Sir John French was Britain’s top general when World War I began. He was bold, stubborn, and loved cavalry charges. Unfortunately, cavalry was useless in a war filled with machine guns, trenches, and barbed wire.
The London Times called him “a gallant soldier of the old breed.” The Daily Mail praised his “unshaken resolve.” But war would prove otherwise.
The next month, at the Battle of the Marne, French hesitated again. French commander Joseph Joffre had to pressure him to attack. When he did, the BEF helped stop the German advance. Some called it a turning point. Others wondered why French had waited so long.
Then came Ypres. For weeks in late 1914, the BEF held off relentless German attacks. It was a heroic stand, but at a terrible cost. The professional British army was nearly wiped out.
By 1915, French was struggling. The war had changed, but he hadn’t. He still believed in fast-moving attacks, even though trench warfare made them impossible.
At the Battle of Loos, he delayed sending reinforcements. British troops attacked without enough artillery support. It was a disaster. The Daily Telegraph wrote, “Our brave lads went forward with courage unmatched, yet the guiding hand faltered.”
At home, leaders were losing faith. He constantly clashed with Lord Kitchener, Britain’s top war official. In December 1915, the government forced him to resign, replacing him with Douglas Haig, who commanded Britain’s army for the rest of the war.
French was emotional and quick-tempered. He held grudges and hated politicians. He was brave, but out of his depth. He had been a hero in earlier wars, when cavalry charges worked. World War I was different. He couldn’t adapt. The war moved on without him.
history-bytes offers unique historical collectibles. https://www.ebay.com/str/historybytes
No comments:
Post a Comment