pierre mendès-france

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Definition of pierre mendès-france in English English dictionary

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Pierre Mendès-France

born Jan. 11, 1907, Paris, France died Oct. 18, 1982, Paris French politician and premier (1954-55). Born into a Jewish family, he became a lawyer and served in the Chamber of Deputies (1932-40). In World War II he was imprisoned by the Vichy government but escaped to London, where he joined the Free French air force and served in finance posts in Charles de Gaulle's provisional government. As a legislator in postwar France (1946-58), he criticized government policies on economics and the wars in Indochina and North Africa. In 1954 he became premier; he ended France's involvement in Indochina and also helped effect autonomy for Tunisia. His proposed economic reforms led to his defeat in 1955. He sought without success to make the Radical-Socialist Party the centre of the noncommunist left and opposed de Gaulle's presidency

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Pierre mendès-france