Henri Navarre fought during World War I, World War II and was the seventh and final commander of French Far East Expeditionary Corps during the First Indochina War.
14 Facts About Henri Navarre
1.
2.
Henri Navarre entered l'Ecole speciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in 1916 and in May 1917 was sent to the front with a cavalry unit, 2e regiment de hussards.
3.
Henri Navarre was given a field promotion to lieutenant 21 April 1918.
4.
Henri Navarre was awarded the Croix de Guerre with bronze star for his exemplary service between 28 September 1918 and 4 October 1918.
5.
Henri Navarre participated in the pacification of the Atlas and southern Morocco from 1930 to 1934.
6.
Henri Navarre commanded an armored regiment of the 1st Army in the liberation of France.
7.
Henri Navarre was promoted to brigadier general in 1945 and posted to Germany, where he held various positions including that of commander of 5e division blindee and chief of staff of Marshal Alphonse Juin.
8.
Henri Navarre remained in Germany until May 1953, except for a brief assignment as a division commander in Algeria from 1948 to 1949.
9.
Henri Navarre was appointed general de corps d'armee, equivalent of lieutenant general, in 1952.
10.
On 27 May 1953, Henri Navarre replaced Raoul Salan as commander of French forces in Indochina, in the midst of a war with the Viet Minh that was going badly.
11.
Henri Navarre's instructions were to insure the safety of the troops under his command.
12.
Henri Navarre hoped to draw the Viet Minh into a pitched battle where he hoped to defeat them.
13.
Henri Navarre soon realized any breakout attempt would be suicidal.
14.
Henri Navarre failed to consider the devastating effect the loss would have on Army morale, and the resulting loss of political support for the war at home.