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Matt Arnwine
HS315
April 17th, 2022

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General Pershing was born to humble roots in 1860 and in 1882 embarked on his military career as a cadet at West Point.  Upon his graduation he served with distinction in several theaters.  These battle experiences and political connections culminated to his appointment as the commander of the American Expedition Force in World War I and later the Chief of Staff for the US Army. General Pershing was instrumental in developing the modern American Army and many of the senior generals of World War II were mentored by none other than General Pershing (National Park Service, 2022).

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Although General Pershing would become a world renowned general, he was born to a modest family in rural Missouri.  While working on his family farm, he attended school and then became a school teacher himself to help provide for his family during reconstruction.  General Pershing recognized the importance of education and obtained his bachelors degree and later his law degree (Public Broadcasting Service n.d.).  Seeing the importance of education he sought an appointment to West Point not for military service but for quality education.  This would serve him well not only in his own pursuits but in the development of the US Army's officer corp.  General Pershing was also a stickler for details which were honed in his West Point years and provided for his strict adherences to regulations and training regiments (Hymel, 1998).  This adherence would aid in the development of the units under his command as well as the rapid training and deployment of the AEF in World War I.  Another important element of General Pershing was his keen ability to not only understand his enemy but to understand the geopolitical and cultural landscape in which he operated in.  There are several examples in General Pershing's military career were he was able to combine his intellect with his intuition to accomplish decisive military victories in both the Philippine and Mexican theaters as well as the European theater.  General Pershing represents the first of the modern era commanders and many of his doctrines as still in practice today.

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1890 - 1891 - Saw action in the final days of the Ghost Dance Campaign.  Though did not participate fully, provided vital a counterattack that caused the Indians to retreat.

1898 - 1899 - Lead a successful assault in the battle of San Juan Hill and while the casualties in his unit were high, he earn a silver star and garnered the respect and notoriety of many of the officer corp,  most famously, future president Teddy Roosevelt.

1900 - 1913 - Lead many successful assaults against rebel forces in the Philippines.  Pershing was also able to not only forge alliances with local chieftains but also garnered the respect and admiration of those chieftains through his understanding of the culture and customs.  This strategic alliance provided valuable intelligence that allowed him to wage a successful campaign against the remaining rebels and allowed the conflict to come to a close.

1914 - 1917 - Lead an expedition into Mexico to apprehend Poncho Villa.  Though Poncho Villa was never caught, his military and political acumen ensure that Poncho would not be able to hareass US citizens along the border but also ensure that the US did not enter a full scale war with Mexico.

1917 - 1918 - Lead the AEF in World War I and transformed the US Army into a modern fighting force with worldwide legitimacy.  Understood unit organization and ensured AEF forces were efficiently organized and commanded to ensure maximum efficiency.  It is also important to note that while he did allow for units augment other Allied forces, he ensured that AEF units operated as a distinct and separate fighting force.

1921 - 1924 - Continued to modernize the US Army as the Army Chief of Staff. Implemented several procedures and doctrines that still in practice today.

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Determination- Pershing was determined to meet his objectives in World War I, Modernize and cement the legitimacy of the US Army, Pave the way for the US to have a place on the world stage.

Intellect- Pershing was well educated in own right but also possessed an ability to see problems within and enact solutions to solve those problems.  Pershing also possessed the ability to see greatness in his subordinates and placed them in command positions regardless of seniority but rather on skill. He also understood that a commander plays a part in the larger political landscape and knew very well how to navigate and use the system to his advantage.

Resilience- Was fully committed to the mission objectives and required all under his command to do the same. He required all officers under his command to be both physically as well as mentally fit to deal with the stressors of war.

Courage- While the modern battlefield saw generals leading from the rear, Pershing was both physically as well as morally courageous. Pershing was known to stand his ground against both high ranking military and civilian leaders. Examples include his interaction with the president of the Mexican Government and Allied leaders of the first world war.

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Decision Making-   In an effort to showcase fighting prowess of the AEF, Pershing made several ill fated decision that sent unprepared American forces into battle that resulted in high casualties.  He was also quick to relieve otherwise competent commanders for minor infractions

Modern Warfare- General Pershing failed to see early on the impact of technology on modern warfare.  Upon the arrival of the AEF in Europe, his view on the battlefield was open warfare conducted with the rifle and bayonet as well as the use of horses.  This failure to understand the impact of technology lead to unnecessary American casualties.

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General Pershing represents the first of the modern age battlefield commanders and the transition from traditional battlefield tactics to incorporating technology such as automatic weapons, air support and mechanized units.  He in a sense modernize the US Army and showcased the military might and prowess of the army and guaranteed a seat for the United States on the world stage (Smith 2018).  He also supervised the largest buildup of both conscripted soldiers and the infrastructure needed to support the war effort in that time period.  While his logistical and strategical accomplishments went largely unmatched until the next world war, his political skill deserves mention.  Pershing was able to successively navigate several sensitive political theaters and build critical partnerships that bolstered his own success but also laid the framework for the legitimacy of the United States on the global stage.

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General Pershing, was a crucial and pivotal commander for the United States. His courageous leadership and keen awareness of his surroundings and opponents lead to many successes on the battlefield as well as the political arena. His abilities to see the "final product" allowed him to systematical implement the needed changes to transform a mediocre unit to highly effective and disciplined unit that was capable of achieving complex objectives. General Perishing's directives were so effective that many of them are currently in use today.

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National Park Service. (2022, January 25). John Pershing. https://www.nps.gov/people/john-pershing.htm

Public Broadcasting Service. (n.d.). General John J. Pershing. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/macarthur-general-john-j-pershing/

Hymel, K. (1998). Black Jack in Cuba General John J. Pershing’s Service in the Spanish-American War. US Army Center of Military History. https://history.army.mil/documents/spanam/WS-Prshg.htm

Smith, G. (2018). In Search of “Black Jack” Pershing. American Heritage, 63(3). https://www.americanheritage.com/search-black-jack-pershing