The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 7, Pt 1

Part 7 of the ongoing discussion continues to look at the French Army in 1917. We look at the state of the French Army going into 1917, where the army itself was in good shape but its leadership was an entirely different story. The rising star of GEN Robert Nivelle and the politics around his ascension is discussed, as well as the offensive that bears his name and destroyed his career. The indiscipline of the French Army is visited through the question of "Were there mutinies in 1917, or were they more like military labor strikes?" The replacement of Nivelle with GEN Philippe Petain is reviewed as well, but we will get into his leadership of the army and approach to warfighting in the Pt 2 episode. Join us for a fascinating discussion. Joining us for this discussion are: Steve Marsdin, a student and researcher of the 1914 Battle of the Frontiers and its effects, Jim Smithson, author of "A Taste of Success: The First Battle of the Scarpe. The Opening Phase of the Battle of Arras 9-14 April 1917" and two guide books on the Arras battlefields Suggested reading to expand on this episode - "Flesh and Steel During the Great War" by Michel Goya: Great War Group: The BFWWP is on Patreon: Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website,

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The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 7, Pt 1 is an episode from Battles of the First World War Podcast by Mike Cunha.

This episode is 01:24:18 long.

This episode was published on Apr 16, 2026.

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