France: A Modern History from the Revolution to the War with Terror by Jonathan Fenby (PDF)

Description

With the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815, the next two centuries for France would be tumultuous. Critically acclaimed historian and political commentator Jonathan Fenby provides an expert and riveting journey through this period as he recounts and analyzes the extraordinary sequence of events of this period from the end of the First Revolution through two others, a return of Empire, three catastrophic wars with Germany, periods of stability and hope interspersed with years of uncertainty and high tensions. As her cross-channel neighbor Great Britain would equally suffer, France was to undergo the wrenching loss of colonies in the post-Second World War era as the new modern world we know today took shape. Her attempts to become the leader of the European union was a constant struggle, as was her lack of support for America in the two Gulf Wars of the past twenty years. Alongside this came huge social changes and cultural landmarks, but also fundamental questioning of what this nation, which considers itself exceptional, really stood—and stands—for. That saga and those questions permeate the France of today, now with an implacable enemy to face in the form of Islamic extremism which so bloodily announced itself this year in Paris. Fenby will detail every event, every struggle, and every outcome across this expanse of 200 years. It will prove to be the definitive guide to understanding France.

User’s Reviews

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⭐This book provides a history of France from 1789-2015. Jonathan Fenby is a journalist who has written for the Economist and was the editor of The Observer. His book is primarily a reminder of the main events of modern French history. Fenby is sympathetic to France and is much better at describing events than explaining them. However, it is an enjoyable read and the book provides a good introduction to modern France.Fenby explains that national unity has been difficult to achieve in France. He describes the numerous revolutions (e.g., 1789, 1830, 1848, 1870) and the many coups (e.g., 1794, 1797, 1799, 1802, 1815, 1851, 1958, 1961). France has often needed strongmen to seize power to restore order. He profiles its authoritarian rulers/dictators (e.g., Robespierre, Napoleon, Napoleon III, and De Gaulle).The Declaration of the Rights of Man was passed by France’s National Assembly in 1789. Its basic principle was that all “men are born and remain free and equal in rights.” Fenby believes that the root of France’s instability comes from a struggle between the secular republic, and its belief in liberty, equality, and fraternity, and more reactionary and conservative influences. He states that the: “last two centuries have shown that the country invariably opts for right over left.” Fenby equates the right with a strong state embodied in a powerful monarchical leader (e.g., Napoleon, De Gaulle).After the Revolution in 1789, it took 80 years of mainly authoritarian rule before a stable democracy was established in France. The French executed Louis XVI, in 1793 and replaced him with two dictators. Robespierre in 1793 and Napoleon in 1799. Robespierre was responsible for the Reign of Terror (Fenby insists that it wasn’t that bad), while Napoleon set out to conquer all of Europe. Robespierre was executed and Napoleon was locked up by the British. Neither seemed particularly concerned about human rights or democracy. Napoleon’s nephew Napoleon III seized power in a coup in 1852 and ruled until 1870.Fenby tells us that the French believe that they are exceptional, but does not really explain why. Fenby tells us that De Gaulle believed that he was entitled to behave badly because of France’s unique status. Fenby believes that Joan of Arc, Louis XIV, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Charles de Gaulle were the greatest of all French people. The rivalry with England has frequently caused problems. The English had Joan of Arc executed. Louis XIV’s dreams of European conquest were ended by an English general, John Churchill. Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo and ended his life as a British prisoner. France often got itself into trouble trying to compete with Britain globally. French participation in the Seven Years War and the American Revolution drove its government to the brink of bankruptcy. The high taxes on the peasantry to pay for the wars was one of the causes of the French Revolution.De Gaulle said that the most traumatic incident of his childhood was the Fashoda Incident in 1898. French troops arrived in Sudan and tried to claim it for France. Britain had recently captured Khartoum and General Kitchener who was in charge of the British army told them to go home. The French government eventually concluded it wasn’t worth starting a war with Britain over Sudan, given the threat posed by Germany. For the British. it seemed odd that the French would try to seize Sudan.In 1945, France believed it needed the return of its empire to demonstrate that it was still a great power. Syria had been a French colony before WW2. When French troops took back control in 1945, they started massacring Arab demonstrators. The British sent troops from Jordan and stopped the violence. De Gaulle was angry and briefly threatened war. Syria became independent in 1946 and became a Soviet ally. Post-war France was unable to hold onto its pre-war empire. It faced rebellion and insurgency in Vietnam and Algeria. Nearly 50,000 French soldiers lost their lives trying to hold onto the two countries. Vietnam also became a Soviet ally, Other writers have claimed that de Gaulle never got over Fashoda and he blamed Britain and the U.S. for undermining France and taking away its empire.Fenby claims that De Gaulle was “the most successful leader France had in the 200 years covered by this book.” De Gaulle was an egotist (FDR’s description) who imagined himself the embodiment of his nation. He was also a devout Catholic, faithful husband, and devoted family man. His wife was very conservative and wanted him to ban the mini-skirt. De Gaulle really owed his career to Winston Churchill. De Gaulle was a nobody when he arrived in Britain in 1940. He had been Under-Secretary of State for National Defense and War. De Gaulle pronounced himself the legitimate French government and its designated survivor. Churchill believed de Gaulle was useful and supported his delusions. FDR was less impressed, he believed that de Gaulle wanted to become a dictator. FDR was not convinced that de Gaulle had much support in France. Of the 100,000 French troops evacuated at Dunkirk, fewer than 10,000 joined de Gaulle’s Free French, while the others returned home.De Gaulle felt the need to be difficult in order to demonstrate that he was not Churchill’s poodle. However, he often appeared ungrateful and later got into the habit of upsetting people for the sake of it. Churchill had to occasionally threaten to withdraw his patronage to bring de Gaulle into line.Fenby reports that most French people collaborated with the Germans during World War 2. Many later claimed to be working with the Resistance, like future president Francois Mitterrand. Vichy France was a nasty regime and worked well with the Nazis. It set up camps for Jews and gypsies. Fenby estimates that 400,000 mentally ill people died from hunger or neglect. Vichy French troops fought the allies between 1940 and 1942, mostly in North Africa. The British historian David Starkey observed that the French resented being liberated by the U.S., Britain, and Canada, so they created the myth of their own liberation.De Gaulle retired in 1946 and spent 12 years in the wilderness, before returning to power in 1958 with the country on the verge of civil war. He restored order, suppressed a coup in 1961, and survived multiple assassination attempts. He became a de facto dictator. His economic reforms improved the economy and made France prosperous. In the 1960s de Gaulle seemed to go out of his way to antagonize the U.S. and Britain. He believed that America’s plan was to rule the world and it was his job to prevent that happening. He withdrew from NATO. He defeated the student radicals and communist labor unions that almost toppled his regime in 1968. He retired in 1969 and died in 1970. Since de Gaulle’s retirement, the country has been run by boring technocrats. France dominated the EU when de Gaulle was alive, but now Germany calls the shots.The book was published after the terrorist attacks of 2015 and the opening chapter contains a lot of soul-searching about the fact that the terrorists had been born and raised in France. Fenby believes France is suffering from economic stagnation and is in decline. Fenby worries about its future and suggests that France is not what it was, although you could argue that France has never been what it thought it was. The book is particularly good on De Gaulle.

