Jean de Lattre de Tassigny

Early Career and World War I

Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel de Lattre de Tassigny was born on February 2, 1889, in Mouilleron-en-Pareds, Vendée [1, 3]. He entered Saint-Cyr in July 1908 and chose the cavalry as his branch of service [3]. During World War I, he served as an officer and fought in several major engagements, including the Battle of Verdun [1]. He was wounded five times during the conflict and earned eight citations, the Military Cross, and the Legion of Honour [1].

Interwar Period and the Battle of France

Following the First World War, de Lattre served in Morocco from 1921 to 1926 during the Rif War, where he was again wounded in action [1, 2]. In the years leading up to the Second World War, he held positions within the Ministry of War and served on the staff of the Conseil supérieur de la guerre under General Maxime Weygand [1].

At the onset of World War II, de Lattre became the youngest general in France [1, 3]. During the Battle of France in May and June 1940, he commanded the 14th Infantry Division, distinguishing himself in the regions of Rethel, Champagne-Ardenne, and the Loire [1, 2].

Vichy Regime and Escape

After the Armistice of June 22, 1940, de Lattre remained in the Armistice Army [1]. He held various regional command posts and eventually became the commander-in-chief of troops in Tunisia [1]. However, he was known for his resistance to the occupying forces; his personal motto, “Ne pas subir” (Not to suffer/submit), guided his preparations for an eventual victory against the Nazis [3].

In November 1942, following the Allied invasion of North Africa and the subsequent German occupation of the “free zone,” de Lattre was arrested for protesting the violation of the zone libre [2]. He was sentenced to ten years in prison but successfully escaped in September 1943, making his way to Algiers to join the Free French Forces under General Charles de Gaulle [2, 3].

Liberation of France and the First Army

In 1944, de Lattre was given command of the French First Army [2]. His forces landed in Provence (Operation Dragoon) and advanced from Saint-Tropez through the liberation of Colmar and toward the Rhine and Danube [2, 3]. This campaign required significant coordination between the regular French military and the various internal resistance networks operating within the liberated territories.

The culmination of his wartime command occurred on May 8 (and 9), 1945, when he signed the act of unconditional surrender of the German armies in Berlin on behalf of France [2, 3].

Post-War Career and Indochina

Following the war, de Lattre served as the Inspector General of the Army in July 1945 [2]. By 1948, he took on the role of commander-in-chief of the land forces of the Western Union under the Treaty of Brussels [2].

From 1950 to 1952, he served as the High Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief in Indochina during the First Indochina War, where he worked to stabilize the situation for the forces of the French Union [2]. He died on January 11, 1952 [1]. In recognition of his service, he was posthumously elevated to the dignity of Marshal of France [1, 2].