Paul Baudouin
Paul Baudouin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 December 1894 Paris, France |
| Died | 10 February 1964 (aged 69) |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, politician |
| Known for | Foreign Minister of France in 1940; instrumental in June 1940 armistice negotiations |
Paul Baudouin (; born 19 December 1894, died 10 February 1964) was a French banker turned politician who served as Foreign Minister in late 1940. He was instrumental in the negotiations that led to the June armistice between France and Germany.
Early years
Hailing from an affluent family in Paris, Baudouin served as an artillery officer during World War I. By 1930, he had risen to the positions of Deputy Director and General Manager at the Banque de l'Indochine.[1] A devout Catholic and former member of the nationalist organization Action Française, he also took leadership roles in Catholic Scout movements and promoted a spiritual revival among young Christians.[2]
Enters government
Following the collapse of Édouard Daladier's administration in March 1940, Prime Minister Paul Reynaud appointed Baudouin as Under-Secretary of State to the Prime Minister.[3][4] Known for his opposition to France’s declaration of war on Germany, Baudouin became a key figure within a Catholic/Action Française faction seeking to shape youth education during Pétain’s subsequent regime.[5]
Invasion crisis
As the German offensive commenced on 10 May 1940, Baudouin took part in crucial Cabinet meetings alongside Winston Churchill addressing France’s worsening military predicament. On 18 May, Marshal Philippe Pétain was appointed Deputy Premier. By late May, military commanders described the situation as critical; Baudouin engaged in talks stressing the importance of preventing internal disorder.[6]
After Dunkirk fell on 5 June and Daladier was ousted in a Cabinet reshuffle, Baudouin assumed the role of Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs while Charles de Gaulle was named Under-Secretary for War.[7] Pétain confided his apprehensions regarding de Gaulle’s position to Baudouin. On 8 June, Baudouin concurred with Camille Chautemps that ending the war was necessary.[8] By 10 June, with military leaders deeming further combat hopeless,[9] Baudouin supported calls to seek an armistice.
During Churchill’s visit on 11 June, proposals for a Breton redoubt were introduced but dismissed by General Weygand. Weygand persistently urged the Cabinet to contemplate an armistice due to threats of unrest and possible communist insurrections. Both Pétain and Minister Jean Prouvost advocated for considering Weygand’s warnings.[10] When Churchill returned on 13 June, Baudouin promptly communicated the bleak prospects for continued French resistance.
Armistice
On 16 June 1940, Baudouin was named Minister of Foreign Affairs within Pétain's Cabinet. The following day, he urgently instructed the Spanish Ambassador to communicate a request to Germany seeking an immediate halt to hostilities along with proposed peace conditions. By 19 June, Spanish Foreign Minister José Félix de Lequerica conveyed that Germany was open to negotiations. Armistice discussions, led on behalf of France by General Charles Huntziger, advanced, and Baudouin participated in the Council of Ministers session on 21 June in Bordeaux to examine the terms. The armistice was set to become effective at 12:35 on 25 June.
Vichy
After the armistice, the government moved first from Bordeaux to Clermont-Ferrand and then, following Baudouin’s recommendation, relocated to Vichy, which was deemed optimal for administrative purposes. On 30 June, Pierre Laval proposed that the Senate and Chamber of Deputies convene jointly to enact constitutional reforms. Initially, Baudouin opposed this idea due to the occupation of the capital by enemy forces but eventually consented after President Albert Lebrun endorsed it. The Chamber overwhelmingly approved the motion, and the joint session passed it by a significant majority (excluding Communist Deputies).
On 13 July, Pétain appointed a new Council of Ministers that included Baudouin as Foreign Minister. The Cabinet convened several times weekly, while a smaller core group—comprising Laval, Baudouin, Yves Bouthillier, Admiral Jean Darlan, and General Weygand—held daily meetings. In private conversations with Baudouin, Pétain expressed concerns about succession and indicated that the Council should select his successor.
During the summer of 1940, Baudouin supported Henri Dhavernas in establishing the official youth organization 'Compagnons de France,' which reflected pre-war Catholic intellectual values and received Pétain’s endorsement as "the vanguard of the National Revolution." Between October 1940 and January 1941, this movement was granted substantial funding exceeding 25 million Francs.
Baudouin was reportedly a monarchist; in October, German Ambassador Abetz observed that ministers including Baudouin anticipated a Bourbon restoration. Around this period, Pierre Laval acquired many foreign affairs responsibilities previously held by Baudouin with Pétain’s consent. By mid-November, Baudouin and other ministers exerted pressure on Pétain to remove Laval from office—a decision implemented the following month. After briefly assuming the role of Minister of Information, Baudouin resigned from government on 2 January 1941.
After government
From 1941 until 1944, he resumed his position as Chairman at the Bank of Indo-China. Following World War II, he faced charges related to collaboration and was sentenced on 3 March 1947 to five years’ hard labor; however, this sentence was reduced in 1949.
References
- Baudouin, Paul, Neuf mois au gouvernement, Paris, 1948.
External links
- ↑ Chan
- ↑ Hellman, John, The Knight-Monks of Vichy France; Uriage, 1940–1945, Second edition, 1997, Liverpool University Press, p.16 & 62, ISBN 0-85323-742-5
- ↑ Williams, 2005, p. 306
- ↑ Warner, Geoffrey, Pierre Laval and the Eclipse of France, Eyre & Spottiswoode, London, 1968, p. 163.
- ↑ Hellman, 1997, p. 16.
- ↑ Griffiths, Richard, Constable, London, 1970, p. 227–229
- ↑ Warner, 1968, p. 163.
- ↑ Griffiths, 1970, p. 231.
- ↑ Griffiths, 1970, p. 232.
- ↑ Griffiths, 1970, p. 235.