Chief of the Defence Staff (France)
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| Chief of the Defence Staff
Chef d'État-Major des Armées | |
|---|---|
 Insignia of the Chief of the Defence Staff | |
 | |
| Ministry of the Armed Forces | |
| Status | Head of a military staff |
| Member of | Chiefs of Staff Committee |
| Reports to | Minister of the Armed Forces |
| Seat | Paris, France |
| Nominator | Minister of the Armed Forces |
| Appointer | The President with the countersignature of the Prime Minister |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Formation | 28 April 1948 |
| First holder | Jean-Louis Borel |
| Website | www |
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| French Armed Forces |
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| Components |
| Ranks |
| History |
The Chief of the General Staff of the Armies (French: (C)hef d'(É)tat-(M)ajor des (A)rmées) (acronym: C.E.M.A.) is the chief (French: Chef) of the general staff headquarters (French: État-Major) of the Armies (French: Armées) of France and leading senior military officer responsible for usage of the French Armed Forces, ensuring the commandment of all military operations (under reserve of the particular dispositions relative to nuclear deterrence).
C.E.M.A. is currently held by Général François Lecointre.
Contents
- 1 Functions
- 2 Responsibilities and authorities
- 3 Chefs d'État-Major des armées
- 3.1 Chef d'État-Major général de l'Armée (1874–1914)
- 3.2 Commandant en chef des armées françaises (1915–1918)
- 3.3 Commandant en chef des Armées alliées (1918–1920)
- 3.4 Chef d'État-Major général des armées françaises (1920–1940)
- 3.5 Chef d'État-Major général des forces armées (1948–1950)
- 3.6 Chef d'État-Major combiné des forces armées (1950–1953)
- 3.7 Chef d'État-Major des forces armées (1953–1958)
- 3.8 Chef d'État-Major général des armées (1958–1961)
- 3.9 Chef d'État-Major interarmées (1961–1962)
- 3.10 Chef d'État-Major des armées (1962–present)
- 4 See also
- 5 Notes
- 6 References
- 7 Sources
Functions[edit]
The Chef d'État-Major des Armées (French: C.E.M.A.) assists the Ministry of the Armed Forces (French: Ministère des Armées) in its capacity attributions to make use of the various required forces. C.E.M.A., in virtue of decree dispositions of 15 July 2009, under the authority of the President of France, the French government, and under the reserve of the particular dispositions relative to nuclear deterrence, is responsible for the use of forces and commandment of all military operations. CEMA is the military counselor of the government.
C.E.M.A. has authority over the:
- Chief of Staff of the French Army (French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de Terre, CEMAT)
- Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de l'Air, CEMAA)
- Chief of Staff of the French Navy (French: Chef d'État-Major de la Marine, CEMM)
C.E.M.A. responsibilities consist of:
- The inter-arm organizations and the general organization of the armed forces
- The expression of the need in material of human resources of the armed forces, the inter-arm institutions, and the definition of the ensemble format of the armed forces.
- The preparation and condition assignments of recruiting in the armed forces
- Support of the armed forces ( C.E.M.A. determines the general organizations and objectives. C.EM.A. assures the operational maintenance in condition of all equipments. C.E.M.A. determines the inter-arm needs of various material infrastructures and that of the armed forces while verifying status of operability)
- The renseignement of military interest. C.E.M.A. ensures the general research direction and exploitation of the renseignement militaire and has authority on the direction du renseignement militaire
- International military relations
Responsibilities and authorities[edit]
C.E.M.A is responsible for :
- Conduct of operations : plans of use, general articulation of forces, distribution of operational means between theatre commanders (over whom he has full authority)
- Forces preparation : CEMA is in check of forces aptitude in missions completion and has a permanent right of inspection over these forces;
- Future Preparation : planning and programming of military capacities. Oversees in effect of coherence in means of the armed forces and participates to the preparation and various executions of associated military and defence budgets.
- Inter-arm organization: Oversees the coherence of the armed forces organization
- Military relations with foreign militaries: CEMA directs French foreign military missions in foreign theatres, organizes the participation of the armed forces in regards to military cooperations, following international mandated negotiations and represents France at the various military committees of international organizations.
