Talk:Joseph Joffre

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A great deal of information on Joffre can be found in the book The Guns of August. Also, that book is extremely well sourced (in contrast to the article about it). I don't happen to have a copy with me, but I'll be able to retrieve it soon. Tenebrous 06:01, 23 February 2006 (UTC)

Mirrored image?
Is this image mirrored? These awards should be worn on the left chest.--WooteleF (talk) 20:54, 14 October 2009 (UTC)

Certamen?
In 1920 Joffre presided over the Jocs Florals in Barcelona, a Catalan literary certamen. — What is meant by Certamen? Is it Certamen (quiz bowl)? The word is not in general English usage, and is not in Webster's. Sca (talk) 17:42, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Is Joffre, Alberta named after him
I'm not sure if it is named after him or not, but clearly if it is, it ought to be referced here. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.78.194.182 (talk) 19:50, 18 September 2014 (UTC)

Another street named Joffre
In Toledo, Ohio there is a Joffre Avenue located 41 deg. 39' N, 83 deg. 35' W. Musicwriter (talk) 20:54, 12 January 2012 (UTC)

Survived the flu?
Seriously? That's written in the article?Landroo (talk) 04:43, 12 November 2013 (UTC)


 * Given that a lot of people died from it (more than from the war iirc), it's by no means irrelevant. From memory Lloyd George was seriously ill in the autumn of 1918 as well. Lots of biographies of Queen Elizabeth I mention that she caught smallpox and recovered, although one of her ladies caught it off her and was scarred for life. Joffre lost weight in his old age - he looked noticeably thinner when he turned up to Sir John French's funeral in the mid-1920s - which may have been in part a result of surviving serious illness.Paulturtle (talk) 14:22, 4 December 2013 (UTC)


 * An ironic discussion, in view of world events over the last two years, and proof, if proof were needed, that "I don't see why that's important and it ought to be deleted" is often just lack of knowledge by the person involved.Paulturtle (talk) 03:29, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

Generalissimo of the French Army
This is listed in his info box yet there is no mention of this in the article, let alone any link to data supporting this title as anything but some Wikipedian's fantasy.William (The Bill) Blackstone (talk) 12:36, 12 February 2014 (UTC)


 * It's an informal title AFAIK. It was used of the Commander-in-Chief designate before the war, again when Joffre was given responsibility for other fronts at the end of 1915, and again of Foch as Supreme Allied Commander in 1918. I've never come across a strict definition, but I do recall an old interview of Monty's in which he said that the French loved to distinguish between a bon General ordinaire and a grand chef. But then, if we're being pedantic, "Marshal of France" is not a rank but a political honour, which like a British peerage is retained even if the holder is imprisoned in disgrace (hence Petain was a Marshal until the day he died); the highest French rank at the time was General de Division.Paulturtle (talk) 21:48, 15 February 2015 (UTC)

Romania
Have removed a claim, which has lain uncorrected in the article for eight years, that he commanded the French mission to Romania in the first months of 1917. Can't find it mentioned in any book (not even Bourachot's recent biog) and it's not consistent with Berthelot's biog which I've just written up. Cite needed, if it's to go back in. It was added by somebody in November 2007, who also added a mention of Romanian Joffre cake. Maybe he confused Henri Berthelot, maybe he copied the information, as people used to do then, from some crap "schools learning website". Seems Joffre visited Romania after the war.Paulturtle (talk) 22:53, 9 January 2016 (UTC)
 * I have checked this with the French official histories (where such info should be found if it did happen, given the exhaustive nature of the works). The relevant volumes (covering the activities on the Eastern front by French troops in the relevant period) is Tome VIII, Volume 2, and the 2nd volume of "annexes" which is attached to the aforementioned text volume . The text volume describes that Joffre was to be appointed as "technical counselor to the government [of France?] as it concerns the conduct [literally "direction"] of the war".

"Le 13 décembre le gouvernement décidait que les commandants en chef des armées du Nord et du Nord-Est et de l'armée d'Orient exerceraient, chacun en ce qui les concernait, la direction des opérations, le général Joffre, commandant en chef les armées françaises, remplirait « auprès du gouvernement le rôle de conseiller technique en ce qui concerne la direction de la guerre »,"


 * This however does not seem to imply any presence on the field in either of Romania or Greece. The given footnote in the source text only refers to the following, which again merely refers to Joffre's appointement to the mostly ceremonial rank of "maréchal de France" and his replacement by Nivelle on the Western Front.

"Général Nivelle est nommé au commandement en chef des armées du Nord et Nord-Est en remplacement du général Joffre, élevé à la dignité de maréchal de France."


 * Given the lack of any further significant mention of Joffre in the document (page 303 is only about the halfway point, by the way), I think it's safe to assume that he did not set foot in either Greece or Romania during the first few months of 1917. So, yes, indeed, unless there's something I'm missing, the incorrect information must have come from a "crap 'schools learning website'". 107.190.33.254 (talk) 00:37, 30 August 2019 (UTC)

Nothing changed
OK CLC, you want nothing changed. Curious, Joffre wrote (as did Langel de Cary, as did a few others) a biography. Two volumes, I believe. Did any of these generals later have misgivings, maybe even nightmares, about the slaughters that they instigated? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 73.81.156.18 (talk) 17:48, 28 March 2020 (UTC)