Joseph Galliéni
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Joseph Simon Gallieni (24 April 1849 – 27 May 1916) was a French military officer, active for most of his career as a military commander and administrator in the
French colonies From the 16th to the 17th centuries, the First French colonial empire existed mainly in the Americas and Asia. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the second French colonial empire existed mainly in Africa and Asia. France had about 80 colonie ...
where he wrote several books on colonial affairs. He was recalled from retirement at the beginning of the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. As Military Governor of Paris he played an important role in the
First Battle of the Marne The First Battle of the Marne or known in France as the Miracle on the Marne () was a battle of the First World War fought from the 5th to the 12th September 1914. The German army invaded France with a plan for winning the war in 40 days by oc ...
, when
Maunoury Maunoury is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Auguste-François Maunoury (born 1811), Catholic Hellenist and exegete * Catherine Maunoury, French aerobatic pilot * Ernest Maunoury (1894–1921), French World War I flying ace *Ma ...
's Sixth Army, which was under his command, attacked the German west flank. A small portion of its strength was rushed to the front in commandeered Paris taxicabs. From October 1915 he served as Minister of War, resigning from that post in March 1916 after criticizing the performance of the French Commander-in-Chief,
Joseph Joffre Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre , (; 12 January 1852 – 3 January 1931) was a French general who served as Commander-in-Chief of French forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front from the start of World War I until the end of 19 ...
(formerly his subordinate, earlier in their careers), during the German attack on Verdun. He died later that year and was made
Marshal of France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...
posthumously in 1921.


Early life and career

Gallieni was born in 1849 at
Saint-Béat Saint-Béat (; Gascon language, Gascon: ''Sent Biat'') is a former Communes of France, commune in the Haute-Garonne Departments of France, department in southwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Saint-Béat-Lez.
, in the department of
Haute-Garonne Haute-Garonne (; , ; ''Upper Garonne'') is a department in the southwestern French region of Occitanie. Named after the river Garonne, which flows through the department. Its prefecture and main city is Toulouse, the country's fourth-largest. ...
, in the central Pyrenees. He was of Corsican and Italian descent. His father, born in
Pogliano Milanese Pogliano Milanese ( ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northwest of Milan. Pogliano Milanese borders the following municipalities: Lainate, Nerviano, Rho, Vanzago, Pregnana Mil ...
, had risen from the ranks to be a captain. As a student, he was educated, hard-working, and studious at the Prytanée Militaire in
La Flèche La Flèche () is a town and commune in the French department of Sarthe, in the Pays de la Loire region in the Loire Valley. It is the sub-prefecture of the South-Sarthe, the chief district and the chief city of a canton, and the second most p ...
, and then the
École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr The École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr (, , abbr. ESM) is a French military academy, and is often referred to as Saint-Cyr (). It is located in Coëtquidan in Guer, Morbihan, Brittany. Its motto is ''Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre'', litera ...
. He was also gifted and outstanding in
mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...
and languages. He later became a second lieutenant in the
3rd Marine Infantry Regiment The 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment () is a unit of the French Army. The 3e RIMa is one of the oldest of the troupes de marine. This regiment is one of the "Quatre Grands" of marine infantry once garrisoned within the four military ports, ready to ...
before serving in the
Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...
. Gallieni fought at Sedan and was taken prisoner at
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, scene of the stand of the colonial marines. He learned German while a prisoner there, and later kept a notebook in German, English and Italian called "Erinnerungen of my life di ragazzo" ("Memories of my life from boyhood nwards).


