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Summary
- Early Life and Family
- Early Political Involvement
- Premiership
- Role in World War I and the Treaty of Versailles
- Later Life and Death
Key Facts And Information
Let’s find out more about Georges Clemenceau!
Georges Clemenceau (1841–1929) was a French leader, journalist, and politician, nicknamed “Le Tigre” for his determination. He served as Prime Minister twice, first from 1906 to 1909 and then from 1917 to 1920 during the final years of World War I. Clemenceau was known for his firm leadership, strong policies at home, and efforts to make France more powerful in Europe. He helped lead France to victory in the war and led the French team at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, helping to create the Treaty of Versailles. He was also a writer and thinker, remembered as a symbol of patriotism and strong leadership.
Georges Clemenceau
EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY OF GEORGES CLEMENCEAU
- Georges Benjamin Clemenceau was born on 28 September 1841 in Mouilleron-en-Pareds, a small town in the Vendée region of France. Vendée had been a stronghold of monarchist support during the French Revolution and was a poor, rural area far from Paris.
- Clemenceau’s mother, Sophie Eucharie Gautreau, was a devout Protestant of Huguenot descent, while his father, Benjamin Clemenceau, came from a family of doctors but lived off his land and investments instead of practising medicine. Although his mother was religious, his father was an atheist and insisted that the children had no religious education. As a result, Clemenceau became a lifelong atheist but had a good knowledge of the Bible.
- After studying at the Lycée in Nantes, Clemenceau gained his baccalaureate of letters in 1858. He then went to Paris to study medicine and graduated in 1865. On 23 June 1869, he married Mary Eliza Plummer in New York City. After they married, the couple moved to France and had three children.
- Although Clemenceau had many mistresses, when his wife had an affair with their children’s tutor, he had her put in prison for two weeks and sent back to the United States in third class. They divorced in 1891, with Clemenceau keeping custody of the children and having his wife stripped of French nationality.
EARLY POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT
- Clemenceau began his political career as a young activist and writer. He became known for his support of republican ideas, democracy, and civil liberties.
- 1861: Started the weekly newsletter Le Travail in Paris.
- 1862: Arrested for putting up posters calling for a demonstration; spent 77 days in prison.
- 1865: Graduated as a doctor of medicine, but focused on writing and political magazines.
- 1865–1869: Lived in the United States; worked as a doctor, taught French and horse riding, wrote for Le Temps, and joined French exile clubs.
- 1870: Returned to France after the defeat at the Battle of Sedan; became mayor of the 18th arrondissement (Montmartre) and elected to the National Assembly.
- 1871: Tried to mediate during the Paris Commune; ran for Commune council but was unsuccessful.
- 1871–1876: Served on the Paris municipal council as secretary, vice-president, and president.
- 1876: Elected to the Chamber of Deputies; became a leader of the radicals and supported republican ideas, democracy, freedom of speech, and separation of church and state.
- 1880: Campaigned for the general amnesty of Communards; founded the newspaper La Justice.
- 1892: Fought a duel with Paul Déroulède; neither was hurt.
- 1893: Lost his seat in the Chamber of Deputies; focused on journalism.
- 1898: Published Émile Zola’s J’Accuse…! in L’Aurore to defend Dreyfus.
- 1900–1902: Founded the weekly review Le Bloc.
- 1902: Elected senator for Draguignan; supported radical policies, separation of church and state, and freedom of the press.
PREMIERSHIP OF GEORGES CLEMENCEAU
First term as Prime Minister: 1906–1909
- Clemenceau became Prime Minister of France in October 1906, following the resignation of the Sarrien ministry. He had previously served as Minister of the Interior in March 1906 after the fall of Maurice Rouvier’s government, which had struggled with civil conflicts caused by the implementation of the separation of church and state and the victory of the radicals in the legislative elections.
- During his first term as Prime Minister (1906–1909), Clemenceau was known as “Le Tigre” for his strong and decisive leadership. He focused on keeping order in France, reforming the police, handling domestic crises firmly, and strengthening France both at home and in Europe.
Key Policies:
Police and public order:
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- Reformed the police and supported the creation of scientific police under Alphonse Bertillon.
- Founded the Brigades mobiles, later known as the Brigades du Tigre, led by Célestin Hennion.
- Used strict measures to control strikes and workers’ unrest.
Domestic crises:
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- Stopped the miners’ strike in Pas-de-Calais (1906) after the Courrières mine disaster.
- Controlled the winegrowers’ strike in Languedoc-Roussillon (1907) by sending in troops.
- Broke with the socialist party (SFIO) due to his firm handling of strikes and his public opposition to Jean Jaurès.
- Opposed limited women’s suffrage (1907), arguing it would take France “back to the Middle Ages.”
Foreign policy:
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- Strengthened ties with Britain through a new Entente cordiale (1907–1908).
- Resolved tensions with Germany after the First Moroccan Crisis.
- Addressed socialist criticism over foreign policy decisions.
- Secured a successful diplomatic outcome for France at the Algeciras Conference.
- Clemenceau’s first ministry ended on 20 July 1909 after a dispute in the Chamber of Deputies over the state of the navy. He clashed with Théophile Delcassé and resigned after his motion was defeated. He was succeeded by Aristide Briand with a reconstructed cabinet.
