There is presently a raging controversy among French historians, related to Gamelin now declassified medical file.
Some argue he had advanced syphillis (grade 4, or whatever grade, you get the point: it wasn't pretty). And that the illness had fried his brains by 1939.
Others argued he lived without any dementia until 1958 - and by 1946 was able to write a book defending himself (yes, he did THAT).
Now, one of the FFO / France fights on three "2006 founding fathers" is a retired physician, so he knows a lot of about health and medecine.
He told me, verbatim that indeed, Gamelin had advanced syphillis by 1939.
Whether it affected his lucidity - hard to guess. Every person is unique.
In the words of the late and much regreted Boris Vian in "La java des bombes atomiques"
"A mesure que je deviens vieux / je m'en aperçois mieux / j'ai le cerveau qui flanche;
/ Soyons sérieux / disons le mot / c'est même plus un cerveau / mais comme de la sauce blanche"
Remember "The world at war" - that BBC magnus opus, 1973 British series ?
At some point there is the testimony of André Beaufre, one of the four best post-war French strategists (with Poirier, Gallois and Ailleret)
The young Beaufre was a staff member at Gamelin Vincennes HQ.. and later very ashamed of what he saw and couldn't change from his junior position.
Beaufre, in his unique delivery, relates Gamelin departure banquet (yes, he threw a very lavish banquet) on May 20, 1940 as Weygand came to replace him.
Beaufre testimony is... cruel, hilarious, and baffling - altogether. You can see the man is split between laughing and shame.
