First Army (France)

First Army (France)
Unit name	First Army
Caption	Insignia of the First Army
Dates	1914–1918, 1939–1940, 1944–1945
Country	France
Branch	French Army
Type	Field army
Nickname	Armée d'Afrique
Motto	Rhin et Danube
Battles	World War I, World War II
Notable commanders	Auguste Dubail, Jean de Lattre de Tassigny

First Army (France). The First Army was a major field army of the French Army, activated during both World War I and World War II. It played a pivotal role in critical campaigns on the Western Front and later in the Liberation of France. The army is particularly celebrated for its post-1944 Mediterranean campaign under General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny.

History

The First Army was first constituted in August 1914 at the outbreak of World War I as part of the Plan XVII mobilization. Its initial deployment was in the Battle of the Frontiers, operating in the Lorraine region. Following the First Battle of the Marne, it became a permanent formation engaged in the trench warfare of the Western Front. After the Armistice of 11 November 1918, the army was dissolved before being reconstituted at the start of World War II.

World War I

During World War I, the First Army was heavily engaged from the initial battles. Under its first commander, General Auguste Dubail, it fought in the Battle of Mulhouse and later in the Battle of Lorraine. It participated in the Race to the Sea and sustained significant casualties during the Artois offensives and the Battle of Verdun. In 1918, the army contributed to the victorious Hundred Days Offensive, including the Second Battle of the Marne and the final advance through the Ardennes. Its operations were coordinated within the broader framework of the Allied command under Ferdinand Foch.

World War II

The First Army was reactivated in September 1939 under General Georges Blanchard as part of the French mobilization of 1939. It formed a component of the First Army Group and was deployed into Belgium during the Battle of France in 1940, notably fighting at the Battle of Gembloux. Following the Dunkirk evacuation, it was forced to retreat and was ultimately disbanded after the Armistice of 22 June 1940. The army was famously reconstituted in 1944 as the French First Army, primarily from the French Expeditionary Corps and other Free French Forces units that had fought in the Italian Campaign.

Commanders

Notable commanders of the First Army included General Auguste Dubail during its early World War I engagements. In the interwar period and the 1940 campaign, General Georges Blanchard led the army. Its most celebrated commander was General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, who took command of the reconstituted army in 1944. Other commanders included General Antoine Béthouart and, during the final stages of World War II, General Marie-Pierre Kœnig briefly assumed command. These officers reported to senior figures like Maxime Weygand and Charles de Gaulle.

Composition

The composition of the First Army evolved significantly between conflicts. In World War I, it comprised multiple French Army corps, including units from Metropolitan France. In its 1944–45 incarnation, it was a multinational force often called the Armée d'Afrique, integrating the French Expeditionary Corps from Italy. Key components included the I Corps and II Corps, the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division, the 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division, the 1st Free French Division, and the 5th Armored Division. It also included the United States Army's VI Corps during Operation Dragoon and later incorporated French Forces of the Interior resistance fighters.

Legacy

The legacy of the First Army is deeply tied to the Liberation of France and the final victory in Europe. Its 1944–45 campaign, under the motto "Rhin et Danube", saw it liberate Toulon, Marseille, and Alsace, cross the Rhine at Speyer, and capture Karlsruhe and Stuttgart. The army's service is commemorated by the Rhine and Danube veterans' association and numerous memorials across France. Its history is studied as a key example of the regeneration of the French Army and its role within the broader Allied forces under the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force during the final year of World War II.

Category:Field armies of France in World War I Category:Field armies of France in World War II