Henri-Philippe Petain

liverpool annie · Jan 6, 2009

The "Hero of France" who became a convicted traitor and changed the course of history !... what a controversial figure !

Henri-Philippe Petain was born in Cauch-a-la-Tour in 1856. He joined the French Army in 1876 and attending the St Cyr Military School and spent many years as an infantry officer and an army instructor. After studying the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05)

Petain became convinced that the increased fire-power of modern weapons strongly favoured the defensive. Others in the French Army, for example, Ferdinand Foch, believed the opposite to be true.

On the outbreak of the First World War Petain was due to retire from the army. Instead he was promoted to brigadier and took part in the Artois Offensive. In 1915 Joseph Joffre sent Petain to command the French troops at Verdun. Afterwards Petain was praised for his artillery-based defensive operations and his organisation of manpower resources.

After the disastrous Nivelle Offensive in the spring of 1917, the French Army suffered widespread mutinies on the Western Front. Petain replaced Robert Nivelle as Commander-in-Chief. This was a popular choice as Petain, unlike Nivelle, had a reputation for having a deep concern for the lives of his soldiers. By improving the living conditions of the soldiers at the front and restricting the French Army to defensive operations, Petain gradually improved the morale of his troops.

Considered to be too defensively minded, it was Ferdinand Foch rather than Petain who was given the main role in the Allied offensive in the autumn of 1918. Promoted to Field Marshal two weeks after the Armistice, Petain remained active in French military affairs and served as War Minister in 1934.

In 1940, aged 83, Petain agreed to head the Vichy government in occupied France. Petain fed to Switzerland after the Normandy landings but when he returned in April, 1945, he was arrested and charged with treason. Petain was found guilty of and sentenced to death for aiding the German enemy. The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. Henri-Philippe Petain died in prison in 1951.

liverpool annie · Nov 3, 2009

On July 23 1951 at 9:22 a.m., Marshal Petain stops living ; the Doctor-Captain announces to the Marshal's wife the death of her husband by pronouncing these few words: « Madam, the Marshal of France is no more ». The Marshal is clothed with his uniform carrying only one decoration, the Military Medal. The dignity of Marshal of France will be inscribed on all official certificates.

The Marshal's wife receives, that very same day, several thousands of messages of condolences including from Marshal Joffre’s wife and General Juin.
On July 24, the War Veterans, who had been refused the possibility of paying their respect before the Marshal’s remains, organize a vigil in front of the mortuary: voices rise in silence of the night, « Saints of France, pray for our elderly Chief ! Marshal, please forgive France ! »
Many demonstrations of fidelity to the Marshal take place throughout France, in particular in the capital where Parisian gather under the Arch of Triumph at l’Étoile, in front of the tomb of the unknown Soldier when they lay flowers in the form of an immense cross.

The funeral service in memory of the Marshal takes place on July 25, at the church of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Port : the coffin, covered with the tricoloured flag, is placed in front of the altar. On one side is Marshal's wife, on the in full dress uniform are Generals Weygand and Héring as well as Admiral Fernet ; the ecclesiastical authorities are represented by Mgr Chappoulie, Bishop of Angers ; Mgr Rodhain, Chaplain-in-Chief of the prisons ; and Mgr Cazeaux, Bishop of Luçon who speaks and arrives at his conclusion: « We will pray that God forgives the sins and crowns the merits of this long and tragic existence, and we will even pray, for I am sure that he wants it so, for what were his lifelong dream and the wish : The unity of the French people and the salvation of the Homeland. »

After the funeral ceremony, the procession makes its way to the marine cemetery of l’Île d’Yeu : behind the coffin, a war veteran carries, on a black cushion, the Marshal’s kepi and the Military Medal ; further back, Pierre de Hérain, son-in-law of the Marshal, Generals Weygand and Héring, Admiral Fernet, the Marshal’s attorneys, Jacques Isorni and Jean Lemaire, and many notable personalities. The coffin is lowered into the pit covered with a white slab carrying the inscription in bronze letters : « Philippe Pétain, Marshal of France ». The tomb is facing the continent ; it is surmounted by a cross similar to those in our military cemeteries. The famous soldier rests temporarily on l’Île d’Yeu while awaiting his rehabilitation and return, in the midst of his « Poilus », where his place is reserved at the Ossuary at Douaumont
Click to expand...

http://www.marechal-petain.com/versionanglaise/sommaire.htm

liverpool annie · Nov 3, 2009

Heres some pictures !

http://www.life.com/search/?type=pu...-Philippe Petain&k93510=Henri-Philippe Petain

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