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Maxime Weygand
January 21, 1867–January 28, 1965

Allegiance France
Service/branch French Army
Rank Général d'armée
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Grand cross of the Légion d'honneur
Virtuti Militari (2nd Class)

Maxime Weygand (January 21, 1867 - January 28, 1965) (IPA: [vɛgɑ̃]) was a French military commander in World War I and World War II. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (Land Army is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest A Général d'Armée ( Army General) is the highest active military rank of the French Army. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Order Virtuti Militari ( Latin for "For Military Virtue" is Poland 's highest Military decoration for valor in the face of Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Though not as infamous as Philippe Petain, Weygand is remembered for initially fighting the German invasion of France in 1940, then surrendering to and collaborating with the Germans as part of the Vichy France regime. Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain (24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951 generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain ( Maréchal Pétain) In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries Vichy France, or the Vichy regime are the common terms used to describe the government of France from July 1940 to August 1944

Contents

Early years

Weygand was born in Brussels. Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is It has been alleged that he was the illegitimate son of either Empress Carlota of Mexico or of her brother Leopold II, King of the Belgians. Charlotte of Belgium ( Princess Marie Charlotte Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine of Belgium) ( 7 June, 1840 &ndash 19 January Leopold II (Léopold Louis Philippe Marie Victor Leopold Lodewijk Filips Maria Victor (9 April 1835 – 17 December 1909 was King of the Belgians. Weygand refused to confirm or deny these rumours. He was educated in Marseille by the Jewish Cohen de Léon family. Marseille, ( English alt Marseilles mɑrˈseɪ — French: maʁsɛj locally — Provençal Occitan: Marselha maʀˈsijɔ

In his memoirs he says little about his youth, devoting to it only 4 pages out of 651. He mentions the gouvernante and the aumônier of his college, who instilled in him a strong Roman Catholic faith. His memoirs essentially begin with his entry into the preparatory class of Saint-Cyr Military School in Paris, as if he had wished to erase his connection with the Jewish family that took him in and ensured his education. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Indeed, he always expressed extreme antisemitism, especially during the Second World War. Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility (It is not known under what conditions or for what reasons M. Cohen de Léon became his tutor. )

He was admitted to the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, under the name of "Maxime de Nimal", as a foreign cadet (Belgian). The École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr ( ESM, literally the "Special Military School of St Cyr" is the foremost French Military academy. Successfully graduating in 1887, he was posted to a cavalry regiment. Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on He was then legally acknowledged ['reconnu'] as his illegitimate son by an accountant under the employ of M. Cohen de Léon, François-Joseph Weygand, from whom he received both surname and French nationality. A surname is a name added to a Given name and is part of a Personal name. . . eventually becoming an instructor at Saumur. Saumur is a town and commune in the Maine-et-Loire département of France on the Loire River at, with an approximate

During the Dreyfus affair, he was one of the most antidreyfusard officers of his regiment, supporting the widow of Colonel Henry, who had committed suicide after the discovery of the falsification of the charges against Captain Dreyfus. The Dreyfus Affair a Political scandal which divided France from the 1890s to the early 1900s

Once promoted to Captain, Weygand chose not to attempt the difficult preparation to the Advanced War College ('Haute Ecole de Guerre') because of his desire, he said, to keep contact with the troops. This did not prevent him from later becoming an instructor at the aristocratic Cavalry School at Saumur.

Weygand during World War I

Weygand passed the war of 1914-18 as a Staff Officer. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All At the outbreak, he satisfied his taste for contact with the troops while spending 26 days with the 5ème Hussards. On 28 August, he became a Lieutenant-Colonel on the staff of Marshal Ferdinand Foch. Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies Ferdinand Foch OM GCB (2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929 was a French soldier military theorist and writer credited with possessing "the most original He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1916 and Major General in 1918, serving in the Supreme War Council from 1917. Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Supreme War Council was a central command created by British Prime Minister David Lloyd George to coordinate Allied military strategy during Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year He remained on Foch's staff when the marshal was appointed Supreme Allied Commander. Supreme Allied Commander is the title held by the most senior commander within certain multinational military alliances In 1918 he served on the armistice negotiations, and it was Weygand who read out the armistice conditions to the Germans at Compiègne, in the twice infamous railway carriage. The armistice treaty between the Allies and Germany was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on November 11, 1918 Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Compiègne is a commune in the Oise département of France, of which it is a Sous-préfecture. A Railway coach &mdash also known especially in the UK, as a railway carriage &mdash is a passenger car designed for the conveyance of passengers

