Maxime Weygand

Maxime Weygand (January 21, 1867 - January 28, 1965) was a French military commander in both World War I and World War II.

Weygand in World War II

The short but efficient contribution of Weygand to the French military disaster

Weygand was recalled to active service by Edouard Daladier in August 1939 to head the French forces in the Middle East, where although France had been at war only with Germany, he had prepared his troops for a takeover by force against Soviet oil fields.

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By May 1940 the military disaster in France was such that the Supreme Commander, Maurice Gamelin, was dismissed, and Weygand recalled to replace him.

Related Topics:
1940 - Maurice Gamelin

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Weygand arrived on May 17 and started by cancelling the side counter-offensive ordered by Gamelin, to cut off the enemy armoured columns which had punched through the French front. Thus he lost 2 crucial days before finally adopting the solution however obvious of his predecessor. But it was by then a failed manouvre, because during the 48 lost hours, the German infantry had caught up behind their tanks in the breakthrough and had consolidated their gains. After further vain attempts to contain the enemy advance he then favoured an armistice with Germany.

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