Petain: The Pessimistic Patriot
Prof John Derry talks about Philippe Pétain, the French general who is widely acknowledged as having saved the French Army in 1917.
Petain was sidelined in 1918, and in 1940 surrendered to the Nazis. Is his reputation deserved or was he a 'pessimistic patriot'?
Pétain gained fame for his leadership during the Battle of Verdun in 1916, where he reorganized the French defences and inspired his troops to a successful defence against a massive German attack.
In WWII, after France's defeat, Pétain became the head of the French State at Vichy, a regime that collaborated with the Nazi German occupiers.
Following the war, Pétain was tried for treason and collaboration. He was found guilty and initially sentenced to death, though the sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment due to his age.
Recorded at the WFA's AGM, York, UK, May 2011
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