Robert Georges Nivelle (October 15, 1857 - March 22, 1924) was a French military commander during World War I. October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in Leap years). ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... March 22 is the 81st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (82nd in Leap years). ... 1924 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machineguns, and poison gas. ...

Born in Tulle, France, to a French father and English mother, Nivelle graduated from the École Polytechnique in 1878 and served in Indochina, Algeria, and China as an artillery officer. He rose in rank from sub-lieutenant in 1878 to regimental colonel in December 1913, which he held at the start of the war in August 1914. A gifted artilleryman, the intense fire he was able to maintain played a key part in stopping German attacks during the Alsace Offensive early in the war, the First Battle of the Marne (September 5-10, 1914) and the first Battle of the Aisne (September 15-18, 1914). He received a promotion to Brigadier General in October 1914. A chief assistant to Philippe Pétain at Verdun, his success while commanding the forces that recaptured Douaumont and other forts at Verdun led to him being given command of the Verdun sector in 1916. Tulle is a netting, which is often starched, made of various fibers, including silk, nylon, and rayon, that is often used for veils or gowns. ... The cadets of Polytechnique rushed to the defense of Paris against the foreign armies in 1814. ... 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... French Indochina was a federation of French colonies and protectorates in Southeast Asia, part of the French colonial empire. ... Link title1913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1914 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... The offensive French military strategy in World War I known as Plan XVII was initially created by Ferdinand Foch. ... The First Battle of the Marne was a World War I battle fought from September 5 to 10, 1914. ... The Battle of the Aisne is the name of three battles fought along the Aisne River in northern France during the First World War. ... Philippe Pétain Marshal Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain (April 24, 1856 – July 23, 1951), generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain, was a French soldier and Head of State of Vichy France, a Nazi puppet state, from 1940 to 1944. ... They shall not pass — Henri Philippe Pétain The Battle of Verdun was a major battle of the Western Front in World War I. The battle was fought between the German and French armies between February 21 and 19 December 1916 around Verdun in northeast France. ... Douaumont is a village and a commune in the Meuse département in France, near Verdun. ... 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ...

Nivelle was an exponent of aggressive tactics, arguing that by using his creeping barrage tactics he could end the war on the Western Front. His ideas were popular with the besieged Aristide Briand, the French Prime Minister, and in December 13, 1916 Nivelle replaced Joseph Joffre as Commander-in-Chief of the French Army. He devised a grand plan to win the war in 1917. This involved a British attack to draw in German reserves, followed by a massive general French attack aimed at the Arras-Soissons-Reims salient. However, Nivelle was willing to talk about his plan to anyone who asked, including journalists, while the Germans captured copies of the battle plan left in French trenches; consequently the element of surprise was lost. When launched in April 1917, the Aisne campaign (Nivelle Offensive) was a complete failure. He continued with the strategy until the French Army began to mutiny. See Western Front (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... Aristide Briand, French politician Aristide Briand (March 28, 1862–March 7, 1932) was a French statesman. ... 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre (January 12, 1852 - January 3, 1931) was a Catalan French general who became prominent in the battles of World War I. Joffre was born in Rivesaltes, Roussillon. ... Arras is a city and commune in northern France, préfecture (capital) of the Pas-de-Calais département. ... The city of Soissons in the Aisne département, Picardie, France on the Aisne River is about 60 miles northeast of Paris and is one of the most ancient cities of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones. ... Location within France Reims (English traditionally Rheims) (pronounced in French) is a city of northern France, 144 km (89 miles) east-northeast of Paris. ... 1917 was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... Aisne is a département in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River. ... Mutiny is the crime of conspiring to disobey orders that the mutineer is legally obliged to obey, for example by crew members of a ship. ...

Nivelle was sacked on May 15, 1917 and replaced as Commander-in-Chief by Pétain, who restored the fighting capacity of the French forces. He was reassigned to North Africa in December 1917, where he spent the rest of his military career before retiring in 1921. 1917 was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... North Africa is a region generally considered to include: Algeria Egypt Libya Mauritania Morocco Sudan Tunisia Western Sahara The Canary Islands, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Azores and Madeira are sometimes considered to be a part of North Africa, though they do not share a common culture with the countries listed above. ... 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

See also

• Chemin des Dames