Jules Moch
Encyclopedia
Jules Salvador Moch was a French politician.
and grandson of Col. Jules Moch
. His upbringing occurred during a growing socialist movement in France. As an engineer (polytechnicien
) who took part in the X-Crise Group, he was a socialist member of Parliament for Drôme
and then Hérault
from 1928 to 1936 and from 1937 to 1940. He was Under-secretary of State in prime minister Léon Blum
's office (1937) and became Minister of Public Works
in 1938. He later became critical of The Vichy French Government and was jailed, but later he was released.
During World War II
Moch joined and helped organize the Paris underground. He also helped other French Resistance
activities in France. When The Free French Naval Forces
was organized, he rallied to de Gaulle
in 1942 and participated in The Invasion of Normandy toward The Free French Liberation of France with The Allied Forces.
In Post World War II, Moch was a member of the Consultative Assembly (1944) and of the two Constituent National Assemblies (1945–46) and then of the National Assembly (1946–1958 and 1962–1967). He was eight times Minister during the Fourth Republic
: Public works and Transportation (1945–1947), Interior (1947–1950), Defence (1950–1951). As Transport Minister
, he contributed to the rebuilding of railways, ports, road, navy and aviation
. As Interior Minister, he had to deal with the communist-inspired great strikes in November 1947 and has shown great firmness. In the Defence Ministry, he contributed to the modernisation of the Army, organised French participation in the Korean War
and the implementation of NATO. He also suggested and participated in the forming of METO for The Middle East. He fought the gaullist and communist parties during the Fourth Republic and was one of the leaders of the Troisième Force.
Jules Moch was deputy prime minister
from 1949 to 1950. He was France's delegate at the UN disarmement commission from 1951 to 1960. As rapporteur
of the Foreign affairs Committee, he opposed the European Community of Defence that was defeated by the National Assembly in 1954. His last ministerial post was in Pierre Pflimlin
's government in May 1958, where he played an important role in the 1958 Crisis of French Algeria, as Interior Minister. He left the socialist party in 1975.
He was married to Germaine Picard, one of the first early woman lawyers of France and a legal advocate-supporter with other renowned supporters in the defence of Capt.Alfred Dreyfus
(see also The Dreyfus Affair
). She was also an active advocate of The Women's Rights
Movement in France and Europe.
Though other noted individuals lay claim, it is alleged that the name The Cold War was officially "coined" after a speech he made in 1948, over his concern on the growing rift that developed between The Allied Powers of Western Europe and The Warsaw Pact
Forces of Eastern Europe.
Biography
Jules was born into a renowned French Jewish military family, the Son of Capt. Gaston MochGaston Moch
Gaston Moch was the secretary of the Esperantist Centra Oficejo and a member of the Lingva Komitato.Moch was born in Saint-Cyr-l'École, Yvelines. He was the Son of French Jewish Military officer, Col. Jules Moch, co-founder of "The Club Millitare" during the time when French Jews were entering the...
and grandson of Col. Jules Moch
Col. Jules Moch
Jules Moch was a French officer. He was a colonel of the 130th. Regiment of Infantry....
. His upbringing occurred during a growing socialist movement in France. As an engineer (polytechnicien
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
) who took part in the X-Crise Group, he was a socialist member of Parliament for Drôme
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
and then Hérault
Hérault
Hérault is a department in the south of France named after the Hérault river.-History:Hérault is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
from 1928 to 1936 and from 1937 to 1940. He was Under-secretary of State in prime minister Léon Blum
Léon Blum
André Léon Blum was a French politician, usually identified with the moderate left, and three times the Prime Minister of France.-First political experiences:...
's office (1937) and became Minister of Public Works
Minister of Public Works (France)
The Minister of Public Works was a cabinet member in the Government of France. Formerly known as "Ministre des Travaux Publics" , in 1870, it was largely subsumed by the position of Minister of Transportation. Since the 1960s, the positions of Minister of Public Works has reappeared, often...
in 1938. He later became critical of The Vichy French Government and was jailed, but later he was released.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Moch joined and helped organize the Paris underground. He also helped other French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
activities in France. When The Free French Naval Forces
Free French Naval Forces
Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Emile Muselier.- History :...
was organized, he rallied to de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
in 1942 and participated in The Invasion of Normandy toward The Free French Liberation of France with The Allied Forces.
