The Interwar Years (1919-1938): France During the Inter-War Years (1919-1938)

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The Cartel was aided in its quest for power by the failure of the occupation of the Ruhr. Poincare's decision to occupy the Ruhr was a gesture of frustration that gained nothing for France. France had no backing from its allies, the operation was very costly, and it soured relations even further between France and Germany. Germany had not been made to pay, and demonstrably could not be made to do so. Due to this embarrassing failure, and the fact that demanding German reparations was one of the cornerstones of the Bloc National's platform, the Cartel took over, unfortunately proving to be better campaigners than governors.

When all else failed in France during the first decade of the inter-war period, the government called on Raymond Poincare. Poincare was a remarkable figure, providing passion, aptitude, and stability for france. Although between 1920 and 1940 the average government in France lasted only seven months, Poincare was prime minister from 1922 to 1924, and from 1926 to 1929. Many other political figures held office under Poincare for long periods, and in many ways the government benefited from this stability, which few other European nations could match. Poincare's stability was a dramatic contrast to the instability of the 1930s, during which period the appeal of extreme solutions grew as the problems of the nation became more and more extreme.

Many believed that the Popular Front government would put an end to the chaotic era of the depression. The victory of the Popular front seemingly broke the stalemate between the socialists and the fascist radicals, putting the socialists in power. However, the government proved unable to control the domestic economy. Workers struck in celebration of the socialist victory, and Blum was forced to make many concessions in order to persuade them to go back to work. These concessions only sharpened the hatred of the right toward Blum. They hated him for his socialism, his intelligence, and for being a Jew. The right united in their loathing for Blum, and this, combined with continued striking and rioting, was enough to force the Popular Front government to collapse. It would be a mistake to write the Popular Front off entirely as a failure. If nothing else, in a Europe of dictators and appeasers, the Popular Front was a genuine expression of republican democracy, and allowed a great deal of public participation.

Under the rightist government, France headed into war, with well-equipped armed forces, but was politically and psychologically unprepared to withstand the fundamental test of unity and common purpose that was to come.

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