Émile Béthouart
| Marie Émile Antoine Béthouart | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 17 December 1889 Dole, Jura, France |
| Died | 17 October 1982 (aged 92) Fréjus, France |
| Allegiance |
 French Army Free French Forces
|
| Rank | Général d'Armée |
| Commands held | I Corps |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Other work | Sénateur |
Marie Émile Antoine Béthouart (17 December 1889 – 17 October 1982) was a French Army general who served during World War I and World War II.
Born in Dole, Jura in the Jura Mountains, Béthouart graduated from Saint-Cyr military academy and served as a platoon leader in the 159th Alpine Infantry Regiment during World War I. After the First World War, he served as an advisor to the Royal Yugoslav Army and was named an instructor at the French Center for Mountain Warfare Tactics.
Promoted to Colonel in 1937, Béthouart was made a brevet Brigadier in January 1940. This promotion was made permanent in April 1941 and was followed by promotion to Major General in December 1942. Béthouart was promoted again to Lieutenant General in November 1943, and then to General in 1948.
Béthouart commanded the French 1st Division of Chasseurs (elite light infantry) in the Norwegian campaign in 1940, serving in the area of Narvik.
Subsequently, Béthouart commanded the Casablanca Division of French forces in Morocco and assisted the Allies in rallying the French troops in Morocco to the Allied cause in November 1942. Arrested by Vichy French officials on 10 November 1942, Béthouart was liberated by the Allies on 14 November. Later, Béthouart served as the chief of the French military mission in Washington from December 1942 until November 1943 and as the Chief of Staff of the (French) Committee for National Defense from April 1944 until August 1944. In August 1944, Béthouart briefly served as the Chief of Staff of Armée B, later known as the French First Army.
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