World War I Joseph Joffre

1 world war i

1.1 1914

1.1.1 battle of frontiers
1.1.2 retreat
1.1.3 marne


1.2 1915

1.2.1 spring offensive
1.2.2 further promotion


1.3 1916

1.3.1 verdun
1.3.2 somme
1.3.3 fall power


1.4 post-command career

world war i

1914
battle of frontiers

at outbreak of war, french plan clashed german schlieffen plan, detriment of french. on 15 august, after german cavalry had been spotted @ dinant on meuse, , after repeated warnings charles lanrezac of fifth army, joffre issued instruction particuliere no 10, stating main german effort come through belgium.

although joffre aware (8am on 18 august) many fifteen german corps moving through belgium (in fact sixteen, , twenty-eight if german fourth , fifth armies included), believed few of these come west of meuse, believed held british , belgians. french third , fourth armies preparing attack ardennes, , wanted lanrezac s fifth army attack bulk of german right wing on west flank – assumed – attacked left flank of french fourth army.

the french first , second armies attacked alsace-lorraine on 19 , 20 august , beaten severe loss german forces, preparing counteroffensive. joffre believed (20 august) liège still holding out (in fact last of liège forts had fallen on 16 august), , hoped lanrezac able reach namur, expected hold out longer. germans entered brussels day, joffre convinced, after defeat in alsace-lorraine , air , cavalry reports of strong german forces in belgium, german centre in ardennes must weak. on 21 august french second army pressed german counterattack. Édouard de castelnau asked permission abandon nancy , fortified heights, joffre forbade him so.

with french third , fourth armies attacking ardennes, , infantry outpacing horsedrawn artillery, bulow s german second army attacked lanrezac , forced bridgeheads across meuse. fifth army attacked on right max von hausen s german third army; although these attacks held, lanrezac asked joffre permission retreat. on 23 august fifth army attacked again.

on 23 august joffre reported adolphe messimy, french war minister, fourth army pressing ardennes (he believed, wrongly) local numerical superiority, despite fact had received reports of french defeats in sector on previous days. german fourth , fifth armies in fact advancing against french forces in front of them rather moving westwards joffre believed. in memoirs joffre later admitted had been mistaken (he unaware of fall of namur , of extent of fighting @ mons , charleroi on left), @ time demanded french fourth army resume offensive , provide lists of unsatisfactory officers dismissal. messimy supported joffre in purge of unsuccessful generals, suggesting that, in 1793, of them ought executed.

retreat

on 25 august, rejecting advice of staff officer general berthelot lanrezac ordered attack westwards against inside of german right wing, instead had major maurice gamelin draw plans french concentration @ amiens, many of troops drawn french right wing in alsace, , regret ordered successful counterattacks of third army , army of lorraine called off. michel-joseph maunoury put in command of newly formed sixth army, assembled near amiens , fell toward paris (26 august).

concerned @ reports (which later turned out exaggerated) british had been defeated @ le cateau , need french protection recover cohesion, on 27 august joffre gave lanrezac direct written order counterattack forces on open ground, use artillery, lanrezac had told him key factor. after lanrezac spent day arguing against order, joffre visited him @ 8.30 am on 28 august , ordered him attack west. after heated discussion, joffre had gamelin draw written order , signed in lanrezac s presence.

fernand de langle de cary s fourth army, intended spearhead of attack ardennes, strong force , had made several counterattacks, joffre ordered cease counterattacking , send detachment under ferdinand foch cover gap between fourth , fifth armies; became new ninth army.

joffre turned @ lanrezac s headquarters supervise conduct of battle of guise (29 august), willing if necessary sack him there , then. in event impressed lanrezac s cool demeanour , handling of battle. result of battle, alexander von kluck s german first army broke off attacks on maunoury s sixth army , swung south-east, inside of paris.

the marne

messimy, war minister, ordered joffre provide 3 active corps defend paris on 25 august, joffre, regarding interference strategy, ignored him. on 26 august rené viviani formed new government (the union sacrée), , on 27 august new war minister, alexandre millerand, had replaced messimy largely because of poor state of paris defences, visited joffre. general promised provide 3 corps paris if maunoury s attack near amiens failed.

