French Third Republic

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The French Third Republic (in French, La Troisième République, sometimes written as La IIIe République) from 4 September 1870 to 10 July 1940 was the political name of France between the Second French Empire and the French State.[1] It was a republican parliamentary state that was created following the defeat of the French Empire of Napoleon III in the Franco-Prussian War.

The Third Republic's first President was Adolphe Thiers (1871-1873), who described republicanism in the 1870s as "the form of government that divides France least." It became widely discredited, conspired with Russia against the German Empire[2], deliberately took France into two unnecessary World Wars, and was beset by scandals, such as the Oustric financial scandal which contributed to the overthrow by the Senate of the first Tardieu Cabinet in December 1930[3], and the sensational Stavisky affair[4][5]. A commentator stated: "The instability of French governments [Cabinets] had grave disadvantages".[6]

The Third Republic is held to have died a natural death when the National Assembly voted (569 votes to 80) to give full powers to the French State under the authority and signature of the Premier, Marshal Philippe Pétain on 10 July 1940.[7]

I have not met a single Frenchman who could say a good word for the pre-war [Third Republic] government. ~ USA Admiral Leahy, writing from Vichy to President Roosevelt.[8]

Clericalism

Following the Separation Act of 1905, the Republican State recognizes no religion, though the religious problem was not entirely absent from French politics. It has been asserted that, whatever be the apparent cause of political cleavages, the real line of demarcation between groups was determined by the attitude towards the Church.The groups of The Right, socially conservative and upholders of authoritative government, find in the Church a natural ally against anarchical revolution. Their philosophy, like that of the Church, postulates an imperfect humanity prone to follow wrong paths and needing a strong directing hand. The groups of The Left, ardent advocates of a perceived freedom, jealous of authority, hostile to discipline, see in the Church a stronghold of reaction manned by enemies of democracy. The age-long quarrel between clericalism and anti-clericalism flared up anew from time to time, particularly about education, the aim of each party being to ensure that the young generation shall be brought up to share its outlook on life. The Radical Party, for instance, which had been almost continually in power in the 20th century, clinged to an obsolete anti-clerical policy which stirred the memories of the older men. In practice by the 1930s nobody supposed there was a clerical peril.[9]

Anglophobia

Anglophobia was common-place in France despite The Great War. On 11 October 1938 Henri Béraud, writing an in-depth report in the popular newspaper Gringoire, created a diplomatic incident by expounding how many French still felt, saying that "in France only hall-porters and Flandin are pro-British", and reminding readers of the Hundred Years War, stated:

I hate England in my own name and in the name of my ancestors. I hate her by instinct and by tradition. I say, and I repeat that England must be reduced to slavery.....The day will come when the world will have the strength and the wisdom to enslave the tyrant with his reputation for invincibility. Concord between the continental nations alone can save Europe and the world. Who knows? Perhaps the day is near.[10]

Constitution[11]

Although there have been political changes for a century and more, the basis of French organization has remained substantially the same since the days of Napoleon I. The French Revolution's "Declaration of the Rights of Man" (1789) stated: "The principal of all sovereignty resides essentially in the Nation". The Third Republic's legislative machinery dates from 1875, when the Constitution was framed and passed by the Assembly (Senate & Chamber) at Versailles. Only twice have amendments of details been made. These Constitutional Laws were however incomplete, and at recurrent intervals there was much talk of a revision of the Constitution.

The President of the Republic was elected for seven years by the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. He could not communicate with Parliament except by messages countersigned by a Minister. The President was regarded as a sort of arbiter; he was not supposed to show any party discrimination; his business was merely to preside. He could choose the Prime Minister or Premier (President du Conseil) and he was present at Ministerial Councils; he was entitled to express his opinion which carried mor or less weight according to his personal prestige and the nature of his relations with the Ministers. In choosing a Premier the President must listen to the advice of the President of the Senate, who was the second person of the Republic, and of the President of the Chamber, who is the third person of the Republic. Both these presidents, whatever may be their party predilections, were supposed to aim at impartiality. It was possible for a President to continue in office even when his convictions were different from those of the Premier. He could make his private protest and wash his hands of responsibility. Nominally the President was a highly important personage, but in reality the Premier is supreme. As with Cabinets and Premiers, French Presidents have been somewhat unfortunate.