Inter-war period

Weygand in Poland

Weygand was briefly sent to Poland as head of the French military mission in 1920 during the Polish-Soviet War. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar The mission also included French diplomat Jean Jules Jusserand and the British diplomat Lord Edgar Vincent D'Abernon. Jean Adrien Antoine Jules Jusserand ( February 18, 1855 &ndash July 18, 1932) was a French Author and diplomat Edgar Vincent 1st Viscount D'Abernon GCMG ( 19 August 1857 &ndash 1 November 1941) was a British Politician It achieved little; indeed, the crucial Battle of Warsaw was fought and won by the Poles before the mission could return and make its report. The Battle of Warsaw (Russian Варшáвское сражéние Polish: Bitwa Warszawska sometimes referred to as the Miracle at the Vistula, Polish Subsequently, for many years, the myth that the timely arrival of Allied forces saved Poland was begun, a myth in which Weygand occupies the central role. The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore"

Weygand travelled to Warsaw in the expectation of assuming command of the Polish army, yet he met with a very disappointing reception. Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. His first meeting with Piłsudski on 24 July started on the wrong foot, as he had no answer to Piłsudski's opening question, "How many divisions do you bring?" Weygand had no divisions to offer. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. On 27 July, he was installed as adviser to the Polish Chief of Staff, Rozwadowski, but their cooperation was poor. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. He was surrounded by officers who regarded him as an interloper and who deliberately spoke in Polish, depriving him not only of a part in their discussions but even of the news from the front. His suggestions for the organization of Poland's defence were systematically rejected. At the end of July he proposed that the Poles hold the line of the Western Bug; a week later he proposed a purely defensive posture along the Vistula. The Bug or Buh River (Bug; Західний Буг Zakhidnyy Buh; Захо́дні Буг Zakhodni Buh; Западный Буг Zapadnyy Bug Neither plan was accepted. One of his few contributions was to insist that a system of written staff orders should replace the existing haphazard system of orders passed by word of mouth. He was of special assistance to General Władysław Sikorski, to whom he expounded the advantages of the River Wkra. Władysław Eugeniusz Sikorski (May 20 1881 – July 4 1943 pronounced) was a Polish military and political leader But on the whole he was quite out of his element, a man trained to give orders yet placed among people without the inclination to obey, a proponent of defence in the company of enthusiasts for the attack. On 18 August, when he met Piłsudski again he was told nothing of the great victory, but was "regaled instead with a Jewish tale". Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. It offended his dignity as a "représentant de la France" and he threatened to leave. Indeed there was nothing to do but leave. The battle was won; armistice negotiations were beginning; the crisis had passed. He urged D'Abernon and Jusserand to pack their bags and make as decent an exit as possible. He was depressed by his failure and dismayed by Poland's disregard for the Entente. The Triple Entente (" entente " — French for "agreement" was the name given to the loose alignment of the United Kingdom, the On the station at Warsaw on 25 August he was consoled by the award of the medal, the Virtuti Militari; at Cracow on the 26th he was dined by the mayor and corporation; at Paris on the 28th he was cheered by crowds lining the platform of the Gare de l'Est, kissed on both cheeks by the Premier Alexandre Millerand and presented with the grand-croix de la légion d'honneur. Events 1248 - The Dutch city of Ommen receives city rights and fortification rights from Otto III the The Order Virtuti Militari ( Latin for "For Military Virtue" is Poland 's highest Military decoration for valor in the face of Kraków, in English also spelled Krakow or Cracow (ˈkrækaʊ M-W: krăk'ou krāk'ō is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland Alexandre Millerand (10 February 1859 - 7 April 1943 was a French socialist Politician. He could not understand what had happened and has admitted in his memoirs that "the victory was Polish, the plan was Polish, the army was Polish". He was the first uncomprehending victim, as well as the chief beneficiary, of a legend already in circulation that he, Weygand, was the victor of Warsaw. This legend persisted for more than forty years even in academic circles.

Weygand in France and the Middle East

Weygand was unemployed for a time after the military mission to Poland, but in 1923 he was made commander-in-chief Levant, the French mandate in Lebanon and Syria. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية He was then appointed High Commissioner of Syria the next year, a position he also only kept for a year.

Weygand returned to France in 1925, when he became director of the Center for Higher Military Studies, a position he had for five years. In 1931 he was appointed Chief of Staff of the French Army, Vice President of the Supreme War Council and Inspector of the Army. The Chief of the Staff of the French Army (Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de Terre CEMAT is the professional head of the French Army. The Supreme War Council was a central command created by British Prime Minister David Lloyd George to coordinate Allied military strategy during He remained in the positions, except Inspector of the Army, until his retirement in 1935 at 68. [1]

Weygand was also elected a member of the Académie française (seat #35) in 1931. L'Académie française, or the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was recalled for active service in August 1939 by Prime Minister Edouard Daladier and appointed commander-in-chief for the Orient Theatre of Operation. Édouard Daladier (18 June 1884 - 10 October 1970 was a French Radical politician and Prime Minister of France at the start of the Second World I