Directly under the CEMA authority are :
- Les Chefs d’état-major de l'Armée de terre, de La Marine et de l’Armée de l’Air
- l'État-Major des armées (EMA)
- The Inspection of the Armed Forces (IDA)
- Superior commanders in the collective and overseas territorial departments and the commanders of the French forces in foreign areas (COMSUP and COMFOR), the officiers généraux of the zones de défense et de sécurité (OGZDS) and the délégués militaires départementaux (DMD)
- Inter-arm institutions:
- Direction du renseignement militaire (DRM) – Directorate of Military Intelligence
- French Special Operations Command (French: Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (COS))
- état-major interarmées de force et d'entraînement (EMIA-FE)
- Direction centrale du service de santé des armées (DCSSA) – Military Medical Services
- Direction centrale du service des essences des armées (DCSEA) – Military Fuel Services
- Direction interarmées des réseaux d'infrastructures et des systèmes d'information (DIRISI)– Inter-arm infrastructure and Information Systems Directorate
- Direction centrale du service du commissariat des armées - DCSCA, created 1 January 2010
- Service interarmées des munitions, created 25 March 2011
- Enseignement militaire supérieur.
The Chief of the general staff headquarters of the Armies (CEMA), is assisted by a Major General of the Armies (French: Major Général des Armées), a senior ranked officer of the French Armed Forces.
Chefs d'État-Major des armées[edit]
Chef d'État-Major général de l'Armée (1874–1914)[edit]
| № | Chef d'État-Major général de l'Armée | Took office | Left office | Time in office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Général de division Jean-Louis Borel (1819–1884) | 1874 | 1875 | 0–1 years | |
| 2 | Général de division Henri Gresley (1819–1890) | 1875 | 1877 | 1–2 years | |
| 3 | Général de division Joseph de Miribel (1831–1893) | 1878 | 1879 | 0–1 years | |
| 4 | Général de division Léopold Davout (1829–1804) | 1879 | 1880 | 0–1 years | |
| 5 | Général de division Omer Arsène Blot | 1880 | 1881 | 0–1 years | |
| 6 | Général de division Achille Ernest Vuillemot (1819–1903) | 1882 | 1883 | 0–1 years | |
| 7 | Général de division Amédée de Cools (1830–1904) | 1884 | 1885 | 0–1 years | |
| 8 | Général de division Savin de Larclause | 1886 | 1887 | 0–1 years | |
| 9 | Général de division Charles Haillot | 1888 | 1890 | 1–2 years | |
| (3) | Général de division Joseph de Miribel (1831–1893) | 1891 | 1893 | 1–2 years | |
| 10 | Général de division Raoul Le Mouton de Boisdeffre (1839–1919) | 1894 | 1898 | 3–4 years | |
| 11 | Général de division Paul Marie Brault (1837–1899) | 1899 | 1901 | 1–2 years | |
| 12 | Général de division Jean Pendezec | 1901 | 1905 | 3–4 years | |
| 13 | Général de division Jean Brun (1849–1911) | 1906 | 1909 | 2–3 years | |
| 14 | Général de division Édouard Laffon de Ladebat (1849–1925) | 1910 | 1911 | 0–1 years | |
| 15 | Général de division Augustin Dubail (1851–1934) | 1911 | July 1911 | 0 years | |
| 16 | Général de division Joseph Joffre (1852–1931) | July 1911 | 1 August 1914 | 2–3 years |
![Joseph de Miribel [fr]](/wiki/File:LPDF_23_5_g%C3%A9n%C3%A9ral_de_Miribel.jpg)
![Léopold Davout [fr]](/wiki/File:L%C3%A9opold_Davout_(1829-1904).jpg)
![Jean Brun [fr]](/wiki/File:Jean_Brun_06409.jpg)
![Édouard Laffon de Ladebat [fr]](/wiki/File:Etienne_Laffon_de_Lad%C3%A9bat.jpg)
.jpg)
Commandant en chef des armées françaises (1915–1918)[edit]
While non official, the term Generalissimo or « (French: Généralissime) » was employed since 1914 to designate the individual who in reality was « Commandant en Chef des Armées du Nord et du Nord-Est » (English: Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the North and North-East). The term would be made official in 1915 when Joffre was also given command over the Salonika front (a degree of authority not enjoyed by his successors). The rank and post was successively occupied by three generals during World War I: Joseph Joffre, who occupied the rank and functions from August 1914 without bearing the official title, then Robert Nivelle and Philippe Pétain.
