Charles Huntziger
Encyclopedia
Charles Huntziger was a French Army
general during World War I
and World War II
.
Born at Lesneven
(Finistère
), he graduated from Saint-Cyr
in 1900 and joined the colonial infantry. During World War I
he served in the Middle Eastern theatre
. He was chief of staff of operations of the Allied Expeditionary Force. In 1918 he participated in the development of General Louis Franchet d'Espèrey's offensive against German
and Bulgaria
n forces which would lead to Allied victory and the signing of the Armistice of Mudros
in October 1918.
In 1933, Huntziger was named commander-in-chief of the troops of the Levant
. He then participated in the negotiations around the reattachment of the Sanjak of Alexandretta
, then part of the French Mandate of Syria
, to Turkey
. He joined the Superior Council of War in 1938.
During World War II
, in 1939–1940, he initially commanded the Second French Army, then the Fourth Army Group in the Ardennes
. He fought in the Battle of France
with the Second Army. On 16 June 1940 Premier Philippe Pétain
's new Cabinet decided upon an Armistice, and the following day Paul Baudouin, Minister of Foreign Affairs
, requested the Spanish Ambassador "to transmit to Germany
with all speed the request to cease hostilities at once and at the same time to make known the peace terms proposed by them". On the morning of 19 June Lequerica reported to Baudouin that the Germans were prepared to talk and the following day he was further advised that the Germans were prepared to meet the French plenipotentiaries lated that day at Tours
. The armistice negotiations were led, on the French side, by Huntziger. The Council of Ministers met during the night of 21 June in Bordeaux
to consider the terms. The Armistice was agreed, to come into effect at 12.35 on the morning of 25 June.
After the armistice, Huntziger became the French Government
's Secretary of War, then commander-in-chief of the land forces (September 1941). He was one of the signatories of the anti-Semitic Statute on Jews
of 3 October 1940 (excluding nine Jewish generals from the army) alongside Philippe Pétain
, Pierre Laval
, Raphaël Alibert
, Marcel Peyrouton, Paul Baudouin, Yves Bouthillier and François Darlan
.
He died on 11 November 1941 after his plane crashed near Le Vigan, Gard
, while trying to land at Vichy Airport in bad visibility, and with obsolete radio equipment, as he returned from an inspection
in North Africa.
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 during 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...
.
Born at Lesneven
Lesneven
Lesneven is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.It lies northeast of Brest, about from the English Channel in the middle of the Leon plateau.-History:...
(Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
), he graduated from 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 1900 and joined the colonial infantry. During 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...
he served in the Middle Eastern theatre
Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
The Middle Eastern theatre of World War I was the scene of action between 29 October 1914, and 30 October 1918. The combatants were the Ottoman Empire, with some assistance from the other Central Powers, and primarily the British and the Russians among the Allies of World War I...
. He was chief of staff of operations of the Allied Expeditionary Force. In 1918 he participated in the development of General Louis Franchet d'Espèrey's offensive against German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n forces which would lead to Allied victory and the signing of the Armistice of Mudros
Armistice of Mudros
The Armistice of Moudros , concluded on 30 October 1918, ended the hostilities in the Middle Eastern theatre between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies of World War I...
in October 1918.
In 1933, Huntziger was named commander-in-chief of the troops of 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...
. He then participated in the negotiations around the reattachment of the Sanjak of Alexandretta
Hatay Province
Hatay Province is a province in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean coast. It is bordered by Syria to the south and east and the Turkish provinces of Adana and Osmaniye to the north. The province is part of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region that covers the provinces of...
, then part of the French Mandate of Syria
French Mandate of Syria
Officially the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon was a League of Nations mandate founded after the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire...
, to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. He joined the Superior Council of War in 1938.
During 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...
, in 1939–1940, he initially commanded the Second French Army, then the Fourth Army Group in the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
. He fought in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
with the Second Army. On 16 June 1940 Premier Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
's new Cabinet decided upon an Armistice, and the following day Paul Baudouin, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs (France)
Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs ), is France's foreign affairs ministry, with the headquarters located on the Quai d'Orsay in Paris close to the National Assembly of France. The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs in the government of France is the cabinet minister responsible for...
, requested the Spanish Ambassador "to transmit to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with all speed the request to cease hostilities at once and at the same time to make known the peace terms proposed by them". On the morning of 19 June Lequerica reported to Baudouin that the Germans were prepared to talk and the following day he was further advised that the Germans were prepared to meet the French plenipotentiaries lated that day at Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
. The armistice negotiations were led, on the French side, by Huntziger. The Council of Ministers met during the night of 21 June in Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
to consider the terms. The Armistice was agreed, to come into effect at 12.35 on the morning of 25 June.
After the armistice, Huntziger became the French Government
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...
's Secretary of War, then commander-in-chief of the land forces (September 1941). He was one of the signatories of the anti-Semitic Statute on Jews
Statute on Jews
The Statute on Jews was discriminatory legislation against French Jews passed on October 3, 1940 by the Vichy Regime, grouping them as a lower class and depriving them of citizenship before rounding them up at Drancy internment camp then taking them to be exterminated in concentration camps...
of 3 October 1940 (excluding nine Jewish generals from the army) alongside Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
, Pierre Laval
Pierre Laval
Pierre Laval was a French politician. He was four times President of the council of ministers of the Third Republic, twice consecutively. Following France's Armistice with Germany in 1940, he served twice in the Vichy Regime as head of government, signing orders permitting the deportation of...
, Raphaël Alibert
Raphaël Alibert
Raphaël Alibert was a French politician.-Politics:Raphael Alibert was an ardent Roman Catholic convert and someone with strong royalist ideas. One of the most intense followers of Charles Maurras, Alibert was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the Action Française party...
, Marcel Peyrouton, Paul Baudouin, Yves Bouthillier and François Darlan
François Darlan
Jean Louis Xavier François Darlan was a French naval officer. His great-grandfather was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar...
.
He died on 11 November 1941 after his plane crashed near Le Vigan, Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
, while trying to land at Vichy Airport in bad visibility, and with obsolete radio equipment, as he returned from an inspection
Inspection
An inspection is, most generally, an organized examination or formal evaluation exercise. In engineering activities inspection involves the measurements, tests, and gauges applied to certain characteristics in regard to an object or activity...
in North Africa.