Mangin, Charles

(general)

(1866-1925)

   military figure

   Born in sarrebourg, charles Mangin, after graduating from saint-cyr, served for a number of years in Africa (1890-94, 1895-98, 1907-11), in Tonkin (1901-04), and with General louis lyautey in Morocco (1912). During World War I, he took the fortresses of Douaument (october 1916) and vaux, and was placed at the head of the sixth Army. Put in the reserves after the failure of the Nivelle offensive (chemin des Dames, April 1917), he was recalled in December 1917 and, commanding the 10th Army, helped, thanks to his counteroffensive at Villers-Cotterêts, achieve the victory of the Allied forces at the second Battle of the Marne (July 1918). Entering Metz with his army shortly after the armistice (November 19, 1918), Mangin was named commander of the Army of the Rhine (at Mainz), then sent on a mission to south America (1920-1921). Inspector-general of colonial troops and a member of the council of War, General Man-gin left his Lettres de guerre (published 1951).