Philippe Petain with his gardener Marius. Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Petain (24 April 1856[1] - 23 July 1951), generally known as Philippe Petain, was a French general officer who attained the position of Marshal of France at the end of World War I, during which he became known as The Lion of Verdun. He then served as Chief of State of Vichy France from 1940 to 1944. Petain, who was 84 years old in 1940, ranks as France's oldest head of state.

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