Colonial Service

He was promoted to
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
in 1873. His colonial career began in 1876 in Senegal. He was promoted to
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
in 1878. He led an expedition to the upper Niger. He also served in Reunion and
Martinique Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...
. In 1886, he had risen to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and was later appointed governor of the
French Sudan French Sudan (; ') was a French colonial territory in the Federation of French West Africa from around 1880 until 1959, when it joined the Mali Federation, and then in 1960, when it became the independent state of Mali. The colony was formall ...
, during which time he successfully quelled a
rebellion Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...
by Sudanese insurgents under
Mahmadu Lamine al-Hajj Mahmadu Lamine Drame, also known as Ma Lamine Demba Dibassi, (died 9 December 1887) was a nineteenth-century Tijaniyyah, Tijani marabout who led a series of rebellions against the France, French colonialism, colonial government in what is ...
. He was outstanding at colonial penetration without open hostilities in West Africa in 1880 and 1886–8. In 1888 he was appointed to the War College. In 1892-6 he served as a colonel in
French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China), officially known as the Indochinese Union and after 1941 as the Indochinese Federation, was a group of French dependent territories in Southeast Asia from 1887 to 1954. It was initial ...
commanding the second
military division A division is a large military unit or Formation (military), formation, usually consisting of between 10,000 and 25,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically mak ...
of the territory in
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. In 1894 he led successful French action against the nationalist leader Đề Thám, but further military action was overruled by colonial administrators after Đề Thám was accorded a local fiefdom. In 1896 he was promoted to General and made Governor of Madagascar, then a new French possession. He stayed in Madagascar with one brief interruption until 1905; his future commander
Joseph Joffre Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre , (; 12 January 1852 – 3 January 1931) was a French general who served as Commander-in-Chief of French forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front from the start of World War I until the end of 19 ...
served under him there. In August 1896 Gallieni reorganised French forces, captured and executed several
rebel A rebel is a participant in a rebellion. Rebel or rebels may also refer to: People * Rebel (given name) * Rebel (surname) * Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution * American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; ...
leaders. Early in 1897 he abolished the Malagasy monarchy and exiled Queen
Ranavalona III Ranavalona III (; 22 November 1861 – 23 May 1917) was the last sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar. She ruled from 30 July 1883 to 28 February 1897 in a reign marked by ultimately futile efforts to resist the colonial designs of the go ...
to Reunion. Gallieni practised the ''tache d’huile'' (the " oil spot" method, which continues to influence counterinsurgency theory to this day) and ''politique des races'' (literally, racial policy; i.e., eliminating the racial hierarchy that had prevailed and suppressing tribes that resisted French rule). Initially military, his role became more administrative, building roads, a railway, markets, medical services and schools. In 1905 Gallieni defended the ''code de l’indigenat'' (the right of French officials to mete out summary punishment, including corporal punishment and confiscation of property, to individuals and to entire villages), as it administered punishment more arbitrarily and swiftly than would be possible under due legal process.


Return to France

In 1905 Gallieni was appointed Military Governor of Lyon and commandant of the Army of the Alps (XIV Corps). Also in 1906 he became a member of the ''Conseil Superieur de la Guerre'' (the Superior War Council, a body of senior generals chaired by the
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
). General
Victor-Constant Michel Général Victor-Constant Michel (30 January 1850 – 8 November 1937) was a French General officer. He led the French Army in 1911, but following his opposition to the French strategy for war with Germany was replaced by General Joseph Joffre in J ...
(''Generalissimo'', i.e. Commander-in-Chief designate of the northeast front, and vice-president of the Superior War Council), was critical of the tactical doctrine of ''offensive à outrance'' (taking the offense to the limit). He also wanted to thrust into Belgium in the event of war, and to increase the size of the army by attaching a regiment of reservists to each regular regiment to form demi-brigades. Along with Yvon Dubail and Pol Durand, Gallieni was one of those who told War Minister
Messimy Messimy () is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France. Population See also *Communes of the Rhône department The following is a list of the 208 communes of the Rhône department of France. This list does not includes the L ...
that Michel must be removed. Following Michel's removal Gallieni, who was the preferred choice of
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Caillaux, declined the job of Army Chief of Staff. This was partly because of scruples after having forced Michel out, partly because of age—he was two and a half years away from retirement—and partly because the Metropolitan Army might resent a colonial soldier getting the job (''"une question de bouton"''). His former subordinate Joffre was appointed instead.


Pre-World War I

Gallieni commanded Fifth Army until his retirement, and protested that it was not strong enough to advance into Belgium, and that Maubeuge should be fortified more strongly. His successor Lanrezac shared his concerns. After tours of the area Gallieni had failed to persuade the authorities to modernise Maubeuge. Like a number of officers with colonial experience, Gallieni wanted the French army to give up the '' pantalon rouge'' (red trousers worn by French soldiers, allegedly as a boost to morale) and adopt a less conspicuous uniform. This was vetoed on the grounds that dull uniforms might be confused with those of the enemy and might turn the army into a citizen militia like the Boers. At the 1911 manoeuvres Gallieni used air reconnaissance to capture a colonel of the Supreme War Council and his staff. He expressed reservations about the limited offensive strategy. His views on fortifications, artillery, and use of information obtained from aviation and intelligence were seen as unusual views for a colonial soldier. In the same year, Gallieni was considered the logical choice for supreme commander of the French Army, but because of advanced age and poor health, he declined in favour of Joffre. His date of retirement is given as February or April 1914. His wife died in early summer 1914. Before the war he wrote of Joffre in his diary, "When I was riding I passed him in the ''bois'' oodstoday—on foot as usual—how fat and heavy he is; he will hardly last out his three years." He warned Joffre, correctly as it would turn out, that the Germans would come west of the Meuse in strength (i.e. make an enveloping move deep into Belgium, rather than a shallow incursion through the south-east corner of Belgium and down through the Ardennes).


