Georges Bidault facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Georges Bidault
Chair of the Provisional Government of the French Republic
In office 24 June 1946 – 16 December 1946
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Félix Gouin
Succeeded by	Vincent Auriol (President of France) Léon Blum (Prime Minister of France)
Prime Minister of France
In office 28 October 1949 – 2 July 1950
President	Vincent Auriol
Preceded by	Henri Queuille
Succeeded by	Henri Queuille
In office 24 June 1946 – 16 December 1946
President	Himself
Preceded by	Félix Gouin
Succeeded by	Léon Blum
Personal details
Born	(1899-10-05)5 October 1899 Moulins, France
Died	27 January 1983(1983-01-27) (aged 83) Cambo-les-Bains, France
Political party	Popular Republican Movement
Occupation	Teacher, Politician

Georges-Augustin Bidault (born October 5, 1899 – died January 27, 1983) was an important French politician. During World War II, he played a key role in the French Resistance, fighting against the occupation of France. After the war, he became a significant leader. He served as foreign minister and also as prime minister several times. Later in his life, he was linked to the Organisation armée secrète (OAS), but he always said he was not involved.

A Look at Georges Bidault's Life

Growing Up and Early Career

Georges Bidault was born in Moulins, Allier, a town in France. He went to the Sorbonne in Paris. There, he studied history and later became a history teacher. In 1932, he helped start a Catholic youth group. He also helped create a newspaper called l'Aube, which was against fascism. He wrote articles for this paper. In 1938, he spoke out against the Munich Agreement, which allowed Germany to take parts of Czechoslovakia.

His Role in World War II

When World War II began, Bidault joined the French army. He was captured during the Battle of France but was later released in July 1941. After his release, he went back to teaching in Lyon. He then joined a French Resistance group called Liberté. This group later joined with another called Combat.

Working for the Resistance

Jean Moulin, a famous Resistance leader, asked Bidault to help create secret newspapers. Bidault worked on the underground newspaper for Combat. His assistant, Laure Diebold, helped him a lot in his Resistance work. Bidault was even held in an internment camp in Spain for a short time.

Leading the Resistance

Bidault helped form the Conseil National de la Résistance (CNR), which brought together different Resistance groups. When Jean Moulin was captured, Bidault became the new chairman of the CNR. In 1944, he helped write the Resistance Charter. This plan suggested many important changes for France after the war. After Paris was freed, he represented the Resistance in the victory parade. Charles de Gaulle then made him foreign minister in the new government. Bidault also started a political party called the Popular Republican Movement (MRP).

Helping to Create the United Nations

From April to June 1945, Bidault led the French group at the San Francisco Conference. This meeting created the United Nations (UN). At the conference, France successfully gained a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. This was a big achievement for France.

Leading France After the War

Serving in the Fourth Republic

In January 1946, Bidault married Suzanne Borel, who was the first French woman to become a diplomat. That same year, he became foreign minister in Félix Gouin's government. In June 1946, he was chosen to be the president of the provisional government. His government included socialists, communists, and members of his own MRP party.

Important Social Changes

During Bidault's time as leader, his government passed important laws. These laws helped people with pensions and workers' compensation. In August 1946, a law was passed that gave family allowances to almost everyone. Another law in October 1946 made sure that insurance for work-related accidents was required. This insurance was handled by the Social Security system, which started in 1945. Also, a law in August 1946 gave young workers more holiday time. In October 1946, a law was passed to create medical services for workers.

Bidault later became foreign minister again. After new elections in November, he stepped down. Léon Blum became his successor.

More Government Roles

Bidault continued to serve in different French governments. He was foreign minister under Paul Ramadier and Robert Schuman. In April 1947, he supported the decision to remove the Communists from the government. He had visited Moscow and felt that an agreement with Joseph Stalin was not possible.

Becoming Prime Minister Again

In 1949, Bidault became the President of the Council of Ministers, which is like being prime minister. His government lasted for eight months. During this time, a law was passed in February 1950 that protected workers' right to strike. It also required the government to set minimum wages for farming and industry jobs. He also served as Vice-President of the Council and defense minister in other governments.

In 1952, Bidault became an honorary president of his MRP party. In 1953, he tried to form his own government, but the National Assembly did not approve it. He also ran for president in 1953 but later withdrew.

Challenges as Foreign Minister

Bidault was foreign minister during the difficult Battle of Ðiện Biên Phủ in 1954. This battle was a major event in the war in Indochina. He complained to the Red Cross that the Viet Minh were shooting at French medical planes. The war was very tiring for him. He was described as a "deeply harassed man" by the American Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles. Bidault said that Dulles offered France two atomic bombs in 1954.

Later Years and the Fifth Republic

In April 1958, Bidault was again asked to be prime minister, but he did not form a government. He helped create the conservative Christian Democratic Movement. He also supported Charles de Gaulle becoming president after the Algerian War of Independence began.

Opposition and Exile

In 1961, Bidault became president of a group that opposed Algeria's independence. He disagreed with De Gaulle's policy on Algeria. He created his own National Resistance Council. In June 1962, he was accused of working against the state and lost his special legal protection as a politician. He then went to live in Brazil. In 1967, he moved to Belgium. He returned to France in 1968 after receiving an amnesty, which meant he would not be punished for past actions.

In his books about his political life, Bidault said he was never involved with the OAS. He stated he did not have specific information about their actions. In October 1972, he briefly joined the Front national party when it was founded, but he left it a few days later.

Georges Bidault passed away from a stroke in Cambo-les-Bains in January 1983.

See also

In Spanish: Georges Bidault para niños