Background
Pierre Mendès France was born in Paris, France on January 11, 1907, of Sephardic Jewish origin.
Pierre Mendès France was born in Paris, France on January 11, 1907, of Sephardic Jewish origin.
He received his doctorate in law at the age of 18.
In 1938 he was secretary of state for finance in Léon Blum's cabinet. At the outbreak of World War II Mendès-France joined the air force and later joined the Free French in London, eventually becoming De Gaulle's financial expert.
Under the De Gaulle government of 1944-1945 Mendès-France was minister of the national economy. He was executive director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 1947 and represented France in the UN Economic and Social Council from 1947 to 1950.
After the Laniel cabinet fell in May 1954, largely on the issue of the war in Indochina, Mendès-France became premier on June 18 on the basis of his commitment to settle the war by July 22.
On July 22 and 23 France, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and the Viet Minh Communists signed a truce at Geneva, and Mendès-France remained in power. He devoted himself to preserving French control in Tunisia, promoting internal economic recovery, and establishing the role of France in the defense of Western Europe.
On February 5, 1955, Mendès-France fell from power after the Assembly refused to support his North African policy. From January 31 to May 23, 1956, he served in Guy Mollet's cabinet, resigning because of the government's ruthless attempt to suppress the Algerian rebels.
When De Gaulle became premier in 1958, Mendès-France opposed him.
He was returned as an anti-Gaullist deputy in 1967, but after his defeat by a Gaullist a year later he retired.
His main priority was ending the war in Indochina.
The opposition of Mendès-France to the Gaullist constitution in 1959 led to his expulsion from the Radical Socialist Party.