First World War


The Marne

Gallieni was designated as Joffre's successor "in case of emergency" on 31 July. Joffre refused to have him at his headquarters, saying "He is difficult to place. I have always been under his orders. ''Il m’a toujours fait mousser'' e always riled me" On 14 August, as the Lorraine offensive was beginning, Gallieni visited Joffre at the insistence of War Minister
Adolphe Messimy Adolphe Marie Messimy (; 31 January 1869 – 1 September 1935) was a French politician and general. He served as Minister of War in 1911–12 and then again for a few months during the outbreak of and first three weeks of the First World War. H ...
, who felt intimidated by Joffre. Messimy imagined that Joffre would be more likely to listen to his former superior, but he was quickly palmed off onto the staff officer General Belin and his deputy Berthelot.


Military Governor of Paris

As a condition of becoming
Military governor of Paris The military governor of Paris is a post within the French Army. He commands the garrison of Paris and represents all the military based in Paris at high state occasions. He is also responsible (subordinate to the President of France) for organiz ...
, Gallieni demanded three active corps to defend the city. War Minister
Messimy Messimy () is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France. Population See also *Communes of the Rhône department The following is a list of the 208 communes of the Rhône department of France. This list does not includes the L ...
ordered Joffre to provide them on 25 August but Joffre, regarding this as interference with strategy, ignored the order. Gallieni learned from Messimy that 61st and 62nd Infantry Divisions, formerly the Paris Garrison, were being ordered north for
Maunoury Maunoury is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Auguste-François Maunoury (born 1811), Catholic Hellenist and exegete * Catherine Maunoury, French aerobatic pilot * Ernest Maunoury (1894–1921), French World War I flying ace *Ma ...
’s planned offensive against the German west flank near Amiens, leaving Gallieni with only territorial troops. Already in poor health, Gallieni was appointed on 26 August, not yet knowing that he did not have the resources he had demanded. However, on that day Viviani formed a new government (''
Union sacrée The Sacred Union (, ) was a political truce in the French Third Republic in which the left-wing agreed during World War I not to oppose the government or call any strikes. Made in the name of patriotism, it stood in opposition to the pledge made ...
''), and on 27 August the new War Minister Millerand (who had replaced Messimy largely because of the poor state of the Paris defences) visited Joffre, who promised to provide the three corps if Maunoury's attack should fail. On 28 August the "Zone of Armies" was extended to cover the Paris suburbs. From 10am to 10:15am Gallieni held his one and only Council of Defence, at which his military and civil cabinets, standing up and without discussion, were made to sign the order placing Paris in a state of defence. He sacked two generals in his first two days. On 2 September, the anniversary of the
Battle of Sedan The Battle of Sedan was fought during the Franco-Prussian War from 1 to 2 September 1870. Resulting in the capture of Napoleon III, Emperor Napoleon III and over a hundred thousand troops, it effectively decided the war in favour of Prussia and ...
, the government left Paris for Bordeaux, with the evacuation continuing through the night of 2/3 September. Paris was made a ''"camp militaire retranché"''. Before departing, Millerand ordered Gallieni to defend Paris ''"à outrance,"'' repeating the order when Gallieni explained that it meant destroying buildings and bridges. Gallieni later recorded that he had been certain that he was remaining behind to die. That day Gallieni told Joffre that without the three corps it would be "absolutely impossible to resist." Joffre placed Maunoury's Sixth Army, which was retreating down from the Amiens area, under Gallieni's direct command as the "Armies of Paris." Gallieni at once drove out to inspect his new command—he was horrified by the sight of the refugees—and to visit Maunoury. Gallieni had four territorial divisions and the 185th Territorial Brigade. He soon received a Marine Artillery Brigade (mostly Breton reservist sailors) and the 84th Territorial Division. Sixth Army was soon augmented by IV Corps from Third Army. Maunoury had an active division of VII Corps, a 5,000 strong native Moroccan brigade, and four reserve divisions: 61st and 62nd under Ebener, and 55th and 56th which had fought in Lorraine. Joffre also added Drude's 45th Division of Zouaves from Algeria, who made a huge impression marching through Paris, and IV Corps from Third Army. The Prefect of Police had resigned "on grounds of health" on being ordered to remain at his post. Gallieni stayed up with his staff all night drawing up plans for Sixth Army to give battle between the Oise and Pontoise. Joffre had Millerand place Gallieni under his own command on 2 September. Gallieni believed that Joffre's strategy of retreating behind the Seine was "divorced from reality" as the Germans would not allow his forces enough time to rally. He spent the night of 2/3 September at his new HQ at Lycee Victor-Duruy, expecting a German attack the next day. On the morning of 3 September he learned that von Kluck was marching southeast across Paris, offering his flank to a French counterattack. The first public proclamation on the morning of 3 September promised to defend Paris "to the last extremity." That morning Gallieni set engineers and civilian labourers to work cutting down woods and trees, and preparing bridges and buildings for demolition to clear lines of sight for guns. For three days concrete was poured and barbed wire strung up. Even the
Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower from 1887 to 1889. Locally nicknamed "''La dame de fe ...
was prepared for demolition. Paris had 2,924 guns, ranging from 155mm to 75mm. Hospitals and fire departments put on alert. Gas for three months of electricity was stockpiled, along with bread for 43 days, salt for 20 days and meat for 12 days. Pigeons were brought under state control for carrying messages. Lt-Col Dreyfus rejoined the artillery. Civilian ''paniquards'' were encouraged to leave and reconnaissance patrols were set up.


