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History of France. Twentieth Century. King Louis XIV . Prior to French Revolution (1789). ruled by kings Napoleon Emperor 1803-1815 restoration of monarchy until 1848 Napoleon III 1848-1870 French defeated easily by the Germans. Democratic form of government after a period of anarchy.
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History of France Twentieth Century
Prior to French Revolution (1789) • ruled by kings • Napoleon Emperor 1803-1815 • restoration of monarchy until 1848 • Napoleon III 1848-1870 French defeated easily by the Germans. Democratic form of government after a period of anarchy.
Prior to French Revolution (1789-1793) • France was an absolute monarchy. • The nobility didn’t pay taxes. • Taxes on the middle class and peasants kept being raised. • The clergy had considerable power
After the Revolution • Napoleon I Emperor 1803-1815 • restoration of monarchy until 1815-1848 • Napoleon III 1848-1870 French defeated easily by the Germans. Democratic form of government after a period of anarchy (The Third Republic)
Second Empire (1852-1870) • Period when there were “nouveaux riches”, (people who had money but lacked taste) • Architecture and furniture were very heavy and quite ornamental. • Sartre chose this style for “hell”
Franco-Prussian War 1870 • France soundly defeated by the Germans in 1870 • lost Alsace and Lorraine (two provinces) • government crisis: Third Republic started • democratic government with parliament
Nationalism developed • in France, Germany, Britain strong sense of nationalism • alliances drew France into World War I
World War I (1914-1918) • long, difficult and bloody war • many casualties on both sides • many of the battles fought on French soil • France was allied with Great Britain, Russia and the U.S. • heavy debt from the war • France took back Alsace and Lorraine
Between the two wars • FRENCH WERE TIRED OF WAR • Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933 • French didn’t take him seriously • allowed him to rearm the Rhineland (adjacent to France) • allowed Germany to take over Czechoslovakia and Poland • Maginot line (fortress built that was supposed to prevent German invasion)
French defeat • Germans attacked Poland in 1939 • France (ally of Poland) declared war on Germany • Germans invaded France in June, 1940. • Easily defeated the French • Germans used French industry to continue the war
Occupation by Germans • Northern part of France was occupied by the Germans. • Southern part had a puppet regime favorable to Germans • Some French collaborated with the Germans • Underground Resistance movement (Camus, Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir)
Charles DeGaulle Leader of the Free-French army and the Resistance.
France liberated • Normandy invasion by allied troops (many American) • Troops landed on the shores of Normandy on June 6, 1944 and fought their way to liberate Paris from the Germans in August, 1944.
Post-war Mentality • guilt feelings • collaborators • could have stopped Germans in the early days of Hitler • many French Jews turned over to Nazis • inadequacy (easily defeated) • discouragement two world wars in a thirty year period
Existentialism • literary and philosophical movement of the 1940’s and 50’s • helped people to not dwell on past mistakes • helped them to move beyond defeatist ideas
Bad Faith • Excuses used to avoid action. “I didn’t have time” “I intended to do it later.” • Failure to take responsibility for actions “ I was only following orders.” “__________ wanted me to do it.” • Guilt, regret, blame for past actions “ I should never have done that.” “It’s ____________’s fault.”
Change • Change can only occur when we decide to act differently. • We need to accept responsibility for what we have done and move on. • We give up the need for blame or guilt.
Situation of man in the universe • ACTIONS define us • only the present moment counts • intentions, motives are irrelevant • not taking action is a choice • action presupposes a choice • always a choice • existence is a constant exercise of liberty
Denial of supernatural • Good and Evil exist for men only by men. • Universe is absurd • A Human is basically alone (relationships difficult)
Freedom • Man is condemned to freedom, a freedom from all authority, which he may seek to evade, distort, and deny but which he will have to face if he is to become a moral being.
Threats to liberty • torture • “hell” state of mind where one is deprived of liberty, when one no longer has a choice • presence of others ( I look to others and form opinions of myself based on their reactions to me) • ensemble of myths, fiction • status-quo