Bidault, Georges

(1899-1983)

   political figure, Resistance leader

   Born in Moulins, Georges Bidault was educated at the sorbonne. Before World War II, he was editor of the Roman Catholic newspaper L'Aube and leader of the Popular Democratic Party, a left-wing Catholic organization. He also was an outspoken critic of the prewar policy of appeasement that led to the Munich Pact. In 1939, he joined the French army and was taken prisoner. After his release, he joined the resistance and, in 1943, succeeded jean moulin as its leader. One of the founders of the Popular Republican Movement (see mouvement rébulican populaire), a liberal Catholic party, Bidault joined the postwar government in 1946. serving in a number of government positions during the 1940s and 1950s, including defense minister, foreign minister, and premier of a coalition government in 1949 and 1950, Bidault was one of the promoters of the idea of European unity under the fourth republic. Also, during his career in the National Assembly, from 1945 to 1962, he opposed the policy of Algerian independence (see Algeria) of charles de gaulle. Instead, he supported the Organisation de l'armée secrète (OAS), of which he became a leader. Advocating terrorism, he was charged with conspiracy and went into exile in 1963. He lived in Belgium and Brazil until his return to France in 1968, when he was granted amnesty. Bidault is the author of Résistance (1965), an autobiographical work.