on 30 august joffre recommended french government evacuate paris , learned of russian disaster @ tannenberg, although aware 2 german corps still headed east reinforcements east prussia. on 1 september fifth army retreated across aisne in confusion, , joffre issued instruction generale no 4, placing maunoury s sixth army under command of joseph gallieni military governor of paris , forming new cavalry corps under louis conneau fill gap between fifth army , british expeditionary force (bef). @ stage mind still leaning towards berthelot s old suggestion fifth army attack westwards against inside of german right wing.

on 2 september, anniversary of battle of sedan, government left paris bordeaux. day joffre placed maunoury under gallieni s direct command armies of paris , had millerand place gallieni under own command. joffre planned retreat behind seine before counterattacking. envisaged battle , take place around 8 september, between horns of paris , verdun. . sacked lanrezac on afternoon of 3 september, replacing him more aggressive louis franchet d espèrey.

on night of 3–4 september joffre sent handwritten note gallieni, wanting maunoury push east along north bank of marne, although not specifying date. in line modification of instruction general no 4 (2 september), envisaging giant pocket paris verdun, of enclosed copies gallieni. @ 9.45 am on 4 september gallieni, had learned paris aviators previous day kluck s german first army marching south-east across paris, had first of series of telephone calls, conducted through aides, joffre not come phone, , gallieni refused speak else. gallieni proposed, depending on how further germans allowed advance, attack north of marne on 6 september or south of marne on 7 september.

joffre s reply saying preferred southern option (which take day longer forced sixth army cross south of marne, keep sixth army , bef being separated river) arrived late reach gallieni, had left meeting bef chief of staff, archibald murray. same afternoon, henry wilson, bef sub-chief of staff, negotiating separate plans franchet d espèrey, on british right, envisaged sixth army attacking north of marne.

in absence of news franchet d espèrey, joffre ordered gamelin draft orders maunoury attack south of marne on 7 september. intention passed on sir john french. while joffre having dinner british liaison officer, sidney clive, , 2 visiting japanese officers, neither of whom appeared understand word of french, message arrived franchet d espèrey saying ready attack on 6 september. @ point gallieni, returned paris find joffre s message earlier in day , message wilson, insisted on speaking joffre on telephone, informing him late cancel movement of maunoury s army. joffre agreed bring forward allied offensive 6 september , have sixth army attack north of marne instead, later writing had done reluctantly maunoury make contact germans on 5 september, day have left germans in more disadvantageous position. tuchman argues may have been swayed dominant personality of gallieni, former superior. @ 10 pm joffre issued general order no 6, ordering general allied offensive.

on 7 september gallieni, had been going on joffre s head , speaking war minister , president raymond poincaré, ordered not communicate directly government. left joffre all-powerful (in gallieni s description), had sacked many generals, leaving gallieni serious rival. december 1914 gallieni being mooted potential commander-in-chief in joffre s place, or minister of war, or both.

1915
spring offensive

on 7 january 1915, on joffre s opposition, president poincaré came out in favour of proposal of franchet d espèrey, gallieni , justice minister aristide briand expedition salonika, hoped detach first turkey austria-hungary, leaving germany doomed.

joffre fought further major offensive in artois in spring 1915. told wilson (23 march) end of apr[il] in condition attack & break (underline) line. on 4 may talked of getting namur & war being on in 3 (months).

further promotion

with viviani s government in trouble following resignation of theophile delcasse foreign minister, unsuccessful autumn offensive , entry of bulgaria war, viviani asked joffre, had told him 9 out of ten generals make poor ministers of war, whether gallieni replacement millerand. joffre replied, perhaps, then, after pause thought, maybe. in event, briand formed new government on 29 october 1915, viviani vice-president of council of ministers (deputy prime minister) , gallieni war minister.

as far @ 29 july 1915 joffre had demanded appointed commander-in-chief on french forces, including @ dardanelles. november again lobbying poincaré either strong minister of war, backed strong chief of staff (e.g. castelnau) given strategic direction of war—joffre did not favour option, believing governments rose , fell sensible—or else joffre himself appointed commander-in-chief on fronts. poincaré persuaded of latter option, , persuaded briand, arranged joffre , gallieni meet , shake hands.