Général Ferdinand Foch was the Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Zone under Joseph Joffre in autumn 1914; this role later crystallised into command of French Army Group North, a position which Foch held until December 1916. Subsequently, Foch became Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front with the title Généralissime in 1918 then was designated as « Commandant en Chef des Armées Alliées » (English:Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces) starting 14 May 1918.[1] Foch was promoted to Marshal of France prior the planning of the offensive that led to the Armistice of 11 November 1918. Following the armistice, Marshal Ferdinand Foch was elevated to the digniity of the Marshal of Great Britain and Poland.
| № | Commandant en chef des armées françaises | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Minister of War | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Generalissimo Général de division[a] Joseph Joffre (1852–1931) (elevated to the digniity of Maréchal de France) | 2 December 1915 | 17 December 1916 | 1 year, 15 days | Joseph Gallieni Pierre Roques Louis Lyautey | Raymond Poincaré | |
| 17 | Général de division Robert Nivelle (1856–1924) | 17 December 1916 | 15 May 1917 | 149 days | Louis Lyautey Lucien Lacaze Paul Painlevé | Raymond Poincaré | |
| 18 | Général de division Philippe Pétain (1856–1951) (elevated to the digniity of Maréchal de France) | 17 May 1917 | 28 March 1918 | 315 days | Paul Painlevé Georges Clemenceau | Raymond Poincaré |
.jpg)
Commandant en chef des Armées alliées (1918–1920)[edit]
| № | Commandant en chef des Armées alliées | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Minister of War | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Maréchal de France Ferdinand Foch (1851–1929) [b] | 28 March 1918 | 10 January 1920 | 1 year, 15 days | Georges Clemenceau | Raymond Poincaré |
Chef d'État-Major général des armées françaises (1920–1940)[edit]
| № | Chef d'État-Major général des armées françaises | Took office | Left office | Time in office | President of the Council | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Général de division Edmond Buat (1868–1923) | 24 June 1920 | 30 December 1923 † | 3 years, 189 days | Alexandre Millerand Georges Leygues Aristide Briand Raymond Poincaré | Paul Deschanel (1920 – 1920) Alexandre Millerand (1920 – 1924) | |
| 21 | Generalissimo Marie-Eugène Debeney (1864–1943) | 1 January 1924 | 2 January 1930 | 6 years, 1 day | Raymond Poincaré Frédéric François-Marsal Édouard Herriot Paul Painlevé Aristide Briand | Alexandre Millerand (1920 – 1924) Gaston Doumergue (1924 – 1931) | |
| 22 | Général d'armée Maxime Weygand (1867–1965) | 2 January 1930 | 21 January 1935 | 5 years, 19 days | Camille Chautemps André Tardieu Théodore Steeg Pierre Laval | Gaston Doumergue (1924 – 1931) | |
| 23 | Général d'armée Maurice Gamelin (1872–1958) | 21 January 1935 | 18 May 1940 | 5 years, 118 days | Pierre Laval Albert Sarraut Léon Blum Camille Chautemps Édouard Daladier | Gaston Doumergue (1924 – 1931) Paul Doumer (1931 – 1932) Albert François Lebrun (1932 – 1940) |
Chef d'État-Major général des forces armées (1948–1950)[edit]
| № | Chef d'État-Major général des forces armées | Took office | Left office | Time in office | President of the Council | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Général de division Henri Zeller (1896–1971) | 28 April 1948 | 31 March 1950 | 1 year, 337 days | Robert Schuman André Marie Henri Queuille Georges Bidault | Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954) |
![Henri Zeller [fr]](/wiki/File:Henri_Zeller_(1961).jpg)
Chef d'État-Major combiné des forces armées (1950–1953)[edit]
| № | Chef d'État-Major combiné des forces armées | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | President of the Council | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (24) | Général de division Henri Zeller (1896–1971) | 1 April 1950 | 20 August 1951 | 1 year, 141 days | .svg) French Army | Henri Queuille René Pleven | Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954) | |
