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Ferdinand Foch (October 2, 1851 – March 20,
1929) was a French soldier. He was a French
Marshal of France|marshal and rose to be commander
of the allied armies during World War I.

Foch was born in Tarbes, France. He enlisted in
the French infantry in 1870 and saw combat in the
Franco-Prussian War. In 1871 Foch entered the
French military academy and received his
commissioned officer|commission in the artillery
in 1873.

He published "Des Principes de la Guerre" ("The
Principles of War") in 1903, and "De la Conduite
de la Guerre" ("On the Conduct of War") in 1904,
and commanded the XXX Corps at Nancy in August
1914.

Foch prevented the advance of the Germany|German
forces during the great offensive of Spring 1918
at the Second Battle of Marne in July 1918,
mounting the counter-attack that was the beginning
of the German defeat. In July 1918 Foch was made
Marshal of France, and he later accepted the
German surrender in November. For his advice
during the Polish-Bolshevik War of 1920 as well as
pressure on Germany during the Great Poland
Uprising he was awarded with the title of Marshal
of Poland. He was also made a List of British
Field Marshals|British Field Marshal in 1919.  A
statue of Foch was set up at the Compiègne
Armistice site when the area was converted into a
national memorial (Interestingly, Foch's statue
was the one item left undisturbed by the Nazis
when they sought to obliterate the area in order
to deprive the French of any reminder of the 1918
Armistice).

The  aircraft carrier FS Foch|Foch was named in
his honour.


Marshals of Poland
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