René Cogny facts for kids

René Cogny (born April 25, 1904, in Saint-Valery-en-Caux – died September 11, 1968) was a French army general. He was a brave soldier who fought in World War II and was part of the French Resistance. He even survived being held in very harsh prison camps during the war.

Later, General Cogny led French forces in northern Vietnam during the First Indochina War. He played a big part in the famous Battle of Dien Bien Phu. People knew him as Le General Vitesse (General Hurry-Up) because he was always moving fast. He was also good at talking to the press. General Cogny sadly died in a plane crash over the Mediterranean Sea in 1968.

A General's Life

Early Years

René Cogny was born in Normandy, France, in April 1904. His father was a police sergeant. René was a very smart student. He earned degrees in engineering, political science, and law.

He joined the French Army before World War II began. By 1929, he had finished artillery school. When the war started, he was already leading a group of soldiers. He even received the Croix de Guerre medal for his bravery early in the war.

World War II and Beyond

In June 1940, René Cogny was one of many French soldiers captured by the German army. He was held for almost a year. In May 1941, he made a daring escape with three friends. They crawled through a drain pipe to get out!

After escaping, he joined the secret French Resistance movement. In 1943, he was arrested by the Gestapo, the German secret police. He was questioned for six months. Then, he was sent to very harsh prison camps called Buchenwald and Mauthausen. He was freed in April 1945, but his health was very poor. He recovered, but he had a limp and needed a cane for the rest of his life.

After the war, from 1946 to 1947, he commanded an army division near Paris. He also worked for the War Ministry. In 1950, he went to French Indochina (now Vietnam) with another general. He soon became a commander in northern Vietnam. He led French efforts in that area until the war ended.

The Battle of Dien Bien Phu

General Cogny was involved in the planning for Dien Bien Phu. He thought it could be a small, mobile base. However, his superior, General Henri Navarre, wanted to make it a heavily defended fortress. Cogny and other officers worried about this plan. They felt it was too risky.

During the actual Battle of Dien Bien Phu, Cogny was in Hanoi. He saw that the battle was going badly for France. He tried to fly to the besieged base to take command, but his plane was forced back by enemy fire. He even thought about parachuting in, but was told it was too dangerous.

Throughout the battle, Cogny and General Navarre often disagreed. Cogny tried to keep some soldiers and supplies for his own area, the Tonkin Delta. He felt it was important not to weaken his forces there.

As Dien Bien Phu was about to fall, General Cogny took the final radio calls from the base commander, Colonel Christian de Castries.

De Castries said: "The Viets are everywhere. The situation is very grave. The combat is confused and goes on all about. I feel the end is approaching, but we will fight to the finish."

Cogny replied: "Well understood. You will fight to the end. It is out of the question to run up the white flag after your heroic resistance."

Later, De Castries said: "I'm blowing up the installations. The ammunition dumps are already exploding. Au revoir."

Cogny answered: "Well, then, au revoir, mon vieux." (This means 'my friend' or 'old man' in a friendly way.)

By that night, all French positions had been captured. Dien Bien Phu had fallen.

Later Life and Death

After the war in Indochina, Cogny became a lieutenant general. In 1963, he became the commander of French forces in Central Africa.

On September 11, 1968, General Cogny was flying across the Mediterranean Sea. His plane, an Air France Sud Aviation Caravelle, crashed near Nice. General Cogny and 94 other people died in the crash.

Command Style

General Cogny was known for his unique leadership style. He was called "Le General Vitesse" (General Hurry-Up) and also 'Coco the Siren'. This was because he used motorcycle escorts with sirens when he traveled.

He was popular with his soldiers and with journalists. He often spoke to the press instead of his more private superiors. Cogny focused a lot on the Tonkin Delta region where his troops were. He even called himself "Delta Man."

Even though he was popular, Cogny was sensitive to criticism. He sometimes worried about real or imagined problems. Some people felt he spent too much time blaming General Navarre for the defeat in Indochina.