Role of the French cavalry in the World War I
French cavalry during World War I played a relatively minor role in events. As mounted combatants proved highly vulnerable to the firepower of infantry and artillery, the various units of this arm essentially carried out auxiliary missions during the "Great War" (from 1914 to 1919), even if the beginning of the conflict corresponded to its peak in terms of mounted manpower.
Mainly deployed on the Western Front, the French cavalry took part in operations in the summer of 1914, mainly carrying out reconnaissance and patrol missions. Cavalrymen soon began to fight systematically dismounted, firing their rifles. From autumn 1914 onwards, trench warfare led to a sharp decline in the role of cavalry: some regiments abandoned their horses, forming "dismounted cavalry divisions" and taking part in combat as infantrymen. The resumption of the maneuver warfare in 1918 restored the cavalry's usefulness as mounted infantry.
Several other cavalry regiments were sent to the other theaters of operations of the First World War, where they were sometimes much more useful on horseback than on foot: in the Maghreb, the Balkans, and the Middle East.
Finally, this period also saw the beginning of mechanization, with the French cavalry receiving a number of self-propelled machine guns for the first time.
Pre-war situation.
The French army included several types of cavalry units, whose names, weapons, and uniforms were inherited. The cuirassiers and dragoons form the heavy cavalry, while the chasseurs à cheval and hussards belong to the light cavalry. Added to these are the "chasseurs d'Afrique" and spahis, the light cavalry of the African army. The differences between heavy and light cavalry concern the horses (Anglo-Normans on the one hand, and Anglo-Arabs or barbs on the other), the size of the riders (large in the heavy cavalry, small in the light cavalry), and the service expected (the heavy cavalry is expected to face the opposing cavalry in pitched battles, while the light cavalry is responsible for small-scale warfare).
Between 1872 and 1913, a succession of laws altered the length of military service and the method of recruitment, which had an impact on the training of cavalrymen: in 1872, the length of service was set at five years and the drawing of lots was maintained; in 1889, the length was reduced to three years; Finally, the law of March 21, 1905, reduced the length of service to two years, while the drawing of lots was abolished. This last law posed a problem for cavalry management, who felt they needed more time to train their riders. In 1913, the three-year law increased the length of military service by one year, which satisfied them. Cavalry recruitment has traditionally been a little unusual: the proportion of cadres, i.e. officers and non-commissioned officers, is much higher than in the infantry; a larger proportion of the workforce is made up of career soldiers; and many descendants of the former nobility are to be found in the cavalry.
Armament and uniforms.
All cavalrymen are armed with sabers, straight-bladed in the heavy cavalry and curved-bladed in the light cavalry. The use of the spear in French cavalry had been abolished in 1871, but since 1890 this weapon has been distributed once again to all dragoon regiments, in response to the replacement of German uhlans' spears in 1889. Light cavalry also received the spear from 1913 onwards: a dozen hussar and chasseur regiments obtained it before going on the campaign.
In heavy cavalry, the rider's head is protected by a metal helmet with a crest, while the nape of the neck is protected by a floating mane. Cuirassiers have the particularity of wearing a cuirass, weighing eight kilograms, which provides effective protection from edged weapons, but not from shrapnel or bullets. From 1900 onwards, all heavy cavalry had to wear the dark blue cloth tunic (the cuirassiers' collar and facing tabs are madder, while those of the dragoons are white), madder pants (piped in dark blue), and the bluish iron-gray coat.
For the light cavalry, the breeches were made of madder cloth, and the tunic of sky-blue cloth (the dolman with brandenburg was gradually replaced from 1900 onwards), intended to blend into the landscape background, as previous wars had demonstrated the benefits of a little camouflage. Experiments were carried out to find an even less conspicuous field outfit: the "reseda" color (a dark green) was tried out in 1911 by the 12th chasseurs garrisoned at Saint-Mihiel. The difference between regimental types was limited to the collar and facing tabs, madder for the chasseurs, and sky-blue for the hussars. To replace the shako, a dozen helmets were tested between 1879 and 1913 in several hussar and chasseur regiments: initially of the "policeman" type, or with crest, in leather (sufficient to protect against saber blows), then in metal (steel and copper or aluminum). The helmet adopted in 1913 resembled that of the dragoons, with a steel bombshell adorned with a brass band (with a decoration on the front representing a hunting horn for the chasseurs or a five-pointed star for the hussars), the crest bearing a mane, and a canvas field helmet cover: only a few regiments were partially equipped in 1914, with deliveries scheduled until 1919.
Organization.
The cavalry is structured in hierarchical units, with each level having a theoretical strength. Around 30 cavalrymen form a platoon commanded by a lieutenant or second lieutenant; four platoons make up a squadron of 120 to 135 horses under the command of a captain; four squadrons are grouped in peacetime into a regiment of around 500 sabers, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant-colonel (two squadrons, or a "half-regiment", may be entrusted to a squadron leader). 
In October 1870, the Imperial Guard was disbanded and its six cavalry regiments were renamed. The lancer regiments all disappeared in 1871. After the French defeat of 1871 and the dissolution of the marching regiments, the French cavalry numbered 56 regiments in mainland France and seven in North Africa, including 12 cuirassiers, 20 dragoons, 10 hussars, 14 chasseurs, four "chasseurs d'Afrique" and three spahis. Added to these is the Republican Guard cavalry regiment, part of the Gendarmerie. The strength of all French troops was increased to bring them up to the level of their German neighbors, in a kind of arms race that continued until 1914. In 1873, 14 new cavalry regiments were created. The 1875 "loi des cadres et effectifs" thus provided for 70 regiments in metropolitan France (12 cuirassiers, 26 dragoons, 12 hussars and 20 chasseurs) and seven regiments in North Africa (four chasseurs d'Afrique and three spahis). Some of these regiments were grouped to form five cavalry divisions, each with three brigades (cuirassiers, dragoons, or light cavalry); the remainder were assigned to each army corps, each with one cavalry brigade (one light cavalry regiment and one dragoon regiment).