Planning the counterattack

On the night of 3–4 September Joffre sent a handwritten note to Gallieni, wanting Maunoury's Sixth Army to push east along the north bank of the Marne, although not specifying a date. This was in line with his modification of ''Instruction General No 4'' (2 September), envisaging a giant pocket from Paris to Verdun, of which he enclosed copies to Gallieni. Gallieni decided that it was "vital to act quickly" so as not to leave Paris uncovered. At 09:10 on 4 September, based on the previous day's reports of Paris aviators, which he had passed on to Joffre, and on his own authority, he sent orders to Maunoury to be ready to move his army that afternoon (now reinforced with Drude's 45th Infantry Division) and to be ready to come to Paris for a conference. Having first informed
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Poincaré Poincaré is a French surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Henri Poincaré Jules Henri Poincaré (, ; ; 29 April 185417 July 1912) was a French mathematician, Theoretical physics, theoretical physicist, engineer, and philos ...
in Bordeaux—in Tuchman's view, to force Joffre's hand—at 9:45am he had the first of a series of telephone calls, conducted through aides, as Joffre would not come to the phone, and Gallieni refused to speak to anyone else. Gallieni would later write that "the real Battle of the Marne was fought on the telephone." He proposed, depending on how much further the Germans were to be allowed to advance, to attack north of the Marne on 6 September or south of the Marne on 7 September. Joffre's reply, saying he preferred the southern option (which would take a day longer as it forced Sixth Army to cross to south of the Marne, but would allow Sixth Army and the BEF to not be separated by the river), arrived too late to reach Gallieni. To ensure British cooperation Gallieni, accompanied by Maunoury, left Paris at 1pm to drive to BEF GHQ at Melun, driving past lines of southbound cars leaving Paris. He had already received advice from the liaison officer Victor Huguet that BEF Commander-in-Chief
Sir John French Field Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, (28 September 1852 – 22 May 1925), known as Sir John French from 1901 to 1916, and as The Viscount French between 1916 and 1922, was a senior British Army officer. Born in Kent, ...
, influenced by BEF Chief of Staff
Murray Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American bicycle manufacturer * Murray Motor Car Company, an American car manufacturer * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trus ...
and concerned about his supply lines along the lower Seine, was unlikely to join in any offensive. They arrived at 3pm and with some difficulty located Murray, who had no idea when Sir John, who was out visiting British I Corps, was to return and was unwilling to make any decision in his absence. In a three-hour meeting, the French generals proposed that Sixth Army was to move that afternoon, then on 5 September was to strike German IV Reserve Corps on the west flank. A provisional agreement was drawn up, with copies kept by Maunoury, Gallieni, and Lt-Col Brecard to take to GQG for Joffre's approval. The French came away with the impression that the British would not cooperate and that Murray had ''"une grande repugnance"'' for them, but he did in fact pass the plans along to Sir John. While this was going on, Wilson (BEF Sub Chief of Staff) was negotiating separate plans with Franchet d’Esperey ( Fifth Army, on the British right), which envisaged Sixth Army attacking ''north'' of the Marne. In the absence of news from Franchet d'Esperey, Joffre ordered Major Gamelin to draft orders for Maunoury to attack south of the Marne on 7 September. That evening Gallieni, who returned to Paris to find Joffre's message from earlier in the day and a message from Wilson, insisted on speaking to Joffre personally on the telephone, informing him that it was too late to cancel the movement of Maunoury's Army. Joffre agreed to bring forward the Allied offensive to 6 September and to have Sixth Army attack north of the Marne instead, later writing that he had done so reluctantly as Maunoury would probably make contact with the Germans on 5 September, but that an extra day would have left the Germans in a more "disadvantageous" position. Tuchman argues that he may simply have been swayed by the dominant personality of Gallieni, his former superior. At 8:30pm Gallieni ordered the attack by Maunoury's Army, which was in fact already under way. At 10pm Joffre issued ''General Order No 6'', ordering a General Allied Offensive.