- After leaving office, Clemenceau spent the next few years travelling, giving conferences, and recovering from illness. In 1910, he visited South America, travelling to Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, where he observed the influence of French culture and the French Revolution on local elites. He also focused on journalism, publishing the first issue of the Journal du Var in April 1910, and later founding L’Homme libre in Paris in May 1913, where he wrote daily editorials.
Second term as Prime Minister: 1917–1920
- Clemenceau returned as Prime Minister of France in November 1917. During this time, France faced political divisions, civil conflicts, and the ongoing pressures of World War I. He immediately made important decisions to strengthen France’s leadership and administration. He appointed trusted military advisors, including General Henri Mordacq, to coordinate effectively with the army, and regularly visited the front lines. At home, Clemenceau focused on maintaining public order.
Key Policies:
- Military and leadership:
- Appointed reliable military chiefs to improve coordination between the army and government.
- Maintained strong control over internal security and public order.
- Promoted national cohesion and morale through public speeches and visible leadership.
- Domestic policy:
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- Controlled strikes and civil unrest during wartime.
- Introduced significant labour reforms:
- A general eight-hour workday for miners, tram and railway workers, and employees on French vessels.
- Restrictions on night work in bakeries, which contributed to the popularisation of the baguette.
- Enforced policies to maintain law and order while respecting civil liberties, allowing newspapers to openly criticise the government.
- Foreign policy:
- Strengthened relations with France’s allies, including Britain and the United States.
- Worked to protect France’s international position and support diplomacy.
- Clemenceau’s second ministry ended on 17 January 1920, after the conclusion of the post-war reconstruction period. He was succeeded by Alexandre Millerand as Prime Minister. After leaving office, Clemenceau continued to write and engage in public life.
ROLE IN WORLD WAR I AND THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES
- At the start of World War I in August 1914, Clemenceau’s newspaper, L’Homme libre (“The Free Man”), was censored from 29 September to 7 October. He renamed it L’Homme enchaîné (“The Chained Man”) and criticised the government for being ineffective while supporting the patriotic union against Germany.
Clemenceau in his office, 1929
- Clemenceau was a strong critic of the wartime government, saying it was not doing enough to win the war and urging the return of Alsace-Lorraine. He advised action against suspected subversives on Carnet B, though most of them still volunteered for service. In autumn 1917, he opposed any separate peace with Germany, forcing previous leaders Alexandre Ribot and Aristide Briand to publicly commit to continuing the war.
- When he became Prime Minister again in November 1917, Clemenceau strengthened the military, appointed General Henri Mordacq as chief of staff, coordinated with Allied leaders, and visited the front lines to boost troop morale. He adopted a policy of total war (“la guerre jusqu’au bout”), cracked down on politicians calling for surrender, and supported Ferdinand Foch as generalissimo to unify the Allies. His leadership led to victory, culminating in the armistice on 11 November 1918.
- After the war, Clemenceau led the French delegation at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, which produced the Treaty of Versailles. He had near-total control over negotiations, excluded military leaders and politicians, and pushed for strong security measures, including occupying the Rhineland and administering the Saar region for 15 years. He also demanded reparations from Germany and defended these decisions in Parliament as necessary for France’s safety. Because of his leadership during the war and the peace talks, Clemenceau earned the nickname “Le Père la Victoire” (“Father of Victory”).
LATER LIFE AND DEATH
- After leaving office in January 1920, when Paul Deschanel was elected president instead of him, Clemenceau retired from politics. He had not campaigned for the presidency, hoping to be chosen as a national symbol, but refused a narrow victory, believing only near-unanimous support would give him authority with the Allies.
- In his later years, Clemenceau travelled a lot. He visited Egypt and Sudan in 1920, toured the Far East in 1920–1921, and went to England in 1921, where he received an honorary degree from Oxford. In 1922, he toured the United States, defending France’s postwar policies and war debts while criticising American isolationism. In 1923, he spoke out against Poincaré’s occupation of the Ruhr, saying it hurt the relationship between France and Britain.
- Clemenceau spent much of his later life writing. Between 1923 and 1927, he wrote two short biographies (of Demosthenes and Claude Monet) and a two-volume work, Au Soir de la Pensée, on philosophy, history, and science. In his last months, he wrote his memoirs, Grandeurs et misères d'une victoire (Grandeur and Misery of Victory), criticising Marshal Foch and others for weakening the Treaty of Versailles. He also burned all his private letters before he died on 24 November 1929 at age 88. He was buried in a simple grave next to his father at Mouchamps.
Frequently Asked Questions About Georges Clemenceau
- Who was Georges Clemenceau?
Georges Clemenceau (1841–1929) was a French statesman, journalist, and doctor who served twice as Prime Minister of France, most notably from 1917 to 1920 during World War I. He became known as “Le Tigre” (The Tiger) for his fierce political style and “Père la Victoire” (Father of Victory) for leading France to victory in WWI.
- Why was he called “The Tiger”?
He earned this nickname due to his aggressive debating style, relentless criticism of opponents, and uncompromising approach to governance and wartime leadership.
- Did Clemenceau support the Treaty of Versailles?
Yes, he supported it as the best compromise achievable, though he privately thought it was not tough enough to ensure long-term French security.