Debout les Morts !

@vingtfrong.bsky.social

A range of stuff connected to the French experience of the First World War chiefly, but not only, for an English-speaking audience. #1gm #ww1 #FWW Also, the practical role of French liaison officers & interpreters on the Western Front. vingtfrong.home.blog

Bust of Alexandre Millerand. Between Aug 1914 & Sep 1915, he was war minister in the « Union sacrée » government of René Viviani. An important supporter of Joffre & considered an ally by senior military eg Buat but unpopular with parliamentarians for censorship & control of front line visits.

A bust of Alexandre Milkerand. He has a thick head of hair, bushy eyebrows and a large moustache.
In this sculpture, he has a passing resemblance to Josef Stalin.

D'autres affiches accompagnèrent celle de la mobilisation militaire, notamment celle des réquisitions (photo prise à Argenton/Creuse avant le départ pour la caserne). On trouve aussi très rapidement celle déclarant l'Etat de siège, ici signée par le général Ménétrez, cdt la 9ème Région Militaire.

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#OTDIH The general mobilisation order for 2 Aug was issued in France. Posters like this (printed in 1904 - only a date had to be added) were put up throughout the country. The first was at 4pm 1 Aug 1914 in Paris at the corner of place de la Concorde & rue Royale #1GM #FWW Image: IWM (IWM PST 12691)

image: two crossed French Tricolores. text: ARMÉE DE TERRE ET ARMÉE DE MER ORDRE DE MOBILISATION GÉNÉRALE 
Par décret du Président de la République, la mobilisation des armées de terre et de mer est ordonnée, ainsi que la réquisition des animaux, voitures et harnais nécessaires au complément de ces armées. Le premier jour de la mobilisation est le Dimanche [ms. addition] 2 Août 1914. Tout Français soumis aux obligations militaires doit, sous peine d'être puni avec toute la rigueur des lois, obéir aux prescriptions du FASCICULE DE MOBILISATION (pages coloriées placées dans son livret). Sont visés par le présent ordre TOUS LES HOMMES non présents sous les Drapeaux et appartenant: 1. à l'ARMÉE DE TERRE y compris les TROUPES COLONIALES et les hommes des SERVICES AUXILAIRES; 2. à l'ARMÉE DE MER y compris les INSCRITS MARITIMES et les ARMURIERS de la MARINE. Les Autorités civiles et militaires sont responsables de l'exécution du présent décret. Le Ministre de la Guerre, Le Ministre de la Marine, IMPRIMERIE NATIONALE. 

[Army and navy. Order for general mobilisation. By decree of the President of the Republic, the mobilisation of the army and navy is ordered, as well as the requisition of the animals, vehicles and harnesses necessary to fit out these armed forces. The first day of mobilisation is Sunday, 2 August 1914. Any Frenchman liable for military duty must, subject to being punished with the full force of the law, obey the directions in the Mobilisation Instructions (coloured pages placed in his reservist's book). The following are affected by this order: all men not at present serving in the armed forces and belonging: 1. To the Army, including the colonial troops and men in the auxiliary services; 2. To the Navy, including seamen registered for naval service and navy armourers. The civilian and military authorities are responsible for implementing this decree. The Minister for War. The Minister for the Navy. National Printworks.]

While the British newspapers like to make fun of the French for their obsession with the Caillaux trial, in truth, the drama in Paris has been eagerly followed in Britain as well. Add to that fresh troubles in Ireland, making the public discourse less inclined to focus on Serbia.

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Jean Jaurés dies almost immediately from a gunshot wound to his head. His assailant is the 29-year-old Raoul Villain (pictured); Villain, who wants France to reclaim its territories lost in the 1870 war against Germany, loathes the pacifism of socialists like Jaurés.

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« A la Gloire du Génie » The memorial to the French Army’s Engineer arm at Les Éparges (55), where former members of the Engineer units gather each year to remember all those who served, fought and died in all wars. In the #FWW fighting for Point X, engineers had an especially important role. #1GM

The 7 columns of the monument Mémorial « A la Gloire du Génie » symbolise the Génie specialties: Les Sapeurs-Mineurs, les Pontonniers, les Artificiers, les Télégraphistes et Transmissions, les aérostiers, les Sapeurs Electo-Mécaniciens. 
Inaugurated in 1963, it was an initiative of the « section de Metz de la Société Mutuelle des Anciens du Génie et des Transmissions de l’Est de la France », which had been formed in Nancy in 1889. 
Seven columns of concrete stand on a concrete plinth. On either side of the set of columns are insignia of the Génie arm.