Taxicab Army and the Battle of the Ourcq

On 5 September Gallieni informed Maunoury that there was to be no retreat and issued secret orders for the destruction of important parts of Paris, including the
Pont Neuf The Pont Neuf (, "New Bridge") is the oldest standing bridge across the river Seine in Paris, France. It stands by the western (downstream) point of the Île de la Cité, the island in the middle of the river that was, between 250 and 225 BC, ...
and the
Pont Alexandre III The Pont Alexandre III () is a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. It connects the Champs-Élysées quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower. The bridge is widely regarded as the most ornate, extravagant bridge in the ...
. On 7 September Gallieni, concerned that with Maunoury's Sixth Army fighting out in the open, Paris was now vulnerable, telegraphed the government in Bordeaux to discuss the possible evacuation of the civilian population from the Paris suburbs, and ordered
prefects Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect' ...
and the police to find "emergency locations" for them. That day Gallieni was ordered not to communicate directly with the government. This left Joffre "all-powerful" (in Gallieni's description), as he had sacked so many generals and Gallieni was his only serious rival. The same day, frustrated at the slowness at which the British were advancing into the gap between the German First and Second Armies, Gallieni sent Lartigue's 8th Infantry Division to the BEF's ''right'' flank to keep contact between the BEF and Franchet d’Esperey's Fifth Army (the French and British generals of 1914 were extremely concerned at the prospect of armies being encircled and besieged, after what had happened to the French Armies at Sedan and
Metz Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle (river), Moselle and the Seille (Moselle), Seille rivers. Metz is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments ...
in 1870). Joffre, concerned that Gallieni might arouse Sir John's "touchiness," sent a telegram to Lord Kitchener ( British War Secretary) thanking him for Sir John's efforts. It was Gallieni's decision to send 103rd and 104th Infantry Regiments (5 battalions, part of Trentinian's 7th Infantry Division, itself part of IV Corps; most of 7th Infantry Division, including artillery, had been sent to the front by rail and truck the previous night) to the front on the night of 7/8 September, in taxicabs commandeered the previous evening. The division's attack failed completely so the taxicab troops had even less impact than sometimes supposed. Although "great publicity for Gallieni; militarily it was insignificant" in Herwig's view. Upon seeing the "taxicab army" ferrying troops to the front, Gallieni made one of the most oft-quoted remarks of the First World War: "''Eh bien, voilà au moins qui n'est pas banal!''" ("Well, here at least is something out of the ordinary!"). Learning of Gallieni's contingency plans to evacuate Paris the previous day, Joffre telegraphed Millerand (8 September) demanding that he cancel Gallieni's "dangerous" message, and insisting that Gallieni was under his orders and had no business communicating directly with the government. On 8 September Gallieni ordered Maunoury, under heavy pressure from von Kluck, to hold his ground. Joffre gave permission for Maunoury to pull back his left if necessary. The Germans, concerned at the gap between their First and Second Armies, began to pull back on 9 September, giving the Allies a strategic victory in the Battle of the Marne.


After the Marne

When the German warships '' Goeben'' and '' Breslau'' went to Constantinople, Gallieni proposed attacking the Turkish straits. By early December 1914 some of Gallieni's supporters were suggesting that he be appointed Commander-in-Chief in Joffre's place, or be made Minister of War, or both. Gallieni was an early supporter of some kind of expeditionary force to the Balkans. Early in 1915 Gallieni supported the proposal of Franchet d’Esperey and
Aristide Briand Aristide Pierre Henri Briand (; 28 March 18627 March 1932) was a French statesman who served eleven terms as Prime Minister of France during the French Third Republic. He is mainly remembered for his focus on international issues and reconciliat ...
(Justice Minister) for an expedition to Salonika, which he hoped would detach first Turkey then Austria-Hungary, leaving Germany "doomed". President Poincaré came out in favour of such a scheme, over Joffre's opposition, on 7 January 1915.


