French general commander in chief of the Allied armies during World War I?

Answer 1

here is a great answer.

Warluster for the credit :)

Well, there are quite a few from World War One

The very first Commander and CHief was Joseph Joffre. He was quite old; as were most French generals, and was admired very much by the people and some of the army (When I say some, that is in the first year.) so he earned the nickname Papa Joffre. He made some terrible mistakes, and ignored things as he was too proud and stubborn. He actually led the Defense of Paris in the Franco Prussian war of the previous century. He was fired in 1916 after Somme. (3 August 1914 - 13 December 1916)

The second was Robert Nivelle. Actualy young for a French general, he was very inexperinced compared to Joffre and his succesors, with only experince from the Boxer Rebellion of 1905. He earnt the rank of Comander and Chief after a amazing counter attack at Verdun, the bloodiest French, or even any battle, in the war. THis was overshadowed by what then happened. He led wave after wave of horrible attacks which kill thousands upon thousands of his own men, using tactics which were proved ineffective in the Franco Prussian war. He then devised a offensive, the Nivelle offensive, which proved quite successful compared to other battles of the war. The offensive broke down after 100 000 French soldiers died, and the medical services broke down. Several weeks/month's later hwas gone. (13 December 1916 - April 1917)

The third, and most famous of them all, was Philippe Petain. After Nivelle the French army mutined, but petain skillfuly handled it so a crisis was avoided. Following this major succes Petain refused to operate any more major offensives until more American forces came, unlike the British who lost thousands of British and Commonwealth troops. But he was also waiting for more tanks and as quoted: 'I am waiting for more tanks, and more Americans' . A massive German attack in 1918 though broke through his lines because commanders of infeiror rank didn't follow orders. Petain was punished and stripped of rights. In 1940 he became Prsident of France, then leading the Pro Nazi Vichy government.

The final General Ferdinand Foch. In March, 1918 Foch was appointed Supreme Commander of Allied Forces. THis covered every single Allied force from the British and Commonwealth soldiers, to the French and the new Americans. Foch handled the end of the war well, coordanating offensives and introducing the Americans in comfrtoably, using them, well in offensives and pushing the Germans back into the Hindenburg line. A amazing General, probably the best egneral of the whole war. he held Paris easiloy, and as quoted: 'I will fight in front of Paris, I will fight in Paris, I will fight behind Paris'. Along with Haig he was one of the generals who accepted the German surrender in Novmber. He was inducted in Les Invalides where he lay alongisde some of France's most amazing people, including Napoleon. Foch's was the only tomb left alone when the Germans held Paris during World War Two. He was named Marshal of France, Marshal of Poland and Grand Marshal of Britain and has numerous statues through Poland, Britain, France and the US.

*Sources

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090124192149AABa2yO

Answer 2

french general, commander in chief of the allied armies during World War 1?

Answer 3

Joseph Joffre was the Commander in Chief of the French Army during the WW 1 .

Answer 4

Chuck Norris *facepalm*

d.d. eisenhower

Answer 5

Ferdinand Foch.