Weygand in World War II

By late May 1940 the military disaster in France after the German invasion was such that the Supreme Commander, Maurice Gamelin, was dismissed, and Weygand recalled from Syria to replace him. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Maurice Gustave Gamelin ( September 20, 1872 - April 18, 1958) was a French general

Weygand arrived on May 17 and started by cancelling the side counter-offensive ordered by Gamelin, to cut off the enemy armoured columns which had punched through the French front at the Ardennes. Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Thus he lost 2 crucial days before finally adopting the solution, however obvious, of his predecessor. But it was by then a failed manoeuvre, because during the 48 lost hours, the German infantry had caught up behind their tanks in the breakthrough and had consolidated their gains. Weygand then oversaw the creation of the Weygand line, an early application of the Hedgehog tactic; however, by this point the situation was untenable, with most of the Allied forces trapped in Belgium. In Warfare the hedgehog defence is a military tactic for defending against a mobile armoured attack or Blitzkrieg. Weygand complained that he had been summoned two weeks too late to halt the invasion. [2]. After some further vain attempts to contain the enemy offensive, he then joined in seeking an armistice and cooperation with the German occupiers.

Under the Vichy Regime

In June, Weygand was appointed by Petain to the Bordeaux-Vichy cabinet as Minister for National Defence for three months (June to September 1940), and then Delegate-General to the North African colonies. Vichy France, or the Vichy regime are the common terms used to describe the government of France from July 1940 to August 1944 The Minister of Defence ( Ministère de la Défense) is the French Government cabinet member charged with running the Military of France France was a dominant empire in the world from the 1600s to the late 1960s possessing many colonies in various locations around the world While there:

Weygand acquired a reputation as an opponent of collaboration when he protested, in Vichy, against the Protocols of Paris of 28 May 1941 signed by Admiral Darlan, agreements which granted bases to the Axis in Aleppo (Syria), Bizerte and Dakar and envisaged an extensive military collaboration with Axis forces in the event of Allied countermeasures. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. François Darlan (7 August 1881 &ndash 24 December 1942 was a French Naval officer. For other meanings see Aleppo (disambiguation. Halab redirects here for other meanings see Halab (disambiguation. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Bizerte or Bizerta ( Arabic: بنزرت transliterated: Banzart Italian Biserta) is a capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia For the Dakar Rally see Dakar Rally. For the Israeli submarine see INS Dakar. As Simon Kitson demonstrated in his book The Hunt for Nazi Spies Weygand remained outspoken in his criticism of Germany. Simon Kitson is a British Historian. Born in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, Kitson was educated in Bath doing his undergraduate studies at the University [3]

Nevertheless the Weygand General Delegation (4th Office) collaborated with Germany by delivering to Rommel's Afrika Korps 1200 French trucks and other French army vehicles (Dankworth contract of 1941), as well as heavy artillery pieces accompanied with 1000 shells per gun.

Weygand was apparently favourable to collaboration with Germany, but with discretion. Additionally, when he opposed German bases in Africa, he did not intend to be neutral or to help the Allied camp. Rather, he only sought to prevent the French from losing prestige with the natives and keep their colonial empire. Nevertheless, since Adolf Hitler wanted full unconditional collaboration, he put pressure on the Vichy government to obtain the dismissal and recall of Weygand in November 1941. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. One year later, in November 1942, following the Allied invasion of North Africa, Weygand was arrested. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British - American invasion of French North Africa in World War II He remained in confinement until May 1945, when he fell into the hands of the Americans. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar

Last years

After returning to France, he was held as a collaborator at the Val-de-Grâce but was released in May 1946 and cleared in 1948. The Val-de-Grâce ( Hôpital d'instruction des armées du Val-de-Grâce or HIA Val-de-Grâce) is a Military hospital located in the 5th arrondissement Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He died in Paris at age 98. He was a Member of the French Academy.

Decorations

Notes

  1. ^ Maxime Weygand. The Médaille militaire (Military Medal is a decoration of the French Republic which was first instituted in 1852. The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was first created in the year 1897 This article concerns the United States Army Distinguished Service Medal The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath) is a British Order of chivalry founded by George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George Prince Regent (later George Generals. dk. Retrieved on 2007-07-30. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1419 - First Defenestration of Prague. 1502 - Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off
  2. ^ Current Biography 1940, p
  3. ^ Simon Kitson, The Hunt for Nazi Spies, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2008. Simon Kitson is a British Historian. Born in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, Kitson was educated in Bath doing his undergraduate studies at the University

References

Polish period

Second world war

Preceded by
Joseph Joffre		 Seat 35
Académie française
1931–1965		 Succeeded by
Louis Leprince-Ringuet
Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre (12 January 1852 - 3 January 1931 was a French General who was Commander-in-Chief of the French Army between This is a list of members of the Académie française (French Academy by seat number L'Académie française, or the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language.
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