Michel-Joseph Maunoury
Encyclopedia
Michel-Joseph Maunoury was a commander of French forces in the early days of World War I
.
He was recalled from retirement at the age of 67 in August 1914 to lead the so-called 'Army of Lorraine
'. But his place in history would be made in a quite different sector of the front, much closer to home near Paris
, during the First Battle of the Marne
in September 1914.
An artillery
officer by training, Maunoury was handed command of the seven reserve divisions that formed part of the Army of Lorraine. This army's mission was to reclaim the Lorraine territory, lost to the Germans in the Franco-Prussian War
.
The main plank of Plan XVII
(the French pre-war strategy for avenging this humiliating defeat and equivalent of the Schlieffen Plan
) focused chiefly around the recapture of the coal-rich regions of Alsace-Lorraine
.
Maunoury's seven reserve divisions began to assemble on 21 August (seven days after Ferdinand Foch
and Auguste Dubail
launched their invasion of Lorraine in accordance with Plan XVII). His divisions were briefly attached to the retreating First and Second Armies
in Lorraine before being quickly redeployed by rail on 26 August further northwest to form the new Sixth Army
north of the Western Front
. Once there his troops helped the newly-arrived British Expeditionary Force to escape encirclement at the Battle of Le Cateau
, before being again redeployed to a position near Paris on 1 September.
The decision to redeploy Maunoury's army was made by General Joseph Gallieni
, Military Governor of Paris, so they could attack German General Alexander von Kluck
's First Army in its exposed flank (a plan devised by Gallieni himself). Gallieni further reinforced Maunoury by ferrying troops to the front in a fleet of Parisian taxi cabs. With Maunoury's attack on 6 September (as ordered by French Commander in Chief Joseph Joffre
) the First Battle of the Marne
commenced, which almost certainly saved Paris from being lost to the Germans.
Maunoury himself was severely wounded by being shot through the eye and rendered partially blind while touring the front on 11 March 1915, thereby ending his active career.
He died in 1923, and was posthumously promoted to Marshal of France
.
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...
.
Biography
He was born on 17 December 1847.He was recalled from retirement at the age of 67 in August 1914 to lead the so-called 'Army of Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
'. But his place in history would be made in a quite different sector of the front, much closer to home near Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, during the First Battle of the Marne
First Battle of the Marne
The Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...
in September 1914.
An artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
officer by training, Maunoury was handed command of the seven reserve divisions that formed part of the Army of Lorraine. This army's mission was to reclaim the Lorraine territory, lost to the Germans in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
.
The main plank of Plan XVII
Plan XVII
Plan XVII was the name of a "scheme of mobilization and concentration" that was adopted by the French General Staff in 1913, to be put into effect by the French Army in the event of war between France and Germany but was not ‘a prescribed narrative for the campaign’ or battle...
(the French pre-war strategy for avenging this humiliating defeat and equivalent of the Schlieffen Plan
Schlieffen Plan
The Schlieffen Plan was the German General Staff's early 20th century overall strategic plan for victory in a possible future war in which the German Empire might find itself fighting on two fronts: France to the west and Russia to the east...
) focused chiefly around the recapture of the coal-rich regions of Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
.
Maunoury's seven reserve divisions began to assemble on 21 August (seven days after Ferdinand Foch
Ferdinand Foch
Ferdinand Foch , GCB, OM, DSO was a French soldier, war hero, military theorist, and writer credited with possessing "the most original and subtle mind in the French army" in the early 20th century. He served as general in the French army during World War I and was made Marshal of France in its...
and Auguste Dubail
Auguste Dubail
Auguste Yvon Edmond Dubail was a French Army general. He commanded the First Army and Army Group East during World War I.-Biography:...
launched their invasion of Lorraine in accordance with Plan XVII). His divisions were briefly attached to the retreating First and Second Armies
Second Army (France)
The Second Army was a Field army of the French Army during World War I and World War II. The Army became famous for fighting the Battle of Verdun in 1916 under Philippe Pétain.-World War I:*General de Curières de Castelnau...
in Lorraine before being quickly redeployed by rail on 26 August further northwest to form the new Sixth Army
Sixth Army (France)
The Sixth Army was a Field army of the French Army during World War I and World War II.-World War I:*General Maunoury *General Dubois *General Fayolle...
north of the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. Once there his troops helped the newly-arrived British Expeditionary Force to escape encirclement at the Battle of Le Cateau
Battle of Le Cateau
The Battle of Le Cateau was fought on 26 August 1914, after the British, French and Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons and had set up defensive positions in a fighting withdrawal against the German advance at Le Cateau-Cambrésis....
, before being again redeployed to a position near Paris on 1 September.
The decision to redeploy Maunoury's army was made by General Joseph Gallieni
Joseph Gallieni
Joseph Simon Gallieni was a French soldier, most active as a military commander and administrator in the French colonies and finished his career during the First World War. He was made Marshal of France posthumously in 1921...
, Military Governor of Paris, so they could attack German General Alexander von Kluck
Alexander von Kluck
Alexander Heinrich Rudolph von Kluck was a German general during World War I.- Military career :He enlisted in the Prussian army in time to serve in the seven-week Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War, where he was wounded twice in the Battle of Colombey-Neuilly...
's First Army in its exposed flank (a plan devised by Gallieni himself). Gallieni further reinforced Maunoury by ferrying troops to the front in a fleet of Parisian taxi cabs. With Maunoury's attack on 6 September (as ordered by French Commander in Chief Joseph Joffre
Joseph Joffre
Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre OM was a French general during World War I. He is most known for regrouping the retreating allied armies to defeat the Germans at the strategically decisive First Battle of the Marne in 1914. His popularity led to his nickname Papa Joffre.-Biography:Joffre was born in...
) the First Battle of the Marne
First Battle of the Marne
The Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...
commenced, which almost certainly saved Paris from being lost to the Germans.
Maunoury himself was severely wounded by being shot through the eye and rendered partially blind while touring the front on 11 March 1915, thereby ending his active career.
He died in 1923, and was posthumously promoted to Marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
.