Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain (24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951), generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain (Maréchal Pétain), was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France, from 1940 to 1944. Pétain, who was 84 years old in 1940, ranks as France's oldest head of state.

Because of his outstanding military leadership in World War I, Pétain was viewed as a national hero in France. During World War II, with the imminent fall of France in June 1940, Pétain was appointed Premier of France by President Lebrun at Bordeaux, and the Cabinet resolved to make peace with Germany. The entire government eventually moved to the spa town of Vichy in central France. His government voted to transform the discredited French Third Republic into the French State, authoritarian regime. After the war, Pétain was tried and convicted for treason. His death sentence was commuted to life in prison.

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