Maurice Gamelin (1872 - 1958) was a French general.
The generalissimo of the French armed forces in WWII, Gamelin was one of the most intellectual generals of his time. He was respected, even in Germany, for his intelligence and 'subtle mind'. Despite this, and his competent service in WWI, his command of the French armies during the critical days of May 1940 is hard to describe without using the word 'inept'.
Gamelin served with distinction under Joseph Joffre in WWI. He was a protégé of Edouard Daladier.
At the beginning of WWII, Gamelin was not willing to commit bombers to attack German territory for fear of reprisals. Avoiding unnecessary bloodshed was a concern that lay very heavily on his mind - more so, some might say, than is entirely appropriate for a general.
Gamelin commanded the French army during the Phony war of 1939 - 1940. He was both preceded and succeeded as generalissimo by Maxime Weygand. During the Vichy regime, Gamelin was arrested and deported to Germany. He later published a thick tome of memoirs.