Minister of War


Appointment

With Viviani’s government in trouble following the resignation of Delcasse as Foreign Minister, the unsuccessful autumn offensive and the entry of Bulgaria into the war, he asked Joffre, who had told him that nine out of ten generals would make poor ministers of war, whether Gallieni would be a good replacement for Millerand as
Minister of War A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...
. Joffre replied "perhaps," then after a pause for thought "maybe." Although Gallieni agreed, in the event other French leaders refused to join Viviani's government so Briand formed a new government on 29 October 1915, with Viviani as vice-president of the Council of Ministers (Deputy PM) and Gallieni as War Minister. Since July 1915 Joffre had been demanding that he be appointed commander-in-chief over ''all'' French forces, including those at the Dardanelles and Salonika. By November 1915 President Poincaré was persuaded, and Briand, initially reluctant because of the difficulty of defending Gallieni's inclusion in his new ministry, agreed and on his first day in office asked Poincaré to help him persuade Gallieni to accept Joffre's enhanced role. Gallieni agreed and wrote to Joffre—having first shown the letter to Briand—assuring him that "you can count on me." Briand had the two men meet and shake hands. At the meeting of the Superior Council of Defence (24 November 1915) Joffre had Briand address the demarcation of his own and Gallieni's authority, and objected to the Council discussing operational matters, threatening to resign if they attempted to interfere with his "liberty." Joffre met with Poincaré and Briand both before and after the meeting to discuss the issue. Gallieni complained bitterly in his diary about the politicians’ unwillingness to stand up to Joffre. On 1 December Poincaré and Briand met with Gallieni. They rejected the proposal prepared by his staff to vest authority in the Minister of War, Briand objecting that he would be obliged to answer questions in the Chamber about operational matters. Gallieni agreed that Joffre be commander-in-chief, with de Castelnau—who was soon sidelined—as his chief of staff, and under the War Minister's orders. A Presidential Decree of 2 December 1915 made Joffre "Commander-in-Chief of the French Armies" (''generalissimo'') over all theatres apart from North Africa. After considerable discussion this was approved by the Chamber of Deputies by 406–67 on 9 December.


Policies

Gallieni cleared out soldiers from cushy jobs—three Paris theatres had been directed by Army officers. He authorised the renewed use of black African troops—50,000 in total—on the Western Front. He introduced ''foyers du soldat''—waiting rooms for soldiers in transit at railway stations. Although Gallieni supported the Salonika expedition, he shared Joffre's low opinion of Sarrail’s military abilities. On 12 November Gallieni ordered Sarrail to retreat to Salonika with as much of the Serb Army as he could gather. After Sarrail lobbied politicians for reinforcements Gallieni wrote back to 19 November telling him that he was not going to receive the four corps he wanted, although on 20 November he sent Sarrail (whom he thought "indecisive and not up to the task") a telegram giving him a free choice as to whether to assist the latest Serb attack and when to fall back on Salonika. With evacuation of the Gallipoli bridgeheads under discussion, Gallieni was willing to divert troops there from Salonika for one last attempt. On 9–11 December Gallieni took part in the Anglo-French talks in Paris (along with
Grey Grey (more frequent in British English) or gray (more frequent in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning that it has no chroma. It is the color of a cloud-covered s ...
(British Foreign Secretary), Kitchener (British War Secretary), Joffre and Briand) at which it was decided to maintain an Allied presence in Salonika, although it was unclear for how long. He later ordered Joffre to send an extra French division, although not the two Sarrail demanded.