  1. Adolphe Thiers (1873-187).
  2. Marshal MacMahon (1873-1879) Forced to resign after coming into conflict with parliament.
  3. Jules Grévy (1879-1885 and 1885-1887) Ousted as a consequence of a scandal concerning the sale of honours.
  4. Sadi Carnot (1887-1894) Assassinated.
  5. Casimir Périer (June 1894-January 1895) Resigned.
  6. Félix Faure (1895-1899) Sudden death.
  7. Emile Loubet (1899-1906)
  8. Armand Fallieres (1906-1913)
  9. Raymond Poincaré (1913-1920)
  10. Paul Deschanel (18 February - 21 September 1920) Resigned due to ill health.
  11. Alexandre Millerand (23 September 1920 - 11 June 1924) Resigned as he disapproved of Cabinet.
  12. Gaston Doumergue (1924-1931)
  13. Paul Doumer (1931-1932) Assassinated.
  14. Albert Lebrun (1932-11 July 1940) His term had been extended due to World War II.

Parliament

In 1937 the French Parliament consisted of the Chamber of Deputies and a Senate[12]. The Deputies and Senators only ever meet together as the National Assembly, at Versailles, to (a) revise the Constitution or (b) to elect the President of the Republic. Otherwise they had their own chambers in Paris.

The duration of the mandate in the Chamber of Deputies was four years. The number of deputies varied with the population, but in 1937 it was 615 (being one member for every 75,000 inhabitants). The Chamber commonly voted on laws and had the right of interpallating ministers. It also had the right to vote on the budget in the first instance. A Deputy had to be aged 25 years.

The duration of the mandate in the Senate was nine years by indirect suffrage (2nd or 3rd degree), voting by Departmental List. Every three years a third of the members retired but could stand for re-election. The Senate had 314 members; it was never dissolved as a whole. A Senator had to be aged forty years. The Senate had the right (used once - in 1877) of dissolving the Chamber of Deputies in agreement with the President of the Republic. The Senate itself cannot be dissolved. It may also be constituted as a High Court of Justice.

Some Elections and Cabinets

Leon Blum, Premier of the Popular Front Government, depicted under communist control.

1932 General Election

The previous election had been in 1928. Chamber seats after the Left-wing victory[13]:

  • Right: being Conservatives, U.R.D. [the 'Marin group-largest of the Right Groups] and Independent Republicans. Lost 15 seats.
  • Centre: being Popular Democrats and Republicains de Gauche (its leaders André Tardieu and Pierre-Étienne Flandin later split the party.): 88. Lost 32.
  • Left Centre: Independent Radicals: 62. Lost 28.
  • Republican Socialists [Briand-Painlevé Group.]: 37. Gain 5.
  • Radicals: 157. Gain 48.
  • Socialists: 129. Gain 17
  • Dissident Communists: 11. Gain 6.
  • Communists: 12. Gain 2.

Flandin's Cabinet, 8 November 1934 – 1 June 1935

  • Pierre-Étienne Flandin – President of the Council (Premier)
  • Georges Pernot – Vice President of the Council and Minister of Justice
  • Pierre Laval – Foreign Affairs
  • Louis Maurin – War
  • Marcel Régnier – Interior
  • Louis Germain-Martin – Finance
  • Paul Jacquier – Labour
  • François Piétri – Military Marine
  • William Bertrand – Merchant Marine
  • Victor Denain – Air
  • André Mallarmé – National Education
  • Georges Rivollet – Pensions
  • Émile Casset – Agriculture
  • Louis Rollin – Colonies
  • Henri Roy – Public Works
  • Henri Queuille – Public Health and Physical Education
  • Georges Mandel – Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones
  • Paul Marchandeau – Commerce and Industry
  • Édouard Herriot – Minister of State
  • Louis Marin – Minister of State

1936 General Election

The final results after the second ballot, compared with the old Chamber (before it rose) were[14]:

  • Right: Conservatives, U.R.D.,[Marin group] and Popular Democrats (Roman Catholics): 122 (105)
  • Centre: Left Republicans and Independent radicals: 116 (164)
  • The Left: 380 (346) made up as follows:-
  1. Radicals: 116 (158)
  2. Socialist Union [Paul-Boncour] and other small Left parties: 36 (66)
  3. Socialists: 146 (101)
  4. Dissident Communists (Pupistes): 10 (11)
  5. Communists: 72 (10)

New Chamber 618 (615).

