Charles Mangin

Charles Mangin , born with Sarrebourg the July 6th 1866 and died in Paris the May 12th 1925, is a French general. Convinced of the value of the troops sénégalaises, it was a burning partisan of a African army, “the black”, more and more powerful force, with the service of France. Mangin such as it, was adored or hated, incarnated the type of the officer colonial, untiring, tempestuous, dominating the men and forcing the events.

Career

Former student of the military academy of Saint-Cyr military school, it is used for the French Sudan with the head of the Senegalese riflemen, at the time of the Congo-Nile mission into 1898-1900 pennies the orders of Jean-Baptiste Marchand - Crise of Fachoda. Then it takes share with the conquest of the Morocco, under the orders of Lyautey in 1912, with the rank of colonel, being distinguished inter alia by the catch from Marrakech, main actor of the Campagne of Morocco 1907-1914.

During the First World War, become general, it orders in 1914-15 a brigade of infantry then a division, the 5 {{E}} Division of Infantry of Rouen. During the battle of the borders, it gains the victory of Charleroi, then combat over the Marne and in Artois. May 22nd, 1916, it in vain attacks the Fort of Douaumont (Meuse) then, always to Verdun, it directs the offensives of reconquest to the sides of Bubble.

In 1917, it takes part in the disastrous offensive of Nivelle, on the Way of the Ladies, in the head of the VI {{E}} Armée. Partisan of the offensive at all costs, it is called “the butcher” by his men. The attack enlisant itself, it is dismissed. Large adversary of Pétain, it is marginalized by this one.

Very hard character, not very benevolent towards the prisoners, very courageous, exposing but sometimes sacrificing its troops, of which it was however as a whole admired. One finds in Research of Marcel Proust and the Crosses of wood of Roland Dorgelès of descriptions of Mangin. It returns only in spring 1918, following the nomination of Ferdinand Foch, to take part in the head of the X {{E}} Armée with the Second battle with the Marne. It realizes there celebrates it counter-attack of July 18th with Villers-Cotterêts, where it breaks the enemy. Winner in Aisne with the autumn, it breaks the German face, releases Soissons and Laon. The armistice cancels its offensive envisaged in Lorraine. It enters to Metz on November 19th, reached the Rhine with Mainz on December 11th, occupies the Rhineland. With the general Fayolle, it occupies Mainz and the left bank of the Rhine on December 14th, 1918. Mangin supports the Rhenish République.

See also: History of Mayence#L' occupation of the Rhineland after 1918

From 1906 to 1922, its faithful ordinance was a Bambara of high stature, Baba Koulibaly, which took care day and night on him with devotion and an ostentation that the general appreciated, being itself readily theatrical. Mangin dies in 1925 in not very clear circumstances. His wife refused her rise on a purely posthumous basis with the row in marshal, not wanting anything to have in Pétain. Its coffin is with the Invalids.

Its statue in Paris was destroyed in 1940 by the occupying forces German, on the order of Adolf Hitler, and rebuilt after war near the church Saint-François Xavier in the 7th district.

Publications

the Black Force (1910). In this book, Mangin recommends the fast and massive use troops colonial, known as “Forces black”, in the event of war in Europe.

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Charles Mangin

Career

Publications

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