Pierre Langlais
| Pierre Langlais | |
|---|---|
| Born |
2 December 1909 Pontivy, Morbihan |
| Died | 17 July 1986 (aged 76) Vannes |
| Allegiance |
 France
|
| Service/branch | French Army |
| Years of service | 1930–65 |
| Rank | Général de brigade |
| Unit |
Compagnie Méharistes Battalion of the 9th Colonial Infantry Division (9e DIC) 1st Colonial Half-Brigade Paratroop Commandos 2nd Airborne Brigade (GAP2) 20th Airborne Brigade |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Grand Cross of the Légion d’honneur Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 Croix de guerre des TOE |
| Other work | Author |
Pierre Charles Albert Marie Langlais (Pontivy, Morbihan 2 December 1909 – 17 July 1986) was a French military officer who fought in World War II and Indochina. He is best known as the de facto commander of the French garrison during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
Langlais was born at Pontivy, in Morbihan, Brittany. He attended St Cyr Military Academy and graduated in 1930. He chose to serve in the Compagnies Méharistes in North Africa patrolling the Sahara.
Langlais stayed in North Africa after the fall of France in 1940. Following the defeat of the Vichy French forces in Operation Torch, he joined the French Expeditionary Corps and saw action in Italy. He then passed into the French First Army under the command of General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, seeing action in Alsace and Germany.
Langlais arrived in Indochina as a Battalion Commander in the 9th Colonial Infantry Division (9e DIC) in October 1945. His battalion participated in the early battles of the First Indochina War, including the Battle of Hanoi in December 1946.
Langlais returned to Indochina for a second two-year tour of duty in 1949. Assigned to the Chinese border area he watched the defeat of the last remaining units of the Kuomintang armies on the mainland.
...
Wikipedia