Further increases followed, notably in 1887, to boost the number of active officers and non-commissioned officers. In 1913, due to the increase in the number of large infantry units (in response to the German army's rising strength), four new cavalry regiments were created, bringing the total to 89: 12 cuirassiers, 32 dragoons, 21 chasseurs, 14 hussars, 6 "chasseurs d'Afrique" and 4 spahis. In metropolitan France and peacetime, all cavalry regiments were now envisioned; the network of barracks (known as a "quartier" in the cavalry) covered the entire country, with a greater concentration in the East (along the border with Germany) and around Paris (for the maintenance of order). There are also remount depots, responsible for purchasing, breeding, and preparing horses, located mainly in the West.
Doctrine of Employment.
Following the experience of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, characterized by the failures of large cavalry charges during the battles of Frœschwiller and Rezonville, the cavalry maneuver regulations of 1876 and 1882 leaned towards a defensive use of cavalry (avoiding frontal charges, with priority given to reconnaissance and patrols). Later, a more offensive approach—seeking confrontation with enemy cavalry—became favored. Several roles were assigned to the cavalry:
 ;templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" / ;The cavalry informs the command, covers the deployment of other arms, and protects them against combat surprises. It constantly seeks opportunities to intervene effectively in action and cooperates with infantry attacks. It exploits success through relentless pursuit; in retreat, it sacrifices itself entirely if necessary, to give other troops time to withdraw from combat. The mounted attack with cold steel, which alone yields rapid and decisive results, is the cavalry's primary mode of action. Dismounted combat is employed when the situation or terrain temporarily prevents cavalry from achieving its assigned goal through mounted combat.
All cavalry units were trained to fight on foot as well, recognizing the vulnerability of cavalry to gunfire—a mounted soldier presented an easy target, standing 2.5 meters tall. In such cases, horses were left behind under guard, while the soldiers formed skirmish lines (referred to as "foragers" in cavalry terms), taking cover wherever possible and firing with their carbines. Each cavalry brigade also included a machine gun section (often attached to one of the regiments, equipped with two Saint-Étienne model guns). Cavalry divisions had additional resources, such as cyclists (who also fought on foot) and artillerymen, providing some measure of firepower.
 ;templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" / ;The Regulations on Cavalry Maneuvers, by affirming that dismounted combat will be required more frequently in the future than in the past to maximize the weapon's offensive potential, has placed significant emphasis on marksmanship training.
Traditional cavalry missions included reconnaissance, ambushes, and the protection of marching columns and camps. In 1881, General de Galliffet wrote: "In modern warfare especially, cavalry combat is an incidental event, whereas reconnaissance and security are constant necessities. Although a cavalry division must always form a striking force capable of attacking the enemy, it will very rarely find opportunities for direct engagements."
Mobilization Planning.
According to Plan XVII of 1914, each of the army's major units was to receive a contingent of cavalry. The 21 army corps were each assigned six squadrons, usually from the same light cavalry regiment. Of these, the first four squadrons remained grouped, while the 5th and 6th were attached to the two infantry divisions within the corps, with one platoon assigned to every infantry regiment to serve as scouts. Additionally, the 25 new "reserve divisions" created during mobilization were to each receive a squadron, mainly composed of reservists. Finally, the 12 new "territorial infantry divisions" were allocated part of the 37 "territorial cavalry squadrons," which were also tasked with guarding communication routes and fortresses. These squadrons were provided by the military regions at a rate of two per region (except for the 19th and 21st regions, and only one squadron for the 6th and 20th regions). The first squadron consisted of light cavalry, the second of dragoons, both numbered consecutively after the other squadrons in each regiment, leading to regiments containing up to a 10th or 12th squadron.
The regiments not assigned to these units (mostly dragoons and cuirassiers) were grouped into ten cavalry divisions (CDs), each with three brigades (except for the 10th Division, which had only two). All these cavalry divisions included a mounted artillery group composed of three batteries, each equipped with four 75 mm guns (the artillerymen rode on horseback and did not travel on caissons and limbers as was typical for other field artillery units).
Thus, according to the "Service of the Armies in the Field" regulations of 1913, two types of cavalry units were planned for wartime: "army cavalry" (58 regiments grouped within cavalry divisions) and "corps cavalry" (21 regiments dispersed across the various army corps). According to the intelligence plan of Plan XVII, the army's commander-in-chief could rely on information from army cavalry reconnaissance missions, aerial exploration (the military aeronautics division in 1914 included 26 squadrons and about a dozen dirigibles), and agents from special services (the Second Bureau and the "Service de Renseignements").
Western Front.
The Year 1914.
The early stages of the war on the Western Front were marked by a war of movement from August to November 1914, during which the cavalry was theoretically able to fulfill its role. At the operational level, it provided intelligence to the command and acted as a flank guard, while at the tactical level, it remained more mobile than the infantry.
Mobilization Coverage.
 ;templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" / ;During the war of 1870, cavalry played an important role, particularly on the German side [...]. In Germany, a true doctrine emerged: the next war would see the triumph of German