Case Study 105

Howell Cobb (September 7, 1815 – October 9, 1868) was an American lawyer, politician and Confederate States Army officer. Cobb served 5 terms in the US House of Representatives and served as Speaker of the House. He also served as Governor of Georgia and Secretary of the Treasury.

Cobb was one of the founders of the Confederate States of America and engaged in the US Civil war on the side of the secessionists. He was commission into the Army of the CSA as a colonel, fighting in many battles. He was appointed Commander of the District of Georgia and Florida and achieved the rank of Major General.

Cobb’s forces were defeated in the Battle of Columbus (1865) opposing Wilson’s Raiders. Cobb’s plantation was destroyed by General William T Sherman who ate his dinner in the plantation slave quarters before ordering it burned to the ground.

When the Civil War ended Cobb returned to law practice. After he was pardoned he became an outspoken critic of the Radical Republicans and Reconstruction.

Maurice Gamelin (20 September 1872 – 18 April 1958) was a French general who served as head of the French Army from 1935 to 1939. He acted as Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Armies in France until he was dismissed during the Battle of France in May 1940.

Cobb served as a staff officer during the First World War and distinguished himself by advising Joseph Joffre the French Commander in Chief. He led the French military mission to Brazil and successfully put down the Great Syrian Revolt.

When the German Army invaded France on 10 May 1940 Gamelin’s defensive battle plan weaknesses were laid bare. The Allied forces were stretched over a long front with no reserves. He fell for the German feign attack through Belgium and didn’t react to Guiderian’s assault through the Ardennes Forest. If the French had bombed the bottle necked forces before they entered the forest the entire assault would have been stopped. Gamelin is blamed by many historians for the loss of the Battle of France. He was relieved of command on 20 May 1940.

He was arrested and found guilty at the Vichy French Riom Trial. This was a show trial designed to fend off accusations of losing to the Germans and put the blame on members of the 3rd Republic. Gamelin was held in different prisons, finally ending up in Castle Itter.

After WWII Gamelin spent the rest of his life in relative isolation, keeping in contact with only a few of his former comrades.

Hussein al-Houthi (20 August 1959 – 10 September 2004) was a Yemeni politician and Zaydi religious leader who was the founder of the Houthi movement. He founded the “Believing Youth” movement to teach children about Zaydi Shia religion.

Al-Houthi was a member of the al-Haqq political coalition when it announced support for the South Yemeni separatist movement. He fled the country to Syria and then to Iran. When he returned he broke from the al-Haqq party and formed his own movement; Ansar Allah.

After a series of battles with the Yemeni government in 2004 Hussein al-Houthi was killed by government forces. He is considered a martyr by many Shia Yemenis and the movement is called the Houthi movement in honor of him.

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