sentences:  – was actually uttered by Robert Nivelle who succeeded him in command of the Second Army at Verdun in May 1916.At the very end of 1916, Nivelle was promoted over Pétain to replace Joseph Joffre as French Commander-in-Chief.Because of his high prestige as a soldier's soldier, Pétain served briefly as Army Chief of Staff (from the end of April 1917).