Ferdinand Foch

1851- 1929

French Military Leader

French General Ferdinand Foch was born in Paris, France on October 2, 1851. Hewas a career French army officer who enlisted during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71.

From 1907 to 1911 he was the Commandant of the École de Guerre (the French military college). At the beginning of World War I, Foch led the Ninth Army at the Marne. He commanded a French army group at the Somme in 1916 and in 1918, became the Supreme Allied commander.

Foch led the Marne counter-offensive and the final Allied offensives of 1918 that forced the Germans to sue for peace.