Return to search

Politics of the Resistance and the political and administrative reconstruction of the Cote d'Or 1943-1946

Based on oral testimonies, archival evidence and newspapers, the thesis explores the role of the Resistance in the Liberation and the post-Liberation administrative and political reconstruction of the C6te d'Or. The different facets of Resistance are discussed with particular attention to the maquis phenomenon, Liberation Committees and the 'Commissaire R€gional de la Republique'. Early chapters deal with the specificity of the Resistance under the Occupation and its preparation of the Liberation in both military and administrative terms. Expectations of the 'maquisards' and Liberation Committees of a new, repoliticised post-Liberation society which would be an extension of this localised Resistance experience are examined as conflicting with the secondary role to which most would find themselves confined shortly following the Liberation. The mixed success of the newly established 'Pouvoirs Publics' in dealing with the immediate post-Liberation problems of 'epuration' and law and order is explored. Later chapters cover the limited administrati ve purges, particularly in the sphere of the police and the 'Pr~fecture' despite Resistance pressures for an extensive 'epuration' at all levels. The role of Liberation Committees in promoting changes on the departmental political scene through the elimination of councillors and the creation of provisional councils is also discussed. The post-Liberation period would herald the entry of men and women new to the political arena, whose Resistance record would be initially significant in their rise. The final chapters trace their electoral fortunes through 1945 and 1946 and the steadily decreasing influence of many Resistance elements noted. The role of personalities is examined and the personal popularity and political and administrative skill of the individual found to rapidly take precedence over a Resistance record. Finally, there is an analysis of the extent to which the ever-increasing public preoccupation with economic issues came to dominate the post-war period and contribute to the decreasing popularity of politicians and parties supported by the Resistance

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:295666
Date January 1991
CreatorsConrad, Barbara Helen
PublisherUniversity of Sussex
Source SetsEthos UK
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation

Page generated in 0.0023 seconds