Pierre mendes France - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. Pierre Mendès France was a French politician who served as the Prime Minister of France from 1954 to 1955. He was known for his strong stance against colonialism and his commitment to social justice.
- 2. Mendès France was born on January 11, 1907 in Paris, France. He came from a Jewish family of Portuguese descent.
- 3. He was a member of the French Resistance during World War II and was arrested by the Gestapo in 1944. He was imprisoned in Buchenwald concentration camp but managed to escape.
- 4. Mendès France was a member of the French Radical Party and served as Minister of National Economy in the government of Paul Ramadier before becoming Prime Minister in 1954.
- 5. One of his most significant achievements as Prime Minister was the negotiation of the Geneva Accords in 1954, which ended the First Indochina War and granted independence to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
- 6. Mendès France also implemented a series of economic reforms during his time as Prime Minister, including the devaluation of the French franc and the introduction of a new tax system.
- 7. He resigned as Prime Minister in 1955 after facing opposition from both the left and right in the French National Assembly. He continued to be active in French politics, serving as a member of the National Assembly and the Senate.
- 8. Mendès France was a strong advocate for European integration and played a key role in the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC), the precursor to the European Union.
- 9. In 1968, Mendès France ran for President of France as a candidate of the Left Radical Party but was defeated by Georges Pompidou.
- 10. Mendès France passed away on October 18, 1982 in Paris, France. He is remembered as a principled and courageous leader who worked tirelessly for the betterment of French society and the promotion of peace and cooperation in Europe.