Memory of War in France, 1914–45 Also by Matt Perry: BREAD AND WORK: The Experience of Unemployment 1918–39 MARXISM AND HISTORY PRISONERS OF WANT: The Experience and Protest of the Unemployed in France, 1921–45 THE JARROW CRUSADE: Protest and Legend Memory of War in France, 1914–45 César Fauxbras, the Voice of the Lowly Matt Perry Reader in Labour History, Newcastle University, UK © Matt Perry 2011 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2011 978-0-230-59441-8 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2011 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-36929-4 ISBN 978-0-230-29774-6 (eBook) DOI 10.1057/9780230297746 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 To Kelly and Frank Contents List of Abbreviations viii Acknowledgements ix Preface x Introduction 1 Part I Great War at Sea 1 An Ordinary Sailor 17 2 Black Sea Mutiny: Consciousness and Memory 38 Part II The Crisis of the 1930s 3 Amongst the Unemployed: Meat to be Burnt 61 4 A Candide for the 1930s: The Myths of the Popular Front 81 5 Pacifism on the Precipice of War 100 Part III Defeat and Occupation 6 Survey of Defeat 1940 123 7 Occupation Diary 1941–44 147 Epilogue 170 Appendices 182 Notes 196 Select Bibliography 241 Index 253 vii Abbreviations AEAR Association des Écrivains et Artistes Révolutionnaires (Association of Revolutionary Writers and Artists). CAA C omité d’Action Antibolchévique (Anti-Bolshevik Action Committee). CGT C onfédération Générale du Travail (General Confederation of Labour). HLM Hébergement à loyer modéré (low rent social housing). LVF L égion des Volontaires Français contre le Bolchévisme (Legion of French Volunteers against Bolshevism). PCF Parti Communiste Française (French Communist Party). POW Prisoner of war. PPF Parti Populaire Français (French Popular Party). PSF Parti Social Français (French Social Party). RNP Rassemblement National Populaire (literally, National Popular Assembly). SFIO S ection Française de l’Internationale Ouvrière (French Section of the Worker’s International). viii Acknowledgements I am indebted to a host of people who assisted me while I was working on this book. First mention must go to Fauxbras’s grandson Anthony Freestone who extended such generous assistance and access to his grandfather’s personal papers. Friends and colleagues – Claudia Baldoli, Steve Cannon, Alejandro Quiroga and Xavier Guégan – have read drafts of the typescript and provided invaluable comments. I am grateful for the help of archivists at Archives Nationales, Archives Départementales de Seine-Saint-Denis, Préfecture de Police de Paris, and Archives de la Service Historique de la Marine. I would also express gratitude for the financial support of British Academy, the Welcome Trust and School of History at Newcastle University. Michael Strang and Ruth Ireland have been most helpful and supportive at Palgrave. The anonymous referee was both insightful and generous. Finally, special thanks to MLG. ix