GALLIENI, JOSEPH SIMON French general and statesman, is immortalized by his vital share in the strategically decisive victory of the Marne (q.v.). He was born at Saint-Beat, Haute-Garonne, on April 24, 1849. He left the military academy of Saint-Cyr in July 187o as second lieutenant in the marines, becoming lieutenant in 1873 and captain in 1878. He saw service in the Franco-German War, and from 1877 to 1881 took an important part in the explorations and military ex peditions by which the French dominion was extended in the basin of the upper Niger. In March 1881 he obtained a treaty from Ahmadu, almany of Segu, giving the French exclusive rights of commerce on the upper Niger, for which he received the gold medal of the Societe de Geographie. From 1883 to 1886 Gallieni was stationed at Martinique. On June 24, 1886 he became lieu tenant colonel, and on Dec. 20, governor of Upper Senegal. He obtained several successes against Ahmadu in 1887, and com pelled Samory to agree to a treaty abandoning the left bank of the Niger. (See SENEGAL: History). In 1888 he was made an officer of the Legion of Honour. In 1891 he was promoted colonel, and from 1893 to 1895 he commanded the second military division of Tongking.
In 1896 Madagascar was made a French colony, and Gallieni was appointed resident-general (afterwards governor-general) and commander-in-chief. He completed the subjugation of the island, which was in revolt against the French. He also destroyed the political supremacy of the Hovas and restored the autonomy of the other tribes. The application of the French customs, and other similar measures disastrous to British and American trade, were matters for which Gallieni was not wholly responsible. His policy was directed to the development of the economic resources of the island and was conciliatory towards the non-French European population. He also secured for the Protestants re ligious liberty. In 1905, when he resigned the governorship, Mada gascar enjoyed peace and considerable prosperity. In 1906 Gen eral Gallieni was appointed to command the XIV. Army Corps and the military government of Lyons.
Gallieni had reached the age limit for retirement in April 1914, but was retained on the active list without duty, and on mobiliza tion in 1914 he was notified that in case of need he would be the successor of the commander-in-chief Joffre—who had been ap pointed on his recommendation. On Aug. 26, in face of the im minent approach of the invading German armies, he was appointed military governor of Paris. He took energetic steps for the de fence of the capital, abandoned by the government, and in addi tion to the garrison Maunoury's VI. Army was placed under his control. Visualizing his role as one not merely of passive defence, his close watch on the German armies, and his military intuition, led him to see and seize the opportunity for a counterstroke. From air information received during Sept 3, Gallieni concluded that the German forces marching on Paris had inclined to the south east, thus offering him an exposed flank. He convinced Joffre first of the opportunity, and ultimately that the attack ought to be made on the line of the Ourcq north of the Marne. On the night of Sept. 4 Joffre issued orders for a general counter-offensive on Sept. 6. The outcome was the retreat of the right wing and with it the turning of the tide of the war. These events are described under Marne, First Battle of, and World War. Controversy has raged over the distribution of credit for this achievement, but it is at least indisputable that the first perception of the opportunity and the initiative to seize it were Gallieni's. With the German retreat the operations passed out of the zone over which Gallieni held command.
Joffre showed no haste to offer Gallieni a more active command, but on Oct. 29, 1915 he became minister of war in Briand's cabi net. In this office he sought to bring about reforms in the admin istration and higher command, while defending Joffre against the growing storm of criticism. The German attack on Verdun (q.v.), however, revealed a serious failure of foresight on the part of the higher command. Gallieni then proposed an extensive scheme of reorganization for the better co-ordination of the whole war effort of France. In the military sphere this involved a clearer separation between the strategical direction and the administra tion of resources, and to implement it Joffre was to be brought back to Paris as commander-in-chief of all the French armies while de Castelnau (q.v.) was placed in executive command of the field armies on the western front. Finding that his colleagues in the Cabinet shrank from the risk of causing a political crisis, Gallieni resigned, ostensibly for reasons of ill-health, on March 16, 1916. The pretext was, in part, justified, for in order to fit himself for active service he underwent an operation—without taking the preliminary rest that had been prescribed. The first operation was not successful and after a second he died at Ver sailles on May 27, 1916. His body was given a state funeral, and lay for a time under the dome of the Invalides. He was buried at St. Raphael. On April 21, 1921 the dignity of marshal of France was conferred on him posthumously.