Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre, (1852 - 1931)
French general, became prominent in the battles of
World War I. After a colonial career in military
engineering he rose to become French commander in chief (1911) and Marshal of France. Despite the debacle of 1914 as the
German army executed the
Schlieffen Plan, Joffre helped to retrieve the situation through retreat and counterattack (
First Battle of the Marne). But General
Robert Georges Nivelle[?] replaced him as commander in chief in 1916.
