert-schuman.org/userfiles/files/REPERES%20%E2%80%93%20module%201-1-1%20-%20explanatory%20notes%20%E2%80%93%20World%20War%20I%20casualties%20%E2%80%93%20EN.pdf

Spangenberger, P. (2018, June 18). Chasing villa. Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://truewestmagazine.com/chasing-villa/#:~:text=Their%20sidearms%20were%20the%20Model,Model%201905%20and%20Model%201909%20.

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The U.S. wished to decrease its activity in world affairs - instead promoting world peace and moral scruples.  The country emphasized its point when it reelected President Wilson whose campaign was based on keeping, if not building, the its benign and high-minded foreign policy role for the United States.

American patience was tested when Germany went back on its promise to limit its submarine use and its guarantees to surface, visually identify its targets, and permit civilian evacuations if they were going to proceed in this nature of warfare.

Knowing these actions would compel the Americans to take action, German foreign minister Arthur Zimmermann sends a Western Union telegram to the German ambassador to Mexico.  In this not-so-secret telegram, Germany is imploring Mexico to invade the U.S. if they chose to declare war on Germany.

Despite its best efforts, the U.S. decides to enter the war after a Western Union telegram from Germany to Mexico is intercepted by Great Britain who shares it with their economic partners - the United States.

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1876-1880  Taught, Mound School, Prairie Mound, Mo.

1882 Enters U.S. Military Academy at West Point

1886  Graduated, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., as senior cadet captain, the highest honor conferred

1886-1890  Second lieutenant, 6th Cavalry; took part in New Mexico and Arizona Apache campaigns

1890-1891  Served in Sioux campaigns in South Dakota

1891-1895  Military instructor, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.; promoted to first lieutenant. While at Nebraska, Pershing earned a law degree, taught mathematics and formed a crack drill team that later became the nationally known Pershing Rifles. He also taught fencing to future bestselling authors Willa Cather and Dorothy Canfield Fisher.

1896  In charge of roundup of Cree Indians who were deported to Canada

1897-1898 Instructor in tactics, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.

1898  Served with 10th Cavalry, Santiago, Cuba; appointed chief officer of volunteers - Pershing’s gallantry in the Battle of San Juan Hill caught the attention of Teddy Roosevelt, who also fought his way up San Juan Hill with his “Rough Riders” regiment. After Roosevelt became president, he promoted Pershing to brigadier general over 800 more senior officers.

1898-1899  Organized Bureau of Insular Affairs and was its chief until August 1899

1899-1903  Served in Philippine Islands - There he commanded U.S troops in several Moro Rebellion battles involving warring Moro (Muslim) tribes. Before Pershing returned to the United States in 1913, he was military governor of the southern Philippines’ Moro Province.

1901  Captain, 1st Cavalry; later transferred to 15th Cavalry in order to remain in Philippines

1903-1904  Resumed staff duty in Washington, D.C., and studied at Army War College

1903-1906  Member, general staff of the army

1905  Married Helen F. Warren

1905-1906  Military attaché, Tokyo, Japan; with Tamemoto Kuroki's army in Manchuria, Mar.-Sept. 1905

1906  Promoted from captain to brigadier general

1906-1908  Commander, Fort McKinley, Philippines

1909-1913  Governor, Moro Province, Philippines

1913  Took command of 8th Cavalry Brigade, Presidio, San Francisco, Calif.; ordered to El Paso, Tex.

1915  Death of wife and their three daughters when their home burned, Presidio, San Francisco, Calif. Pershing’s son, Warren, was the fire’s only survivor. The boy subsequently was cared for by Pershing’s sisters who lived in Lincoln, thus continuing the general’s connection to Nebraska.  Pershing adores his son.  The commander continues to foster his relationship with his son while he is at war through a series of letters.  https://jjpershing.com/tag/john-and-warren-pershing/

1916-1917  Commanded troops sent to Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa

1917-1919  Commander-in-chief, American Expeditionary Forces

1919  Confirmed by Senate as general of the armies of the United States

1921-1924  Chief of staff, United States Army

1931  Published My Experiences in the World War. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co.

1932 Wins Pulitzer Prize for memoirs.  In his acceptance speech, he recognized 1922 Pulitzer Prize winner Willa Cather – who was his mathematics student when he taught at Nebraska.

1946 Secretly weds French-Romanian portrait artist Micheline Resco in his Walter Reed Hospital apartment. Resco was 35 years his junior. The couple met in Paris in 1917 when Pershing arrived to command troops and exchanged love letters over 30 years.

1948, July 15  Died, Washington, D.C.

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Sound technology allowed him to record a phonograph message from the battle fields of Europe to be played for  U.S. citizens.

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John J.  "Black Jack" Pershing   Address from France

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Recognizing the impact on morale, Pershing is credited with creating the first U.S. Army band.

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The Library of Congress is providing access to these materials for educational and research purposes and makes no warranty with regard to their use for other purposes. The written permission of the copyright owners and/or other rights holders (such as holders of publicity and/or privacy rights) is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use or other statutory exemptions.

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General Pershing with his two sisters and his son, Francis Warren Pershing

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General Pershing with his two sisters and his son, Francis Warren Pershing

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231 hospitals capable of serving 276,000 patients

Ability to bake 3 million pounds of bread daily

Ability to make 500 tons of ice daily

Ability to store 6,500 pounds of meat

Reconditioned 2,000 locomotives and 56,000 train cars

Constructed 1,500 locomotives and 18,000 train cars

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Military deaths 116,708
Civilian deaths 757
Wounded 205,690
Total 323,155 Americans wounded or dead