Second-last Cabinet

On 6 June 1940 Reynard's reshuffled Cabinet was ratified in Paris by President Albert Lebrun. It lasted 10 days.[15]

  • Paul Reynard - Premier and Minister for Foreign Affairs & National Defence.
  • Philippe Pétain - Deputy Premier and Minister of State (already in situ)
  • Jean Ybarnegaray, Camille Chautemps, Louis Marin - Ministers of State.
  • Georges Mandel Interior.
  • Yves Bouthillier - Finance (until 1942).
  • Raoul Dautry - Munitions.
  • Laurent-Eynac - Air.
  • César Campinchi - Navy.
  • Albert Sérol - Justice.
  • Jean Prouvost - Information.
  • Yvon Delbos - National Education.
  • Charles Pomaret - Labour.
  • Jules Jullien - Communications.
  • Ludovic-Oscar Frossard - Public Works & Transport.
  • Georges Pernot - Health.
  • Albert Riviere - Pensions.
  • Henri Queuille - Food.
  • Louis Rollin - Colonies.
  • Albert Chichery - Commerce & Industry.
  • Georges Monnet - Blockade.
  • Charles de Gaulle - Under-Secretary of State for War.

Last Cabinet

On 16 June Reynard announced his resignation as the Cabinet had lost confidence in him over the conduct of the war. President Lebrun later said that his resignation was "a clear enough indication of the wishes of the majority" of the Cabinet. Reynard recommended to Lebrun that Marshal Pétain be invited to form a new Cabinet, which he did. The new Cabinet ratified by the President, at Bordeaux, was[16]:

  • Marshal Philippe Pétain - Premier (served in previous cabinet).
  • Camille Chautemps - Deputy Premier (served in previous cabinet).
  • Paul Baudouin - Foreign Affairs.
  • General Maxime Weygand - National Defence,
  • General Colson - War.[17]
  • General Maurice Pujo - Air.
  • Admiral François Darlan - Marine.
  • Charles Frémicourt - Justice.
  • Charles Pomaret - Interior (served in previous cabinet0.
  • Yves Bouthillier - Finance & Commerce (served in previous cabinet)
  • Albert Riviere - Colonies (served in previous cabinet).
  • Albert Rivaud - National Education.
  • Ludovic-Oscar Frossard - Public Works.
  • Albert Chichery - Agriculture & Food (served in previous cabinet).[18]
  • M. Février - Labour.[19]
  • Jean Ybarnegaray - Ex-servicemen & Families (served in Previous cabinet). He resigned on Sept 6th.
  • Raphael Alibert - Under-Secretary of State to the Presidency of the Council.
  • Robert Schuman - Under-Secretary of State for Refugees.
  • François Charles-Roux - Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

World War II

The French Third Republic was instrumental in laying the foundations for World War II (as they & Russia had for World War I), firstly by their unreasonable demands included in the Treaty of Versailles, their occupation of German territory after that, their appalling behaviour in Upper Silesia during the insurrections, reparations demands, and their infamous cordon sanitaire of the encirclement of Germany through treaties with all Germany's neighbours. In particular their support for Poland was notorious with treaties of mutual military assistance etc., aimed against Germany. They had even signed a similar treaty with the same objective with the murderous Soviet Union, whom, in 1939, France (and the British) desperately attempted to get to March through Poland and Romania to attack Germany. On 19 August 1939 France's Foreign Minister, Bonnet, told the Minister at the British Embassy in Paris (Campbell) that if Poland disallowed this it would be "an untenable situation for Poland to take up in refusing the only immediate efficacious help that could reach them in the event of a German attack. It would place His Majesty's Government and the French Government in an almost impossible position if we had to ask our respective countries to go to war in defence of a Poland who had refused this help......The Poles had made every mistake in their treatment of the Germans over the Danzig question which was very unwise."[20]

An agreement was concluded in Paris also on 19 August 1939 for a grant of credits amounting to 430 million francs to the Polish Government by the French Government for defence purposes. Taking account of the Rambouillet Loan[21], French financial assistance to Poland for military purposes amounted to over three milliard francs during the past three years.[22]

When the crunch came after twenty years of the Germans' trying to negotiate with Poland having failed, and the German-Polish war broke out on 1st September 1939, three days later France allowed the British Government to bully them into declaring war against Germany, due to their treaty obligations. The British-French war declaration turned a local conflict into a world war and forced the Germans to look to their backs. The French people were divided on this and no-one wanted to "die for Danzig" which everyone agreed was a German city anyway, or to fight for Poland, a very long way off. In addition, the First World War and the vast losses were fresh in everyone's memories. During 1938 and 1939 there were three factions within the French government: One, the "peace lobby" led by Georges Bonnet, the Foreign Minister, felt that France could not afford an arms race with Germany and sought a détente with the Reich. French military morale was at rock bottom, and the Treaty of Locarno stipulated that the Franco-German border was sacrosanct and could not be violated. So the reality was there was no way the Third Republic could actually assist anyone in Eastern Europe. Apart from the Munich Agreement, French diplomacy between 1919 and 1939 had been a catastrophe.

