Editing Philippe Pétain (section)

==Early military career==
Pétain was admitted to Saint-Cyr in 1876, beginning his career in the [[French Army]]. Between graduating in 1878 and 1899, he served in various garrisons with different battalions of the [[chasseurs]],<ref name=Atkin-2014/>{{page needed|date=October 2024}} the elite light infantry of the French Army. Thereafter, he alternated between staff and regimental assignments.

[[File:Philippe Pétain jeune officier.jpg|left|thumb|Pétain in the 1880s]]

Pétain's career progressed slowly, as he rejected the French Army philosophy of the furious infantry assault, arguing instead that "firepower kills". His views were later proved to be correct during the First World War. He was promoted to captain in 1890 and major (''chef de bataillon'') in 1900. In March 1904, by then serving in the 104th Infantry, he was appointed adjunct professor of applied infantry tactics at the ''École Supérieure de Guerre'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6249355k/f3.image.r|title=Ecoles militaires|date=1 April 1904|access-date=16 November 2020|website=gallica.bnf.fr|last=Government of the French Republic}}</ref> and following promotion to lieutenant-colonel was promoted to professor on 3 April 1908.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6276218v/f8.image.r|title=Service des ecoles militaires|date=5 April 1908|access-date=16 November 2020|website=gallica.bnf.fr|last=Government of the French Republic}}</ref> He was brevetted to colonel on 1 January 1910.<ref name="colonel"/>

Unlike many French officers, Pétain served mainly in mainland France, never [[French Indochina]] or any of the African colonies, although he participated in the [[Rif War|Rif campaign in Morocco]]. As [[colonel]], he was given command of the 33rd Infantry Regiment at [[Arras]] on 25 June 1911;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6391632r/f24.image.r|title=Ministère de la guerre|date=28 June 1911|access-date=25 September 2021|website=gallica.bnf.fr|last=Government of the French Republic}}</ref> a young lieutenant, [[Charles de Gaulle]], who served under him, later wrote that his "first colonel, Pétain, taught (him) the Art of Command". In the spring of 1914, he was given command of a brigade (still with the rank of colonel). By then aged 58 and having been told he would never become a general, Pétain had bought a villa for retirement.<ref>{{citation |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YiZRC8bsOuoC&pg=PA461|title=The United States in the First World War: an encyclopedia |author=Anne Cipriano Venzon, Paul L. Miles|chapter=Pétain, Henri-Philippe|year=1999 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0815333531 }}.</ref>