Maréchal Foch Does America

First Major Event: General Jacques, General Diaz, Marshal Foch, General Pershing, and Admiral Beatty,
1 November 1921, at the Dedication of the Liberty Memorial

In 1921, Maréchal Ferdinand Foch, generalissimo the of Allied Armies in WWI, toured the United States as a guest of the American Legion, visiting major cities like New York, Kansas City, and San Francisco on a seven-week grand tour featuring parades, speeches praising America's war role, and dedication ceremonies for memorials, including the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, the Indiana World War Memorial, and the Unknown Soldier. He experienced American culture like the Yale-Princeton football game, a car race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, an Indian pow-wow in North Dakota, and a banquet featuring the finest New Orleans cuisine.

 

In New Orleans, Oysters à la Foch Were Served for
the First Time (Recipe)

At San Francisoc's Palace of the Legion of Honor, Foch
Signs the Roster of California's Fallen of the War

On a personal, human scale, the tour gave Americans the opportunity to thank the maréchal for his leadership in the decisive moments of the war and gave the distinguished representative of France to join in honoring the fallen of the war.

 Sioux Chief Red Tomahawk  Honors 
Maréchal "Charging Thunder" 

The highly covered newsworthy trip was diplomatic in substance as well. Everywhere he spoke, Foch hit three key points:

France's appreciation for America's sacrifices:  

"By your heroism you have secured victory and enabled our governments to achieve the peace which they desired."

A call for continued collaboration between France and the United States: 

"Let us remain united as we were on the battlefield, in order that this peace may be consolidated and extended."

Subtle pleas for America to avoid becoming isolationist: 

"It  is  now  for  us  to  maintain  the peace,  and  if  we  desire  the  formula  for  that,  it  is the  same  as  for  winning  the  war."

Reviewing the Cadets at West Point

A Special Coin Struck for the Maréchal's Visit to Yale

During his extensive, coast-to-coast  tour, Foch received more than 30 honorary degrees and awards, reinforcing the strong alliance and gratitude between France and the United States after WWI. He returned to Europe on 14 December 1921.

Visiting Mount Vernon to Lay a Wreath at
George Washington's Grave