Ferdinand Foch Biography

Birth of Ferdinand Foch

Appointed Lieutenant in the artillery

Publication of "Principles of War"

Appointed Brigadier General

Appointed Chief of Staff to V Corps

Appointed Head of the War College

Appointed Major General

Appointed Commander of the XX Corps

Appointed Commander of the XX Corps

Coordinate the Allied forces between the Oise & the North Sea

Attacks Morhange but forced to retreat to Nancy

Appointed Commander of the Ninth Army, to fill the gap on the Marne front

Appointed Commander of the Ninth Army, to fill the gap on the Marne front

Appointed Commander of the Ninth Army, to fill the gap on the Marne front

Appointed Commander of the Ninth Army, to fill the gap on the Marne front

Foch coordinates French reinforcements to help stabilise the Allied position around Ypres.

Foch coordinates French support for Belgian and British forces during the fighting in Flanders.

Appointed Commander of the Army Group North

Appointed Commander of the Army Group North, during the "Race to the Sea"

Foch coordinates French support around Ypres.

Conducts an offensive in Artois

Appointed Commander of the Army Group North, given full command

Appointed Commander of the Army Group North, given full command

Coordinates French northern army operations supporting the Allied Somme offensive.

Moved to an advisery post after the failure of the Somme offensive

Appointed Chief of the General Staff

Appointed Chief of the General Staff

Made adviser to the Italian Government after the Italian disaster at Caporetto

Appointed Member of Supreme Allied War Council

Appointed Member of Supreme Allied War Council

Serves as French military representative to the council.

Launched as part of Marshal Ferdinand Foch's Grand Offensive, comprising attacks by the AEF and French 4th Army on September 26, the British 4th Army from September 27 and the British and Belgians at Ypres

Foch's grand offensive includes British and Belgian attacks near Ypres.

General advance along most of the Western Front, resulting in the German Armys final defeat and the signing of an armistice on November 11 to bring hostilities between the Allies and Central Powers to an end

Appointed Commander for Allied operations on the Western Front

Appointed Commander for Allied operations on the Western Front

Foch becomes the de facto Allied Generalissimo

Receives broader Allied coordinating authority after the German offensive.

The French 3rd Army loses Montdidier

The French 3rd Army loses Montdidier

Appointed General in Chief of the Allied Armies, extending his powers

Appointed General in Chief, extending his powers to "strategic direction"

July-August, launches counter-attacks after the arrival of 300,000 Americans a month

Mounts a counter-offensive along the Marne

Asks Clemenceau to call up the 1920 conscripts in 1918

Approves coordinated Allied operations that lead into the Amiens attack.

Decides to free the Paris-Verdun, Paris-Amiens & Verdun-Arricourt routes. Conference of all the commanders-in-chief to consider allied operations, all present proposals for the employment of allied armies

Coordinates Allied plans for limited offensives, including operations around Amiens.

The Allies capture Fere Forest, La Croise Range, Oulchy-le-Chateau & Villemontoire. The Allies advance 2 miles

The Allies capture Romigny-St Gemme

Foch coordinates Allied attacks including Ypres.

Heads the Allied armistice negotiations with the Germans

Heads the Allied armistice negotiations with the Germans

Helps frame Allied military conditions before the armistice.

Advises Allied leaders on military enforcement after the armistice.

Advocates that the Rhine becomes France's eastern border

Death of Ferdinand Foch