at meeting of superior council of defence (24 november 1915) joffre had briand address demarcation of own , gallieni s authority, , objected council discussing operational matters, threatening resign if attempted interfere liberty. . joffre met poincaré , briand both before , after meeting discuss issue. gallieni, favoured strong war ministry own operational staff, complained bitterly in diary politicians unwillingness stand joffre. on 1 december poincaré , briand met gallieni, agreed joffre commander-in-chief, castelnau—who sidelined—as chief of staff, although under war minister s orders. presidential decree of 2 december made joffre commander-in-chief of french armies (generalissimo). after considerable discussion approved chamber of deputies 406–67 on 9 december. in practice, joffre took command on both salonika , western front, not morocco, algeria or tunisia. there friction on gallieni s assertion of right appoint generals, joffre s practice of communicating directly british generals rather going through war ministry, , gallieni s maintaining contacts generals whom joffre had replaced.

in autumn 1915 colonel Émile driant, commander of chasseurs brigade , member of army commission of chamber of deputies, complained gallieni of how joffre had been removing guns , garrisons verdun , preparing forts demolition. joffre furious , disputed gallieni s right comment. council of ministers discussed reports, , poincaré asked gallieni investigate. gallieni wrote joffre (16 or 18 december 1915), expressing concern @ state of trenches @ verdun , elsewhere on front; in fact, matters being taken in hand @ verdun.

1916
verdun

the british government accepted need maintain salonika bridgehead keep french happy, despite being sceptical idea bring greece war on allied side, british military opinion did not favour more commitment necessary. argument continued joffre throughout year. late in march 1916 joffre , briand blocked proposal lord kitchener , sir william robertson gradually withdraw 5 british divisions salonika serb troops arrived.

after months of discussion, haig , joffre agreed on 14 february 1916 anglo-french offensive on somme, although british not pleased @ joffre s suggestion british engage in wearing out attacks prior main offensive. german attack on verdun began on 21 february, reducing planned french commitment somme.

the french general staff had decided in august 1915 partially disarm verdun forts, under erroneous assumption not resist effects of modern heavy artillery, , germans made progress against fortifications had had guns removed. fort douaumont, keystone of system of verdun forts, had been given without fight, becoming shelter , operational base german forces behind front line. in words of 1 french divisional commander, loss cost french army hundred thousand lives.

joffre s political position had weakened after enormous losses of 1915, , rumours circulated in paris joffre had ordered abandonment of verdun when germans first attacked. gallieni demanded see paperwork period, joffre had made no such order in writing, merely despatching castelnau assess situation.

the political atmosphere had become poisonous. gallieni presented highly critical report council of ministers on 7 march—read in usual precise way—criticising joffre s conduct of operations on last eighteen months , demanding ministerial control, resigned. unclear whether trying have joffre ousted poincaré believed. survival of government @ stake, general roques appointed minister of war after had been ensured joffre had no objections. joffre himself had been mooted job.

the somme

early in 1916 joffre asked british commander-in-chief, sir douglas haig, put in word lord bertie, british ambassador in paris, french government. general haig wanted delay anglo-french offensive @ somme until 15 august allow more training , more artillery. when told of joffre shouted @ haig french army cease exist , had calmed down liberal doses of 1840 brandy. british refused agree french demands joint anglo-french offensive salonika bridgehead. eventually, perhaps influenced reports of french troop disturbances @ verdun, haig agreed attack @ start of july. in time, later turned out philippe pétain, commander @ verdun, warning french government game unless british attacked.

joffre lobbied robertson, , @ second chantilly conference (15–16 november 1916) agreed concentrate on western front in 1917 rather sending greater resources salonika.

