Schiavon, Max Le Général Olry. Vainqueur des Alpes

The polytechnician and artilleryman René Olry (1880-1944) belongs to that category of soldiers who are admired by their bosses, colleagues and subordinates alike. He was a man of character who combined exceptional intellectual ability with an indomitable will. Specialising in operations in the mountains, he commanded the 29th Mountain Infantry Division in Nice from 1935. On mobilisation in September 1939, he took command of the 15th Army Corps, which was tasked with the defence of the Maritime Alps, and was appointed commander of the Alpine Army at the end of October 1939. Even though Italy did not enter the war at first, this did not prevent Olry from preparing for the conflict by training his units rigorously and persistently, formulating hypotheses and drawing up manoeuvre plans. Finally, when Mussolini declared war on France on 10 June 1940, the Alpine army was ready to fight despite its very limited resources. Over the next 15 days, the Italians, who were joined by the Germans from 21 June, attempted to break through the French disposition, but without success. Why and how was General Olry able to win this Battle of the Alps while all the other French armies collapsed at the same time? The study of his very rich career and his personality makes it possible to understand him and leads to lessons that are still valid today.