Resignation

Gallieni made an effort to unite soldiers and politicians, and to establish a working relationship in which he concentrated on supplying resources (not dissimilar to the role to which Kitchener was restricted in the UK from the end of 1915). However, Gallieni had
prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the neoplasm, uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through Screening (medicine), screening tests, ...
, with pain making him less tolerant of criticism at a time when political disquiet was growing after the failure of the
Second Battle of Champagne The Second Battle of Champagne (, utumn Battle in the First World War was a French offensive against the German army at Champagne that coincided with the Third Battle of Artois in the north and ended with a French defeat. Battle On 25 Sep ...
, especially the failed attack on
Hartmannswillerkopf Hartmannswillerkopf, also known as the Vieil Armand (French) or Hartmannsweiler Kopf (German; English: Hartmansweiler Head) is a pyramidal rocky spur in the Vosges mountains of the Grand Est region, France. The peak stands at overlooking the Rhin ...
and its subsequent total loss. In Clayton's view, Gallieni may well have been sceptical of Joffre's plans for a massive Anglo-French offensive on the Somme, to be accompanied by Italian and Russian offensives, as floated at the Chantilly meeting in 6–8 December 1915. There was also friction over Gallieni's assertion of his right to appoint generals, Joffre's practice of communicating directly with the British generals rather than going through the War Ministry, and Gallieni's maintaining contacts with generals whom Joffre had replaced. In autumn 1915 Lt-Colonel Driant, a member of the Chamber of Deputies and commander of a ''chasseurs'' brigade, complained to Gallieni of how Joffre had been removing guns and garrisons from Verdun and even preparing some forts for demolition. Joffre was furious and disputed Gallieni's right to comment. Driant, who had served at Verdun, was a member of the Army Commission of the
Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...
. The Council of Ministers discussed his reports and President Poincaré asked Gallieni to investigate. Gallieni wrote to Joffre (16 or 18 December 1915) expressing concern at the state of trenches at Verdun and elsewhere on the front—in fact matters were already being taken in hand at Verdun. The political atmosphere was poisonous after the opening of the German attack at Verdun (21 February). Rumours circulated in Paris that Joffre had ordered the abandonment of Verdun at the end of February 1916 when the Germans first attacked. Gallieni demanded to see all paperwork from the period, but Joffre had made no such order in writing, merely despatching de Castelnau to assess the situation. Gallieni launched an angry report at the Council of Ministers on 7 March—read in his usual precise way—criticising Joffre's conduct of operations over the last eighteen months and demanding ministerial control, then resigned. Gallieni was falsely suspected of wanting to launch a military takeover of the government. Poincaré wrote that Gallieni was trying to force Joffre's resignation, although it is unclear whether he was specifically trying to do so. Briand knew that publication of the report would damage morale and might bring down the government. Gallieni was persuaded to remain in office until a replacement had been designated and approved. Rocques was appointed as his successor after it had been ensured that Joffre had no objections. This would be the last attempt to assert ministerial control over the army until Clemenceau became Prime Minister late in 1917.


Later life

The strain of high office had broken Gallieni's already fragile health. Suffering from prostate cancer, he underwent two surgeries at the Versailles clinic and died on May 27, 1916. Gallieni's ''Memoirs'' were published posthumously in 1920. He was posthumously made
Marshal of France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...
, in 1921. He was buried in Saint-Raphaël. Camp Gallieni in
Kati KATI (94.3 FM), branded as 94.3 KAT Country, is a radio station which broadcasts country music and St. Louis Cardinals baseball. Licensed to California, Missouri, the station serves the Jefferson City Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, ...
was named after him. There is also a Camp Galieni in Abidjan that serves as the Ivorian Arms forces Headquarters


Assessments

Clayton describes him as a dry precise man, a secular republican (views which influenced his colonial policy) but one who kept aloof from politics. Herwig describes him as "formidable" and "France’s most distinguished soldier" whose "physical appearance alone commanded respect": he was of straight bearing and always wore full dress uniform. By the time Gallieni complained about Joffre's handling of Verdun, there was already public debate, much of it politically motivated, about which of them had "won" the
First Battle of the Marne The First Battle of the Marne or known in France as the Miracle on the Marne () was a battle of the First World War fought from the 5th to the 12th September 1914. The German army invaded France with a plan for winning the war in 40 days by oc ...
in 1914. Churchill commends him for seeing the opportunity to outflank the German Army, using Manoury's Sixth Army, and for persuading the defeatist Joffre. "He is not thinking only of the local situation around Paris. He thinks for France and he behaves with the spontaneous confidence of genius in action.". In his memoirs Gallieni claimed credit for that victory, and historians such as
Georges Blond Georges Blond (''Jean-Marie Hoedick'', 11 July 1906 – 16 March 1989), was a French writer who was born in Marseille and died in Paris. A prolific writer of mostly history but also other topics including fiction, Blond was also involved in far rig ...
,
Basil Liddell Hart Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart (31 October 1895 – 29 January 1970), commonly known throughout most of his career as Captain B. H. Liddell Hart, was a British soldier, military historian, and military theorist. He wrote a series of military his ...
, and Henri Isselin credited him with being the guiding intelligence, a claim disputed by Captain Lyet in his book ''"Joffre et Gallieni a la Marne"'' in 1938. Ian Senior describes "Gallieni's claims" as "absolute nonsense" and Lyet's book as "an excellent analysis which convincingly refutes" them. Joffre himself once remarked: ''"Je ne sais pas qui l'a gagnée, mais je sais bien qui l'aurait perdue."'' (I do not know who won it he battle but I know well who would have lost it."). Doughty writes of the Marne: "Gallieni’s role was important, but the key concept and decisions lay with Joffre". At the end of the war Clemenenceau said, "Without Galliéni, victory would have been impossible."


