France in the 1950s

1. France in the 1950s La France dans les années 1950

2. The end of World War II in 1945 left much of France to be rebuilt. Heavy military and civilian casualties in WWII and reopening old wounds from WWI left the country ready to move on to a new era of peace. Though France would rebuild in “La Patrie” (the motherland), ironically, it would remain at war perpetually until 1967 in its colonies.

3. Politics in the 50s French Fourth Republic 1946-1958—though there was great economic growth and strengthening of state institutions as we know them today in France, the 4th Republic was characterized by a weak executive branch and saw frequent changes of government (20 in ten years!). Another notable feature about the 4th Republic is its ineffective decisions about decolonization—which led to bloody uprisings and wars in many of France’s former colonies. Because of these issues, the Fourth Republic collapsed in what some historians considered to be a de facto coup d'état, which was legitimized by a referendum in 1958 establishing the Fifth Republic 1959. Back from retirement by popular demand is Charles de Gaulle, France’s leader of “La France Libre” during the Occupation of WWII.

4. Like many politicians and statesmen, Charles de Gaulle was known for his witty remarks… “Why do you think that at 67 I would start a career as a dictator ?” “Pourquoivoulez-vousqu'à 67 ans je commence unecarrière de dictateur?” -Press conference, May 19 ,1958 “ It isbetter to have a badmethodthan to have none. ” « Il vaut mieux avoir une méthode mauvaise plutôt que de n'en avoir aucune. » Clementine Churchill: "General, you must not hate your friends more than you hate your enemies" De Gaulle (in English): "France has no friends, only interests. ” “France cannotbe France withoutgreatness. ” «  La France ne peut être la France sans la grandeur. » in Mémoires de guerre.

5. Let’s watch a short educational film produced in the US in the 50s about “modern day France.” The film is a great glimpse into everyday scenes (albeit happy ones…) from France in the 1950s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRx0KLqTF0U

6. Large-scale transportation projects brought new roads in competition with the local, small-scale railways. By the 1950s the once extensive narrow gauge system (local rail) had practically become extinctin favor of roadways and automobiles. In addition, more bridges literally connected more of France than was ever capable before, changing the landscape of transportation and village life. Tancarville bridge in Normandy, across the Seine, opened in 1955 and dramatically changed lives in the area.

7. The effects of the gains made by the huge citizen and worker movements during 1936 –an 8 hour day, paid holidays, and a minimum wage—were not felt until after the Second World War, and not really until France had been rebuilt. Much like what happened in the US, this new found leisure time in the 1950s began to have a significant impact on cultural activities. An ad for a Vespa moped. “Beautiful Sundays…”

8. During the occupation, much like in the US, women in France experienced very liberated roles. Like its US counterpart, after the war, there was a widespread cultural and advertising campaign for women to play their traditional gender role. With the post WWII reconstruction economy, a new-found consumerism was taking hold as many families found themselves with modest amounts of money to spend, and many new fangled inventions which to buy.

9. Tired from the war, and with a thirst for moving on and rebuilding, entertainment becomes extremely important and takes on a new meaning in 1950s France. With a campaign to make the country literate in French (and abandon the strong accents and dialects), “livres de poche” become popular as novels make their way to the masses. Reading is no longer just for the educated as these pocket novellas have mass appeal. In a country that was vastly spread out, and largely rural, many move to the cities, but France is connected now in ways it never was—through the spread of movie theaters, widespread radio for entertainment, mass circulation color magazines, telephones, and TVs were transforming France.

10. One of the France’s most beloved entertainers of the time is Edith Piaf. Her song Milord plays in the background right now. Hymne a l’amourwas recorded in 1950 by Edith Piaf after her lover, famous boxer Marcel Cerdan died in a tragic plane crash on his way to see her in New York City. Piaf is universally regarded as France’s greatest popular singer and came to popularity in the mid 1930s and remained popular until her early death in the 1960s. She became internationally known during the war, since troops from around the world, including the US heard her regularly. She made the cross-over to US popularity after the war in the 1950s. Click on the link below to watch the trailer of “La Vie en Rose,” a movie about her life. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzEJ7NV_g98

11. Even though women were encouraged to play their traditional roles, glimpses of the women’s liberation movement were seen—albeit in the form of sexual liberation. No one at the time captures that mood more than Brigitte Bardot. There was a claim in the 1950s and 60s that Brigitte Bardot did more for France’s international trade balance than their entire car industry! Brigitte Bardot, ballet dancer, model, and actress catapulted into international stardom after starring in Roger Vadim’s controversial 1956 “And God Created Woman.” After its release in 1957 in the US, Bardot becomes a reluctant overnight sensation in America and abroad.

12. Already a widely known in the 30s and 40s for her couture and perfume, Coco Chanel closed her fashion house during the war. She was accused of being in close association with the Nazis during the war and because of this when she reopened her clothing line and the doors to her shop in Paris in 1954, she did not regain French popularity for quite some time. However, her lines exploded with the British and American fashion buyers who have remained faithful to her line ever since. We can thank Chanel for black and white being acceptable in women’s everyday clothing, “the little black dress,” and casual, comfortable men’s inspired clothing for women.

13. Formula 1 Inaugural Season: 1950 Formula 1 Racing, is considered the highest class single-seater auto racing in the world and has the fastest cars in the industry. It all started with “Grand Prix” racing in France in the late 1800s and popularized throughout Europe in the 20s and 30s. 1950 was the official year of the inaugural season.

14. Jacques-Yves Cousteau was a French naval officer, explorer, ecologist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher. In 1950 after leaving the French Navy, he founded French Oceanographic Campaigns (FOC) and went on to explore the first underwater archeological “digs”, write several books, research papers, and direct several films during the 50s—of particular note was his discovery of echolocation that was used by porpoises and other cetaceans, which was a relatively new feature in submarines. He and his colleagues continued to gain popularity as well as critical acclaim in the years to come.

15. Tachisme Tachisme, arose in France in the 1940s and 1950s. It is a French style of abstract painting. “Tache” in French means “stain.” It is considered to be the European equivalent of “abstract expressionism” and was a part of a larger movement of “L’artinformel.” Norman Bluhm, Untitled Serge PoliakoffComposition: Gray and Red

16. In Conclusion The 1950s in France was a time of great changes in Europe and in France. The economy of “La Patrie” boomed, transportation and modern communications connected the country like never before, villages and French local subcultures began to shrink at an incredible rate as the French urbanized and industrialized, and a newly formed middle class found leisure time and a little extra money for entertainment as France saw the beginning of a mass consumerism that was new to its people. All the while, wars and revolts were taking place in the colonies, students and critics demanded attention to the atrocities that the French committed during World War II and in the colonies, and the labor movement became less and less content with the façade of class mobility and the improvements of the decade. All this was leading up to a boiling point, much like in the US, for a cultural revolution in the France of the 1960s.