GEORGES CLEMENCEAU
Robert Pralle
Before World War 1 the long career of Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929. Prime minister 1906-09, 1917-20) had largely, and deliberately, been spent outside the circle of government. Then, after France had endured three years of what he called a 'wretched glory', his outstanding qualities could no longer be overlooked. These were a natural penchant for authority, his rapport with the people, and a bond between himself and the lads in the trenches. While being a true Vendéen, with the talent for antagonising his enemies and for trading two blows for every one received, by the age of seventy-six he had acquired a range of culture and the diplomatic skills necessary for dealing with both allies and swollen-headed generals. Le Tigre was ready for the encounter with 'my friend Ludendorff'.
Forever marked by his experience as Mayor of Montmartre during the Commune of 1871, that followed defeat to Bismarck, he wrote: 'We cannot undergo the same experience a second time. Heroism is not itself enough. Our intention is to win.' The achievement, shared with allies, belonged to Clemenceau and to the III Republic. This biography (subtitled 'The Life and Times of le Tigre') tells the story of both.