Ethnology

From the beginning of his colonial career he became interested in ethnology. He amassed a large collection of objects from
French Sudan French Sudan (; ') was a French colonial territory in the Federation of French West Africa from around 1880 until 1959, when it joined the Mali Federation, and then in 1960, when it became the independent state of Mali. The colony was formall ...
and
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
, which he donated to the
Museum de Toulouse A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private collections that are used by researchers ...
. Chapeau de berger MHNT ETH AC 766.jpg, Shepherd Hat
French Sudan French Sudan (; ') was a French colonial territory in the Federation of French West Africa from around 1880 until 1959, when it joined the Mali Federation, and then in 1960, when it became the independent state of Mali. The colony was formall ...
MHNT Gallieni MHNT ETH AC 595 Sabre.jpg, Saber and its sheath
French Sudan French Sudan (; ') was a French colonial territory in the Federation of French West Africa from around 1880 until 1959, when it joined the Mali Federation, and then in 1960, when it became the independent state of Mali. The colony was formall ...
MHNT Gallieni Herminette MHNT ETH AC 533 Sénégal.jpg,
Adze An adze () or adz is an ancient and versatile cutting tool similar to an axe but with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle rather than parallel. Adzes have been used since the Stone Age. They are used for smoothing or carving wood in ha ...
, Senegal MHNT Bracelets de cheville. Culture Dan.jpg, Ankle bracelets. Culture Dan MHNT Gallieni Sandales Sakalaves MHNT ETH AC MD 69.jpg, Pair of sandals (
Sakalava people The Sakalava are an ethnic group of Madagascar. They are primarily found on the western edge of Madagascar from Toliara in the south to the Sambirano River in the north. The Sakalava constitute about 6.2 percent of the total population, or abou ...
). It was exhibited at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 MHNT


Works by Joseph Gallieni

* ''Voyage au Soudan Français, 1879-1881'', Paris, Hachette, 1885, avec 140 gravures dessinées sur bois par
Édouard Riou Édouard Riou (; 2 December 1833 – 27 January 1900) was a French illustrator who illustrated six novels by Jules Verne, as well as several other well-known works. Life Riou was born in 1833 in Saint-Servan, Ille-et-Vilaine, and studied und ...
* ''Deux campagnes au Soudan français, 1886-1888'', Paris, Hachette, 1891 * ''Trois colonnes au Tonkin, 1894-1895'', 1899 * ''Rapport d’ensemble sur la pacification, l’organisation et la colonisation de Madagascar, 1896-1899'', Paris, Charles-Lavauzelle, 1900 * ''Madagascar de 1896 à 1905'', Tananarive : Impr. officielle, 1905, 2 vol. * ''Neuf ans à Madagascar'', 1906 * ''Mémoires du Général Galliéni - Défense de Paris (25 août - 11 septembre 1914)'', Paris, Payot et Cie, 1920 * ''Les Carnets de Galliéni'', publiés par son fils Gaëtan Galliéni, avec des notes de
Pierre-Barthélemy Gheusi Pierre-Barthélemy Gheusi, also known by the pseudonym Norbert Lorédan, (21 November 1865 – 30 January 1943) was a French theatre director, librettist, journalist and writer. He was born in Toulouse and died in Paris. Biography A son of a ba ...
, Paris, Albin Michel, 1932


References


Notes


Further reading

* * * * * * Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1994). ''The World War One Sourcebook.'' Arms and Armour Press, London. * * * * *


External links


Newsreel
of the British Pathé: Gallieni visits a hospital (c. 1914) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gallieni, Joseph Marshals of France Military governors of Paris 1849 births 1916 deaths People from Haute-Garonne French military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War French Army generals of World War I People of French West Africa Colonial governors of French Madagascar People of the French Third Republic École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr alumni French colonial governors and administrators French people of Italian descent French people of Lombard descent Ministers of war of France Deaths from prostate cancer