Crisis Phase (November 3, 1935-June 22, 1940): Several socialist groups formed the Socialist and Republican Union (SRU) on November 3, 1935. The SRU joined with communists and radical socialists to form the Popular Front (PF). The government dissolved several political organizations on December 28, 1935. The government of Prime Minister Pierre Laval collapsed on January 22, 1936, and Albert Sarraut formed an interim government as prime minister. Parliamentary elections were held on May 3, 1936, and the PF won a majority of seats in the Chamber of Deputies. Leon Blum of the PF formed a government as prime minister on June 5, 1936. The government suppressed the Cagoulard and other fascist groups on June 30, 1936. Prime Minister Blum resigned on June 19, 1937. Camille Chautemps of the Radical Socialist Party (RSP) formed a government as prime minister. The government suppressed an attempted right-wing rebellion on November 18, 1937. Leon Blum formed a PF government on March 13, 1938 after the collapse of the government of Prime Minister Chautemps on March 10, 1938. Edouard Daladier of the RSP formed a government on April 10, 1938. The PF was disbanded on October 4, 1938. France declared war against Germany on September 3, 1939. Prime Minister Daladier resigned on March 20, 1940, and Paul Reynaud formed a government. German troops invaded France on May 12, 1940. Italy declared war against France on June 10, 1940. German troops occupied Paris on June 14, 1940, and the French government fled to Tours and Bourdeaux. Marshal Henri Philippe Petain replaced Prime Minister Reynaud as head of the government on June 16, 1940, and Marshal Petain asked the Germans for an armistice on June 17, 1940. Marshal Petain and the Germans signed an armistice in Compiegne on June 22, 1940.
Conflict Phase (June 23, 1940-August 31, 1944): On June 23, 1940, the French National Committee (FNC) headed by General Charles de Gaulle decided to continue its resistance against Germany. Marshall Petain signed an armistice with the Italians on June 24, 1940. Marshal Petain assumed the position of chief-of-state, and he established a government in Vichy in southern France on July 2, 1940. Marshal Petain appointed Pierre Laval as prime minister on July 12, 1940. Some 200,000 French partisans opposed the Vichy government and German troops beginning in 1940. Britain and the US provided military assistance (weapons and ammunition) to the French partisans. General de Gaulle established a government-in-exile in London on October 27, 1940. On September 14, 1942, the Vichy government implemented compulsory labor for men between the ages of 18 and 65. Marshal Petain appointed Pierre Laval as his eventual successor as head-of-state on November 17, 1942. British troops and US troops commanded by General Dwight Eisenhower of the US landed on the coast of Normandy on June 6, 1944. French partisans attacked German troops near Grenoble between June 15 and July 23, 1944, resulting in the deaths of some 800 French citizens. French citizens began a rebellion against German troops in Paris on August 23-24, 1944. German troops executed some 60,000 French citizens between June 1940 and August 1944. French partisans killed some 10,700 French citizens for collaborating with the Germans between June 1940 and August 1944. Some 200,000 French citizens were deported between June 1940 and August 1944. Some 90,000 out of 350,000 French Jews were killed during the conflict. Allied troops liberated Paris on August 25, 1944.
Post-Conflict Phase (September 1, 1944-October 13, 1946): The Consultative National Assembly was convened on November 7, 1944. Marshall Petain was convicted of treason and sentenced to death on August 15, 1945, but Prime Minister de Gaulle commuted the death sentence on August 17, 1945. Pierre Laval was convicted of treason and sentenced to death on October 9, 1945, and he was executed on October 15, 1945. Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held on October 21, 1945, and the Communist Party of France (CPF) won a plurality of 152 seats in the assembly. The Socialist Party (SP) won 151 seats. General de Gaulle was elected president of the provisional government by the Constituent Assembly on November 16, 1945, and President de Gaulle formed a National Union (NU) government on November 21, 1945. President de Gaulle resigned on January 20, 1946, and Felix Gouin of the SP was elected president by the Constituent Assembly on January 22, 1946. The Constituent Assembly approved a new constitution on April 19, 1946, but constutition as rejected in a referendum on May 5, 1946. Constituent Assembly elections were held on June 2, 1946, and the Popular Republican Movement (Mouvement Republican Populaire – MRP) won a plurality of the seats in the assembly. George Bidault was elected president of the provisional government by the Constituent Assembly on June 19, 1946. The Constituent Assembly approved a new constitution on September 29, 1946, and the constitution was approved in a referendum on October 13, 1946.
