Early Life and Career
Gallieni was born in Saint-Beat, in the department of Haute-Garonne. He was educated at the Prytanée Militaire in La Flèche, and then the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, becoming a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment before serving in the Franco-Prussian War. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1873 and Captain in 1878. He was later posted to Africa in the mid-1870s, taking part in explorations and various military expeditions.
After serving in Martinique, Gallieni was made governor of French Sudan, during which time he successfully quelled a rebellion by Sudanese insurgents under Mahmadu Lamine. From 1892-96 he served in French Indochina commanding the second military division of the territory, before being dispatched to Madagascar, where he served as governor until 1905. There he again suppressed a revolt, this time by monarchist forces. In Madagascar, Gallieni implemented the "oil spot" method, which continues to influence counterinsurgency theory to this day.
A favored choice for supreme commander of the French Army in 1911, Gallieni declined the position in favour of Joseph Joffre, pleading advancing age and ill-health.
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