[Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph]. French soldier, born on the 24th of May 1856. He was commissioned from St. Cyr 1878, passed in due course through the École de Guerre, filled various staff appointments, including that of instructor at the École de Guerre, and was promoted colonel in 1910. At the outbreak of the World War he was commanding an infantry regiment, but he was immediately given a brigade and then a division, and he acquitted himself so well during the opening weeks of the struggle that he was advanced to the command of an army corps in Artois in October 1914. He greatly distinguished himself on the occasion of the French offensive near Arras in May 1915, where his corps completely broke through the German position, though exploitation proved to be impossible for want of reserves. Soon afterwards he was given command of the II. Army. When preparations were being made in the summer for the contemplated offensive in Champagne, he was called upon to aid Gen. Castelnau in framing the plans and in carrying them out. Then, when the Germans in the following February were gaining ground very rapidly before Verdun and the safety of the place of arms hung in the balance, Castelnau was sent to stabilize the defence. A few days later, having provided for the indispensable, Castelnau handed over control of affairs to Pétain, who took the battle in hand with method and energy, fought the attack to a standstill and saved Verdun. He was rewarded by being made a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour and was placed in command of the group of armies of the Centre.
During the following winter Gen. Nivelle succeeded Gen. Joffre as commander-in-chief. Pétain’s group of armies was not embraced in Nivelle’s offensive scheme, but it was known that he was thoroughly doubtful of its success, and after its failure Pétain was appointed, first on April 27th chief of the general staff of the army, and then on May 15th commander-in-chief of the French armies on the western front. This position he took up at a moment when his troops were discouraged and mutinies were breaking out owing to severe losses, disillusionment following on over-sanguine hopes, and war-weariness, when the effects of the Russian revolution and those of America’s intervention were alike difficult to discern, and when his own country was losing heart. He saw clearly that, in view of the wastage in man-power caused by three years of devastating war, an offensive project on a great scale, such as his predecessor had adventured, was impossible for the time being, and he therefore resolved first to nurse back the army to a healthy state of morale and then to restore its offensive powers by one or two battles with limited objectives in which victory was made certain by careful and abundant preparations. It was in accordance with this policy that he fought the August battle at Verdun and that of October on the Chemin des Dames, for which he was given the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. He established and maintained a close understanding with Sir D. Haig, and when the British V. Army was virtually rolled up near St. Quentin in March 1918, his promptitude in despatching reinforcements to the point of danger did much to relieve the critical situation. After Foch became generalissimo, portions of Pétain’s forces played the leading part in the decisive counterstroke near Soissons which first turned the scale, and during the subsequent victorious operations of the Allies, the French commander-in-chief was most successful in coordinating the advance of his forces at all points along a very extended front, maintaining his liaison with the British on the one flank and the Americans on the other, and in the case of the latter taking an active part in the preparation of their two offensives. He was created marshal of France on the conclusion of hostilities, in recognition of his brilliant services during the war, and he was the recipient of many high honours from the Allied Governments. He subsequently held the position of vice-president of the Conseil Supérieur de la Guerre.