⭐I ignore whether or not the French people see their country as grimly as the author does, but the conclusion is pretty bleak.Otherwise, it is a very good read full of historical details. Hard to beat at narrating the facts.

⭐This book is terrific, and covers events thru the terrorist attacks in the Spring of 2016. It has a section of photographs and an excellent set of bibliographical notes for further reading. The book is an outstanding read, and difficult to put down. Its concentration on contemporary events, and how France ended up in its current predicament is enlightening. Characters such as Louis-Philip and the literary and scientific figures become ‘real-people’.The book is at its best in two areas: showing continuity through political changes, with leaders moving to and fro from party to party in what the author describes as a conservative nation with a tradition of left-wing rebellion; and most importantly discussing the ‘morosite’ that afflicts modern France with its loss of confidence and Moslem immigrants that are a major problem.

⭐As a frequent reader of history books, I find that the books I most enjoy are historically accurate while being engaging and well-written. So many history books manage the former but fail in the latter. Fenton’s book is the opposite.As I work my way through the book, it has managed to keep me interested and engaged. Unfortunately, only 50 pages in, I’ve already found 3 factual errors that make me question the reliability of the rest of the book.Page 15: Marie Antoinette went to the scaffold in October, not November, as Fenby claims.Page 41: Fenby states that the Duke of Berry is the eldest son of King Charles X. He was actually the younger son. The childless Duke of Angoulême was the older son and the heir to the throne.Page 49: Charles X did not have the Expiatory Chapel built in memory of his brother Louis XVI. Construction began in 1816 at the direction of Louis XVIII. It was completed during he reign of Charles X in 1826.Perhaps these are inconsequential errors. Still, they were errors that I was able to pick up on without even having to consult other historical sources. What a shame that such mistakes could be allowed to be published.

⭐I have only been able to get 30 pages into it so far, plus skimming other parts. As a fluent Francophone and Francophile, I think this is a great (and refreshingly non-boring or over pedantic) review of French history since the French Revolution.The reader will enjoy it no matter whether a Francophile or not!

⭐A sweeping and informative history which will provide the reader with a meaningful perspective of today’s France. The contemporary chapters could just as easily describe the United States.

⭐It’s good to have a current volume like this on our shelves.

⭐Provided much to contemplate regarding societal structural change. Offers a meaningful distillation of two centuries worth of history. Worth reading.

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