Post-Crisis Phase (October 14, 1946-January 8, 1959): Parliamentary elections were held on November 10, 1946, and the CPF won a plurality of 183 seats in the National Assembly. The MRP won 166 seats, and the SP won 103 seats in the National Assembly. Leon Blum of the SP formed a new government on December 16, 1946. Vincent Auriol was elected president by the National Assembly on January 16, 1947. Prime Minister Blum resigned, and Paul Ramadier formed a government as prime minister on January 21, 1947. Several communist members of the government cabinet were dismissed on May 9, 1947. Municipal workers went on strike in Paris beginning on November 4, 1947, and communist-led riots occurred in Marseilles on November 12, 1947. Prime Minister Ramadier resigned on November 19, 1947, and Robert Schuman of the MRP formed a government on November 24, 1947. Police and demonstrators clashed in Beziers on December 4, 11947, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The labor strikes ended on December 10, 1947. Prime Minister Schuman resigned on July 19, 1948, and Henri Queuille formed a government as prime minister on September 19, 1948. Prime Minister Queuille resigned on October 5, 1949. The National Assembly approved a coalition government headed by Georges Bidault on October 28, 1949. Prime Minister Bidault’s government collapsed on June 24, 1950, and Rene Pleven formed a coalition government as priem minister on July 11, 1950. Prime Minister Pleven resigned on February 28, 1951, and Henri Queuille formed a government as prime minister on March 10, 1951. President Auriol dissolved the National Assembly on March 24, 1951. Parliamentary elections were held on June 17, 1951, and the CPF won a plurality of 26.5 percent of the vote. Prime Minister Queuille resigned on July 10, 1951, and Rene Preval formed a government as prime minister on August 11, 1951. The government of Prime Minister Preval collapsed on January 7, 1952, and Edgar Faure formed a government as prime minister on January 22, 1952. The government of Prime Minister Faure collapsed, and Antoine Pinay formed a government as prime minister on March 11, 1952. Prime Minister Pinay resigned on December 23, 1952, and Rene Mayer formed a government as prime minister on January 7, 1953. The government of Prime Minister Mayer collapsed on May 21, 1953, and Joseph Laniel formed a government on June 26, 1953. Rene Coty was elected president by the National Assembly on December 23, 1953, and he assumed the office on January 17, 1954. The government of Prime Minister Laniel collapsed on June 12, 1954, and Pierre Mendes-France formed a government on June 18, 1954. The government of Prime Minister Mendes-France collapsed on February 5, 1955, and Edgar Faure formed a government on February 23, 1955. Prime Minister Faure resigned on January 24, 1956, and Guy Mollet formed a government that lasted until May 21, 1957, when Maurice Bourges-Maunoury formed a coalition government. The government of Prime Minister Bourges-Maunoury collapsed on September 30, 1957, and Felix Gaillard formed a government on November 6, 1957. The government of Prime Minister Gaillard collapsed on April 16, 1958, and Pierre Pflimlin of the MRP formed a government on May 13, 1958. President Coty named General Charles de Gaulle as prime minister of an emergency government on May 31, 1958. A new constitution was approved in a referendum on September 28, 1958. Parliamentary elections were held on November 23-30, 1958, and the Gaullist Union (GU) won a majority of the seats in the National Assembly. General de Gaulle was inaugurated as president on January 8, 1959.
[Sources: Keesing’s Record of World Events, October 12-19, 1946, November 22-29, 1947, February 7-14, 1948, June 12-19, 1948; Langer, 1972, 987-991, 1136-1137, 1150, 1180-1184.]