Adolphe Thiers

Louis Adolphe Thiers (April 16, 1797–September 3 1877) was a French statesman and historian. Thiers was a prime minister under King Louis-Philippe of France. Following the overthrow of the Second Empire he again came to prominence as the French leader who suppressed the revolutionary Paris Commune of 1871. From 1871 to 1873 he served initially as Chief of State (effectively a provisional President of France, then a full provisional President. When following a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly his offer of resignation was accepted (he had expected another rejection) and he was forced to vacate office. He was replaced as Provisional President by Patrice MacMahon, duc de Magenta, who became full President of the Third Republic, a post Thiers had coveted, in 1875 when a series of Organic Laws officially creating the Third Republic were enacted.

Collapse of the Empire and the Paris Commune

Leading up to 1870, Thiers strongly agitated for a war with Prussia, but when France's armies suffered defeat after defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (this all within a period of a few weeks), Thiers quickly changed his policy, and "spoke out against the war" when France had already all but lost. Through his manoeuvring, he placed himself in a victorious political position after France's crushing defeat in the war, despite his entire career of agitation for war. Thiers accomplished this by separating himself as far as possible from the Government of National Defence, the government that would be forced to surrender and sign the treaty with Germany.

Related Topics:
1870 - Prussia - Franco-Prussian War - Government of National Defence

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He undertook in the latter part of September and the first three weeks of October, a circular tour to the different courts of Europe in the hope of obtaining some intervention, or at least some good offices. The mission was unsuccessful; but the negotiator was on its conclusion immediately charged with another that of obtaining, if possible, an armistice directly from Bismarck.

Related Topics:
Europe - Armistice - Bismarck

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With the armistice treaty signed, Thiers triumphantly entered the scene and called for national elections: Thiers was elected to twenty-six different departments; on 17 February 1871 Thiers was elected Chief of State, nominally "chef du pouvoir executif de la République en attendant qu'il soit statué sur les institutions de la France" (head of the executive power of the Republic until the institutions of France are prescribed). He succeeded in convincing the deputies that the peace was necessary, and it was voted (March 1, 1871) by more than five to one.

Related Topics:
17 February - 1871 - March 1

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In May 1871, Thiers sent French soldiers, with the support of the Germans, into Paris to crush the Paris Commune. Thirty thousand to 100,000 workers were killed in the streets of Paris. Thousands more were arrested and 7,000 were exiled forever from France. (See note 2) http://www.marxists.org/glossary/people/t/h.htm#thiers-louis-adolphe

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