| 25 | Général Charles Léchères (1895–1960) | 20 August 1951 | 20 August 1952 | 1 year, 0 days | .svg){kind=small} French Air Force | Henri Queuille René Pleven Edgar Faure Antoine Pinay | Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954) | |
| 26 | Général d'armée Alphonse Juin (1897–1975) (elevated to the dignity of Maréchal de France) | 20 August 1952 | 17 August 1953 | 362 days | French Army | Antoine Pinay René Mayer Joseph Laniel | Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954) |
Chef d'État-Major des forces armées (1953–1958)[edit]
| № | Chef d'État-Major des forces armées | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | President of the Council | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Général d'armée Paul Ély (1897–1975) | 18 August 1953 | 3 June 1954 | 289 days | French Army | Joseph Laniel | Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954) René Coty (1954 – 1959) | |
| 28 | Général d'armée Augustin Guillaume (1895–1983) | 4 June 1954 | 28 February 1956 | 1 year, 269 days | French Army | Joseph Laniel Pierre Mendès France Edgar Faure Guy Mollet | René Coty (1954 – 1959) | |
| (27) | Général d'armée Paul Ély (1897–1975) | 2 March 1956 | 16 May 1958 | 2 years, 75 days | French Army | Joseph Laniel Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury Félix Gaillard Pierre Pflimlin | René Coty (1954 – 1959) |
.jpg)
Chef d'État-Major général des armées (1958–1961)[edit]
| № | Chef d'État-Major général des armées | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | President of the Council then Prime Minister of France |
President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Général d'armée Henri Lorillot | 17 May 1958 | 8 June 1958 | 52 days | French Army | Pierre Pflimlin Charles de Gaulle | René Coty (1954 – 1959) | |
| (27) | Général d'armée Paul Ély (1897–1975) | 9 June 1958 | 11 February 1959 | 218 days | French Army | Charles de Gaulle Michel Debré | René Coty (1954 – 1959) Charles de Gaulle (1959 – 1969) | |
| 30 | Général d'armée Gaston Lavaud (1897–1975) | 25 February 1959 | 10 April 1961 | 2 years, 44 days | French Army | Michel Debré | Charles de Gaulle (1959 – 1969) |
Chef d'État-Major interarmées (1961–1962)[edit]
| № | Chef d'État-Major interarmées | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Prime Minister of France | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Général André Martin (1911–2001) | 11 April 1961 | 15 July 1962 | 1 year, 95 days | French Air Force | Michel Debré Georges Pompidou | Charles de Gaulle (1959 – 1969) |
Chef d'État-Major des armées (1962–present)[edit]
![François Maurin [fr]](/wiki/File:Image_Francois_Maurin.jpeg)
.svg)
See also[edit]
- List of aircraft carriers of France
- Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
- Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic (French: État-major particulier du Président de la République Française)
- Head of the Prime Minister's military cabinet (French: Chef du cabinet militaire du Premier ministre)
- Head of the Minister of Defence's military cabinet (French: Chef du Cabinet militaire du Ministre Français de la Défense)
- Direction générale de la Gendarmerie Nationale (French: Direction Générale de la Gendarmerie nationale) in liaison
- Major (France)
Notes[edit]
- ^ The highest rank then
- ^ Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front with title bearing Généralissime
(British Field Marshal,
22nd Royal First Honorary Colonel,
Marshal of Poland following the war))
References[edit]
- ^ Lexique des termes employés en 1914-1918
- ^ "Jean-Louis Georgelin nommé chef d'état-major des armées" [Jean-Louis Georgelin nommé chef d'État-Major des armées]. Le Monde (in French). 30 August 2006. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ « L’amiral Guillaud, nouveau chef d’État-Major des armées », sur le site defense.gouv.fr.
- ^ Mesures d'ordre individuel Archived 22 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
Sources[edit]
- This page is a translation of fr:Chef d'état-major des armées.
- (French) Décret N° 2009-869. Retrieved on 2013-07-10.