fall power

the fall of bucharest (6 december 1916) not ruled out russo-romanian attack on bulgaria, made possible central powers attack on salonika. 1 of joffre s last official duties (11 december) order maurice sarrail cease offensive , establish strong defensive position, further offensives might launched in future. briand s , joffre s surprise, roques, minister of war, returned fact-finding mission salonika recommending sarrail reinforced , no longer report joffre. coming on of disappointing results of somme campaign , fall of romania, roques s report further discredited briand , joffre , added parliamentary deputies demands closed session. on 27 november council of ministers met debate rescinding decree of 2 december 1915, had placed sarrail under joffre; briand proposed joffre demoted commander-in-chief in north-east france, reporting war minister along commander-in-chief @ salonika, although withdrew proposal after joffre threatened resignation. during closed session (28 november – 7 december) briand had little choice make concessions preserve government, , in speech of 29 november promised repeal decree of 2 december 1915 , in vague terms appoint general technical adviser government. met joffre on 3 december 1916—according joffre, promising appoint him marshal of france , give him staff of own , direction of war .

on 13 december briand formed new government, day survived vote of confidence thirty votes. joffre appointed general-in-chief of french armies, technical adviser government, consultative member of war committee , robert nivelle commander-in-chief of armies of north , northeast. unclear briand had told joffre role; commented, not promised me, when reading newspaper on morning of 13 december , put out described general-in-chief rather commander-in-chief. departed @ once paris, persuaded accept briand. on 17 december, told british liaison officer, sidney clive, commander-in-chief , intend command effectively. however, found had no real power—the acting war minister (admiral lacaze, general lyautey had not yet returned north africa take position) forbade him approve units being granted fourragère—and on 26 december, day promoted marshal of france, asked relieved. joffre still popular , first man promoted marshal under third republic.

post-command career

joffre inspecting romanian troops

on 1 april 1917 prime minister ribot asked joffre go on viviani s mission united states. there similar british mission being prepared, led arthur balfour, foreign secretary , former prime minister. french along british had been preparing since february after announcement of severance of diplomatic relations between united states , germany, in expectation american declaration of war against germany imminent. reluctant go nivelle offensive underway. on 6 april united states congress declared war on germany. main problem new army training men and, especially, officers. joffre considered recommending incorporation of companies , battalions french , british armies, realised americans never accept this.

the party sailed on lorraine ii, making effort cultivate reporters on board, noticed how busy joffre kept small staff. while @ sea learned of failure of nivelle s offensive. landed on 24 april @ hampton roads, welcomed admiral henry mayo, commander-in-chief of atlantic fleet, ambassador jean jules jusserand , assistant secretary of navy franklin roosevelt. arrived in washington following morning, met secretary of state robert lansing , arthur balfour. joffre stayed in washington ten days, , addressed both houses of congress individually. on 27 april met army chief of staff hugh scott , deputy, tasker bliss. joffre recommended sending single american unit france @ once , requested americans send railroads, automobiles , trucks french army. on 30 april british major-general bridges lobbied troops used reinforce british army, arguing lessen language , food differences.

joffre left paper arguing separate american force, on 4 may began week s tour of eastern us. in full view of press, waited turn in barber s shop in st. louis haircut, visited hometowns of abraham lincoln (springfield, illinois) , ulysses grant, laid wreaths @ statues of joan of arc , lafayette, , visited west point. returned on 10 may find authorities agreed recommendations in paper. 1st infantry division, regulars, sent @ start of june. on last day of visit washington, newton d. baker, secretary of war, introduced him general john j. pershing, selected command american expeditionary forces (aef). joffre told him can count on me in power.

on 13 june pershing, had landed @ boulogne morning, met joffre, paul painlevé (war minister), viviani , foch (chief of staff) in paris. joffre recommended american unit rushed france show flag. 2nd battalion, 16th infantry regiment sent, , reviewed joffre , president poincaré marched champs-Élysées on 4 july. pershing rejected painlevé s suggestion joffre head liaison group of french officers helping set supply lines; pershing insisted on using atlantic ports of brest, st nazaire , rochefort.

joffre became leader of supreme war council in 1918. when retired in 1919, made member of académie française. survived 1918 flu pandemic. in 1920 presided on jocs florals in barcelona, catalan literary certamen. died on 3 january 1931 in paris , buried on estate in louveciennes. memoirs, in 2 volumes, published posthumously in 1932.