In Post World War II, Moch was a member of the Consultative Assembly (1944) and of the two Constituent National Assemblies (1945–46) and then of the National Assembly (1946–1958 and 1962–1967). He was eight times Minister during the Fourth Republic
French Fourth Republic
The French Fourth Republic was the republican government of France between 1946 and 1958, governed by the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Third Republic, which was in place before World War II, and suffered many of the same problems...
: Public works and Transportation (1945–1947), Interior (1947–1950), Defence (1950–1951). As Transport Minister
Minister of Transportation (France)
The Minister of Transport is a cabinet member in the Government of France. The position was created in 1870 as a modification of that of the Minister of Public Works...
, he contributed to the rebuilding of railways, ports, road, navy and aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
. As Interior Minister, he had to deal with the communist-inspired great strikes in November 1947 and has shown great firmness. In the Defence Ministry, he contributed to the modernisation of the Army, organised French participation in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and the implementation of NATO. He also suggested and participated in the forming of METO for The Middle East. He fought the gaullist and communist parties during the Fourth Republic and was one of the leaders of the Troisième Force.
Jules Moch was deputy prime minister
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
from 1949 to 1950. He was France's delegate at the UN disarmement commission from 1951 to 1960. As rapporteur
Rapporteur
Rapporteur is used in international and European legal and political contexts to refer to a person appointed by a deliberative body to investigate an issue or a situation....
of the Foreign affairs Committee, he opposed the European Community of Defence that was defeated by the National Assembly in 1954. His last ministerial post was in Pierre Pflimlin
Pierre Pflimlin
Pierre Eugène Jean Pflimlin was a French Christian democratic politician who served as the penultimate Prime Minister of the Fourth Republic for a few weeks in 1958, before being replaced by Charles de Gaulle during the crisis of that year.-Life:...
's government in May 1958, where he played an important role in the 1958 Crisis of French Algeria, as Interior Minister. He left the socialist party in 1975.
He was married to Germaine Picard, one of the first early woman lawyers of France and a legal advocate-supporter with other renowned supporters in the defence of Capt.Alfred Dreyfus
Alfred Dreyfus
Alfred Dreyfus was a French artillery officer of Jewish background whose trial and conviction in 1894 on charges of treason became one of the most tense political dramas in modern French and European history...
(see also The Dreyfus Affair
Dreyfus Affair
The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s and the early 1900s. It involved the conviction for treason in November 1894 of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish descent...
). She was also an active advocate of The Women's Rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
Movement in France and Europe.
Though other noted individuals lay claim, it is alleged that the name The Cold War was officially "coined" after a speech he made in 1948, over his concern on the growing rift that developed between The Allied Powers of Western Europe and The Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
Forces of Eastern Europe.
Publications
He has published:- Confrontations (Doctrines – Déviations – Expériences – Espérances), Gallimard 1952
- Yougoslavie, terre d'expérience, éd. du Rocher, Monaco, 1953
- Histoire du réarmement allemand depuis 1950, Robert Laffont, 1954
- Alerte, le problème crucial de la Communauté Européenne de défense, Robert Laffont
- La folie des hommes (about the atomic bomb), Robert Laffont, 1954
- En 1961, Paix en Algérie, Robert Laffont
- Non à la force de frappe, Robert Laffont, 1963
- Le Front Populaire, Perrin 1971
- Rencontre avec Charles de Gaulle, 1971
- Une si longue vie, témoignages, Robert Laffont, 1976
- Le communisme jamais, Plon 1978
Biography
- Eric Méchoulan has written a book: Jules Moch un socialiste dérangeant, published by Bruylant.
- Autobiography of Jules Moch: "Jules Moch" une si longue vie, published by Robert Laffont 1976, Paris