The Chamber voted the declaration of war on Germany only by implication: it was when it agreed unanimously to the opening of military credits amounting to 500 million francs. Yet Bonnet[23], on September 2nd, had made an attempt to stop the British Government from declaring war the next day. He had been in constant communication with Count Ciano, and the Italian Government were proposing an arbitration conference for September 5th.[24] Bonnet was prepared to attend the conference without demanding a German withdrawal from Polish territory. Following the British formal declaration of war the next day Premier Daladier removed Bonnet from the Foreign Office (he remained, however, as Minister of Justice). Outside the Cabinet the opposition to the war was more outspoken. After the conquest of Poland, Flandin said to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber: "Is it really worth going on with this?"[25]

There followed the Phoney War during which some efforts were made towards peace. These failed and on 10 May 1940 Germany invaded and the Battle for France took place. It was a catastrophe. The French government fled to Tours, and then Bordeaux, and Paris was occupied by the German Wehrmacht on June 14th. Three days later, the Premier of France, Marshal Pétain, on behalf of the Cabinet, publicly announced by wireless that France would ask for an armistice. On 22 June 1940, the armistice was signed between France and Germany, to take effect from the 24th. For the Axis Powers, the campaign was a spectacular victory.[26] It was also the death of the French Third Republic[27].

See also

Causes of World War I
Treaty of Versailles
Causes of World War II
The French State

Sources

  1. ↑ Werth, Alexander, France 1940-1955, Robert Hale, London, 1957, p.30: "The Death of the Third Republic".
  2. ↑ See: Causes of World War I
  3. ↑ Werth, Alexander, The Destiny of France, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1937, p.38.
  4. ↑ Alexander Stavisky was a corrupt fraudulent Jewish financier, born in Kiev, Russia, in 1886. See: Alexander Werth, France in Ferment, Jarrolds pubs., London, 1935, chapter IV: Stavisky", pps: 79 to99
  5. ↑ Werth, 1937, pps: 47-9, 51n, 67-8, 394.
  6. ↑ Huddleston, Sisley, France and the French, Jonathan Cape Ltd., London, 1925, p.189.
  7. ↑ Werth, 1957, p.30.
  8. ↑ Huddleston, 1955, p.xviii.
  9. ↑ Ritchie, Professor R. L. Graeme, D.Litt.,. LL.D., France, Methuen & Co. Ltd., London, 2nd edition, 1940, ps: 335 & 410.
  10. ↑ Werth, 1937, p.177.
  11. ↑ Huddleston, Sisley, France and the French, Jonathan Cape Ltd., London, 1925, pps:185 - 209.
  12. ↑ Ritchie, 1940, p.409.
  13. ↑ Werth, 1937, p.39.
  14. ↑ Werth, Alexander, The Destiny of France, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1937, p.273.
  15. ↑ Benoist-Méchin, Jacques, Sixty Days That Shook The West, Putnams, New York, 1963, pps:247-250.
  16. ↑ Werth, 1957, p.30.
  17. ↑ He who, acting on behalf of the Government, telegraphed Brigadier-General de Gaulle who was AWOL in London on 18 June 1940 ordering him to "return without delay". See Benoist-Méchin, pps: 404, 413, 422.
  18. ↑ In 1941, he was made a member of the National Council of France. During the Western Allies so-called liberation of France, Chichery was abducted from his property near Le Blanc on 15 August 1944 and murdered in the nearby woods by a bullet through the neck.
  19. ↑ A member of the Section francaise de l'Internationale ouvriere party. See Benoist-Méchin, p.374n.
  20. ↑ Woodward, M.A., F.B.A., Professor E.L., Butler, M.A., Rohan, and Orde, M.A., Anne, Documents on British Foreign Policy 1919-1939, Third Series, vol.vii, Her Majesty's Stationary Office, London, 1954, pps:77, 79.
  21. ↑ The credit for the purchase of war material under the Franco-Polish financial agreement signed at Rambouillet in September 1936.
  22. ↑ Woodward, et al., 1954, vol.vii, p.79, no.82.
  23. ↑ In April 1938, after the fall of the second Blum government, Bonnet was appointed Foreign Minister under Daladier.
  24. ↑ Documents on German Foreign Policy 1918-1945 by an editorial board, Series D, vol.vii, USA Government Printing Office, Washington D.C., 1956, p.509-510.
  25. ↑ Werth, 1942, p.347-8.
  26. ↑ Keegan, John, The Second World War, Hutchinson, London, 1989.
  27. ↑ Werth, 1957, p.30
  • Werth, Alexander, The Twilight of France 1933–1940, Fertig, New York, 1966 (1942 reprint).
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