The
Don't make shit up softlink that appeared at the bottom of this node indicates that some noders may have difficulty believing the above write-up, However while the write-up contains a certain amount of
exaggeration it is essentially based on
fact.
The writer is probably referring to the mutinies that occurred in the French Army after the
Nivelle Offensive of April 1917.
General Robert Nivelle, the newly appointed
Commander in Chief of French forces was determined to break the German line on the
Western Front and mounted a major offensive on April 16. He confidently predicted he would overrun the German line within 48 hours. The Germans were heavily dug in however and French gains were minimal despite
horrendous losses.
Despite this Nivelle refused to give in and continued to send French soldiers to their deaths until French units began to
Mutiny. Soldiers being transported to the front refused to board trains and entire divisions refused to go into battle. It is said that at its height
half the French Army was involved in the revolt.
At this point Nivelle was replaced by
Henri Phillipe Petain who had a much better reputation for concern for the troops under his care. Petain used a
carrot and stick approach to quell the mutiny. He stopped the offensive and decreed France would take a up a
defensive position, he improved soldiers rations, living conditions and doubled their leave. However, he also made an example of those involved in the mutiny to show that authority was to be obeyed. He had ringleaders
executed or sent to
Devil's Island, and it was reported that in
some rebellious units every tenth man was shot.
These tactics
worked and by mid-June the mutinies were over.
http://www.cato.org/dailys/12-21-98.html
http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch07.htm
http://europeanhistory.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk%2FFWWpetain.htm