French: 1930s

Question 1

1934 demonstrations

Answer 1

• Started by the Stavisky affair
• Seen by Blum as a coup
• 100,000 people came out on 6 Feb
• Succedding Sarrut government lasted 3 weeks and following Chautemps government lasted 8 weeks

Question 2

Historiography

Answer 2

• Kedward argues that 1934 was not a real threat as the groups weren’t linked
• Robert Soucy argues that the Croix de Feu and PSF were fascist
• René Rémond argeus that it was more like traditional French Bonapartism
• Phillipe Burrin argues more like ‘national-populism’ rather than fascism
• Passmore, synthesis position saying populism of extreme right of which fascism is a sub-category
• Philip Nord says the period was an undeclared civil war
• Hoffman says it was a stalemate society

Question 3

Right wing Parties and groups

Answer 3

• Croix de feu had 500,000 members by 1936
• PSF had membership of 3million in 1939
• Action Francaise
• Jeunesses Patriotes set up by Tattinger

Question 4

Popular Front

Answer 4

-1936 election had a turnout of 85%
-Economic failures:
-prices risen 28% by Jauary 1937
-

Question 5

1936 strikes

Answer 5

-By June 1936 there were 1,800,000 workers from 12,142 factories on strike; 8441 factories had been occupied