Giraud, Henri Honoré definition of Giraud, Henri Honoré in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Giraud, Henri Honoré (äNrē` ōnôrā` zhērō`), 1879–1949, French general. He served in World War I and in the campaign in Morocco (1925–26). A commander in World War II, he was captured by the Germans in May, 1940, but made a dramatic escape (1942) to unoccupied France and from there to Gibraltar. He took part in the Allied landing in North Africa, where he was given command of all French armed forces. On the assassination (Dec., 1942) of Admiral Darlan Darlan, Jean François (zhäN fräNswä` därläN`), 1881–1942, French admiral.
..... Click the link for more information. , Giraud succeeded as high commissioner of French North and West Africa. His conservatism earned him the opposition of the Free French Committee of General de Gaulle de Gaulle, Charles (shärl də gōl)
..... Click the link for more information. . He and de Gaulle met fruitlessly at the Casablanca Conference Casablanca Conference, Jan. 14–24, 1943, World War II meeting of U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill at Casablanca, French Morocco.
..... Click the link for more information. , but in June, 1943, a semblance of union was effected by the formation at Algiers of the French Committee of National Liberation, with the two generals as co-presidents. Despite strong backing by the United States, Giraud was soon removed (November) from the co-presidency. In Apr., 1944, he was virtually forced by de Gaulle to retire as commander in chief.