Hippolyte Langlois
Hippolyte Langlois(3 August 1839 – 12 February 1912) was a Frenchgeneralnoted for his writings onmilitary science.
Biography
[edit]He was born atBesançon,Doubs,and, after passing through theÉcole polytechnique,was appointed to the artillery as sub-lieutenant in 1858, attaining the rank of captain in 1866. He served in the army ofMetzin theFranco-Prussian War.Eight years later he became major, in 1887 lieutenant-colonel and in 1888 colonel. At this time he was appointed professor of artillery at theÉcole de Guerre,and in this post he devoted himself to working out the tactical principles of the employment offield artilleryunder the new conditions of armament of which he foresaw the advent.[1]Examples included the then developing quick-firing artillery for which he recommended tactics such as therafale[2][3]The public result of his work was the great treatiseL’Artillerie de campagne(1891–1902), which may still he regarded as the classic of the arm.
In 1894 he becamegeneral of brigade,and in 1898general of division.For two years after this he was the commandant of the École de guerre at the time that the modern French strategic and tactical doctrine was being developed and taught. He was, however, regarded as a leader as well as a theorist, and in 1901 he was selected to command theXX Corpson the German frontier, popularly called theIron Corps.In 1902 he became a member of theConseil supérieur de la Guerre,consisting of senior generals marked out for the higher commands in war.[1]
He retired from the active list in 1904 on reaching the age limit, and devoted himself with the greatest energy to critical military literature. In 1907 he began the publication of a monthly journal of military art and history, theRevue militaire generale.[1]In 1911 he was elected to seat 32 in theAcadémie française.
The most important of his other works areEnseignements de deux guerres récentesandConséquences tactiques du progrès de l’armement.[1]
Notes
[edit]- ^abcdOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911). "Langlois, Hippolyte".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 177.
- ^Andrew Hero Jr. Captain, Artillery Corps. French Rapid-Fire Field Artillery. Antiaircraft Journal v. 20 1903 p47 Opening & Conduct of Fire.[1]
- ^Gaberiel Rouquered (tr. P. de B. Radcliffe) The Tactical Employment of Quick-firing Field Artillery pub: Hugh Rees London 1903[2]
External links
[edit]
- 1839 births
- 1912 deaths
- Military personnel from Besançon
- French generals
- French military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War
- French military writers
- École Polytechnique alumni
- Members of the Académie Française
- Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour
- French male non-fiction writers
- Senators of Meurthe-et-Moselle