  louis jules trochu (; 12 march 1815 â 7 october 1896) was a french military leader and politician. he served as president of the government of national defenseâfrance's de facto head of stateâfrom 4 september 1870 until his resignation on 22 january 1871 (although he retained the role symbolically until the legislative elections of february 1871). == military career == trochu was born at palais (belle-Ãle-en-mer). educated at st. cyr, he received a commission in the staff corps in 1837, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1840, and captain in 1843. he served as a captain in algeria under marshal bugeaud, who, in recognition of his gallantry in the battles of sidi yussuf and isly, made him his aide-de-camp and entrusted him with important commissions. he was promoted to major in 1845, and to colonel in 1853. he served with distinction throughout the crimean campaign, first as aide-de-camp to marshal st. arnaud, and then as general of brigade, and was made a commander of the lÃ©gion d'honneur and general of division. he again distinguished himself in command of a division in the italian campaign of 1859, where he won the grand cross of the lÃ©gion d'honneur. thumb|left|1871 caricature showing napoleon iii dressed as a monk and louis jules trochu dressed as a member of the clergy, tied to a post labeled "l'homme de sedan. l'homme de paris." both men were held responsible for the french defeat which ended the franco-prussian war. in 1866 trochu was employed at the ministry of war in the preparation of army reorganization schemes, and he published anonymously in the following year l'armÃ©e franÃ§aise en 1867, a work inspired with orleanist sentiment, which ran through ten editions in a few months and reached a twentieth in 1870. this brochure brought him into bad odour at court, and he left 
1815_births 1896_deaths Chevaliers_of_the_LA(c)gion_d\'honneur Commandeurs_of_the_LA(c)gion_d\'honneur French_generals French_military_personnel_of_the_Crimean_War French_military_personnel_of_the_Franco-Prussian_War Grand_Officiers_of_the_LA(c)gion_d\'honneur Heads_of_state_of_France Knights_of_the_Order_of_Leopold_(Belgium) Military_governors_of_Paris Officiers_of_the_LA(c)gion_d\'honneur People_from_Morbihan Recipients_of_the_MA(c)daille_coloniale