Georges Catroux
Encyclopedia
Georges Catroux was a French Army
general and diplomat who served in both World War I
and World War II
, and served as Grand Chancellor of the Légion d'honneur
from 1954 to 1969.
, Haute-Vienne
. He was the son of a career officer who had risen through the ranks. He was educated at the Prytanée National Militaire
, and entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr
in 1896.
In the early years of his distinguished military career, Catroux moved from Algeria (where he met Charles de Foucauld
and then Lyautey
) to Indochina. In 1915, while commanding a battalion, he was taken prisoner by the Germans. During his time in captivity, Catroux met Charles de Gaulle
, who was then a captain.
After World War I, he became a member of the French military mission to Arabia, and then served in Morocco
, Algeria
and the Levant
.
In July 1939, Catroux was appointed Governor General of French Indochina, and in August 1939, one month before the declaration of war, took over from a senior civil servant. Paris wanted to send a strong signal to the Far East
on the eve of hostilities. However, after the first treaties with Japan
in July 1940, and following disagreements with the new Vichy
government, Catroux was forced to hand over his post to Admiral Jean Decoux
.
He then chose to join de Gaulle, who was by now leader of the Free French movement.
As a five-star general, Catroux the most senior officer of the French Army to transfer allegiance.
From 1941 to 1943, Catroux was the commander in chief of the Free French forces. De Gaulle appointed him High Commissioner to the Levant in 1941. He took control of Syria for the Free French after the defeat of Vichy General Henri Dentz
and the Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre
. Shortly after taking up the post, Catroux, in the name of the Free French movement, recognised the independence of Syria. De Gaulle subsequently appointed him Governor General of Algeria
in 1943-44.
Officially honored as a French liberation fighter, Catroux was Minister for North Africa in the first government of Charles de Gaulle
from 9 September 1944 to 21 October 1945, and became ambassador to the USSR in 1945-48.
After the unrest in Morocco, Catroux negotiated the return of the sultan Mohammed V in 1955.
As Resident Minister in Algeria for the government of Guy Mollet
in 1956, he was unable to take up his post because of demonstrations in Algiers by French residents on 6 February.
Catroux presided over a board of inquiry, the Catroux Commission
, that investigated the French defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
. He was also the judge in the military tribunal which tried the generals involved in the seizure of power in Algiers in 1961.
He died in Paris in 1969.
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
general and diplomat who served in both World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and served as Grand Chancellor of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
from 1954 to 1969.
Biography
Catroux was born in LimogesLimoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
, Haute-Vienne
Haute-Vienne
Haute-Vienne is a French department named after the Vienne River. It is one of three departments that together constitute the French region of Limousin.The chief and largest city is Limoges...
. He was the son of a career officer who had risen through the ranks. He was educated at the Prytanée National Militaire
Prytanée National Militaire
The Prytanée National Militaire, originally Collège Royal Henry-Le-Grand, is a French school managed by the military, offering regular secondary education as well as special preparatory school classes, equivalent in level to the first years of university, for students who wish to enter French...
, and entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr
École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr
The École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr is the foremost French military academy. Its official name is . It is often referred to as Saint-Cyr . Its motto is "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre": literally "They study to vanquish" or "Training for victory"...
in 1896.
In the early years of his distinguished military career, Catroux moved from Algeria (where he met Charles de Foucauld
Charles de Foucauld
Charles Eugène de Foucauld was a French Catholic religious and priest living among the Tuareg in the Sahara in Algeria. He was assassinated in 1916 outside the door of the fort he built for protection of the Tuareg and is considered by the Catholic Church to be a martyr...
and then Lyautey
Lyautey
Lyautey is the name of:*Hubert Lyautey, military governor and then Resident-General of then-French Morocco from 1907 through 1925*Port Lyautey, Morocco, named after Hubert Lyautey; now renamed Kenitra...
) to Indochina. In 1915, while commanding a battalion, he was taken prisoner by the Germans. During his time in captivity, Catroux met Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, who was then a captain.
After World War I, he became a member of the French military mission to Arabia, and then served in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
.
In July 1939, Catroux was appointed Governor General of French Indochina, and in August 1939, one month before the declaration of war, took over from a senior civil servant. Paris wanted to send a strong signal to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
on the eve of hostilities. However, after the first treaties with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in July 1940, and following disagreements with the new Vichy
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
government, Catroux was forced to hand over his post to Admiral Jean Decoux
Jean Decoux
Jean Decoux was a French politician, who was the Governor-General of French Indochina from 1940 to 1945, representing the Vichy French government.-Biography:Decoux was born in Bordeaux...
.
He then chose to join de Gaulle, who was by now leader of the Free French movement.
As a five-star general, Catroux the most senior officer of the French Army to transfer allegiance.
From 1941 to 1943, Catroux was the commander in chief of the Free French forces. De Gaulle appointed him High Commissioner to the Levant in 1941. He took control of Syria for the Free French after the defeat of Vichy General Henri Dentz
Henri Dentz
Henri Fernand Dentz was an officer in the French Army and, after France surrendered during World War II, he served with the Vichy French Army.-Syria-Lebanon campaign:...
and the Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre
Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre
The Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre concluded the Syria-Lebanon Campaign of World War II. It was an armistice signed between Allied forces in the Middle East under the command of British General Henry Maitland Wilson, and Vichy France forces in Syria and Lebanon, under the command of General Henri...
. Shortly after taking up the post, Catroux, in the name of the Free French movement, recognised the independence of Syria. De Gaulle subsequently appointed him Governor General of Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
in 1943-44.
Officially honored as a French liberation fighter, Catroux was Minister for North Africa in the first government of Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
from 9 September 1944 to 21 October 1945, and became ambassador to the USSR in 1945-48.
After the unrest in Morocco, Catroux negotiated the return of the sultan Mohammed V in 1955.
As Resident Minister in Algeria for the government of Guy Mollet
Guy Mollet
Guy Mollet was a French Socialist politician. He led the French Section of the Workers' International party from 1946 to 1969 and was Prime Minister in 1956–1957.-Early life and World War II:...
in 1956, he was unable to take up his post because of demonstrations in Algiers by French residents on 6 February.
Catroux presided over a board of inquiry, the Catroux Commission
Catroux Commission
The Catroux Commission was an inquiry by the French government into the French defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Georges Catroux presided over the commission...
, that investigated the French defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle occurred between March and May 1954 and culminated in a comprehensive French defeat that...
. He was also the judge in the military tribunal which tried the generals involved in the seizure of power in Algiers in 1961.
He died in Paris in 1969.
External links
Georges Catroux, biography on the website of the Ordre de la LibérationOrdre de la Libération
The Ordre de la Libération is a French Order awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II. It is an exceptional honor, the second highest after the Légion d’Honneur and only a small number of people and military units have received it, exclusively for deeds accomplished...