Fyodor Palitzin

Fyodor Fyodorovich Palitzin, also spelled Palitsyn, was an Imperial [Russian Army] general who commanded the Russian [Expeditionary Force in France].
Palitzin attended the Pavel Military School until 1870, when he moved on to the General Staff [Academy (Imperial Russia)|General Staff Academy]. Upon graduation in 1877 he served in the Russo-Turkish War. He was appointed chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff in June 1905, where he played a role in the military reforms until his resignation in 1908: he disagreed with the subordination of the General Staff to the Ministry of War. However, he retained his seat on the Military [Council (Soviet Union)|Military Council] Initially during World War I, he served on the Northwestern Front. Following the removal of Grand [Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia (1856–1929)|Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia] from overall command of the Imperial Russian Army, Palitzin was reassigned to the Caucasus [Army (Russian Empire, 1914–1917)|Caucasus Army], whence he was then sent to France to lead the Russian Expeditionary Force in France.