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Why learn about John J. Pershing? He was a commander in chief of the American Expeditionary Force where he was to assist our allied forces against the German forces. "Pershing started out in Laclede, Missouri where he was born on September 13, 1860. His father, John F. Pershing, and mother, Anne E. Thompson Pershing. Straight out of high school he became a teacher who taught African American students. From there he continued his education at North Missouri for two years. Then, Pershing continued his education at West Point where his leadership qualities led him to be the class president. From there, he served in the 6th Cavalry and then the all-black 10th Cavalry during the Spanish-American War. In 1899, he led American forces against the Philippines resistance, and in 1905, he was sent to Tokyo where he was assigned to observe the Sino-Russian War. During this time, he had met his wife and had 4 children. When he returned from Japan, he was promoted to brigadier general. In 1917, we had entered WWI, and Pershing was made the Commander in Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces. In 1919, he was promoted to General of the Armies and continues in 1921 as the US Army Chief of Staff. At the age of 64, Pershing retired and later died on July 15, 1948, in his sleep after recovering from a stroke." (John J. Pershing, 2015)

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“No commander was ever privileged to lead a finer force; no commander ever derived greater inspiration from the performance of his troops.”

—John J. Pershing

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Promoted to Brigadier General over 800 senior officers and skipped three ranks.

Earned a bachelor's degree in law.

Command of the American Expeditionary Forces where it was able to train 2 million expertly trained soldiers in 18 months.

Given the rank of Six-Star General of the Armies.

Awarded the Silver Star

Failure:

Missions to locate Pancho Villa – he was not able to complete the mission

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Why Studying John J. Pershing is Important

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Why Studying John J. Pershing is Important

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We study leaders like John J. Pershing to learn from their achievements and failures. This is a man that educated himself and was able to lead his men from one successful war to another. With those accomplishments, he was entrusted by the leaders to meet their goals. Several times, he was tasked with missions over other senior leaders due to the experience and knowledge that he had shown in previous years. Another reason is he was given the rank of six-star general which was only given to one other commander in history. Finally, Pershing took on the task in WWI to lead the American Expeditionary Forces where he was able to train and successfully push back the Germans in battle which led to the German forces seeking armistice and ending the war.

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"Courage – He stood up for what he believed in and that was in WWI and his command of the AEF and was asked to integrate his troops with Allied Forces. He says that they were stronger together vs separated. He held his ground and saw victory in Cantigny, Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne." (Times, 2022)

Efficiency – He was able to lead his troops in a way that was efficient and effective where there was no loss of resources and manpower.

Preparedness – He would study the native dialects and customs of the native culture.

Flaws:

The expectation of his men – After the loss of his wife and daughters, Pershing became committed to his duties even more than before. He expected his men to be the same way. Some of his men saw him as harsh and overbearing.

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This is a leader that I have not heard of until now. After looking at Pershing’s accomplishments, before and after WWI, it is evident that this is a man that we can learn from. He was able to successfully lead, manage, and guide his troops in multiple wars and conflicts. He has the confidence and trust of his leaders above him which showed in his victories, as well as his fast track through the ranks.

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John J. Pershing. (2015, May 19). Retrieved from Biography: https://www.biography.com/military-figure/john-j-pershing

Times, T. N. (2022, April 16). Leadership, Personal Courage, Devotion to Troops Won for Pershing Affection of Nation. Retrieved from On this Day: https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0913.html