Henri Philippe Petain Biography

Birth of Henri Philippe Petain, in the Pas de Calais, son of a peasant familly

Appointed Major

Appointed Instructor at the Ecole de Guerre

Appointed Colonel

Appointed Commander of the 33rd Regiment

Appointed General of the Brigade

Appointed General of the Division after the Battle of the Marne

Fights at the Battle of the Marne

Appointed Commander of the XXXIII Corps

The battle was the first offensive move on the Western Front by either side after the First Battle of Ypres ended in November 1914. The French assault failed to break the stalemate. Commander at the Battle of Artois

Commander of Second Army during the Battle of Champagne

Appointed Commander of the Second Army

Appointed Commander of the Second Army

Commander of Second Army during the Battle of Champagne

First day of the Arras Offensive

The second Battle of Artois, 9 May-18 June 1915, was the most important part of the Allied spring offensive of 1915. It was hoped to capture Vimy Ridge, break through the German lines, and advance into the Douai plain. This would cut key German railway lines and perhaps force them to retreat from their great salient bulging out into France

Final day of the Arras Offensive, nearly breaks the German defenses on Vimy Ridge

Over five weeks the French and Germans were engaged in a battle of attrition in the area immediately behind the old German front line. This was a maze of communications trenches and strong points, where progress was slow and costly.

The French suffered 100,000 casualties, the Germans 75,000, and as the French were well aware there were more Germans than Frenchmen.

The Moroccan Division did manage to fight its way back onto Vimy Ridge on 16 June, but was once again pushed back

The attack in Artois failed to achieve its original objectives. Vimy Ridge remained in German hands until it fell to the Canadians in 1917 (Battle of Vimy Ridge), while the battle of attrition favoured the Germans.

Appointed Commander of the Armies of the Centre

Appointed Commander of the Armies of the Centre

Commander of Second Army during the Battle of Champagne

About 1,500 mutineers march on Villiers-Cotterelts to try & reach Paris

Appointed Marshal of France

The Vichy Government has to pay reperations & disarm the Navy held in French ports

The French Government moves to Vichy in unoccupied southern France

The Vichy Government has to pay reperations & disarm the Navy held in French ports

The Vichy Government has to pay reperations & disarm the Navy held in French ports

Appointed Vice President of the Council

Forms the Vichy Government & gives orders for the British to leave France

Appointed Prime Minister of the French Government in Bordeaux

Appointed Prime Minister of the French Government in Bordeaux

Forms the Vichy Government & gives orders for the British to leave France

Asks the Germans for an Armistice

Germany presents armistice terms to France

Rommels 7th Panzer Div captures Cherbourg

Signs an armistice with the Germans in the Foch railway carriage of 1918

Appointed Marshal

Appointed Marshal

Vichy breaks off dilomatic relations with Britain in response to Operation Catapult

Formally proclaimed head of State in France

Appointed Head of State in France