Chapter
French Nationalists and the Threat of Communism in the 1920s
44:08 - 51:43 (07:35)
In the 1920s, a significant portion of French Catholics and nationalists believed that a communist revolution was imminent. Despite their pride in being French, some supporters of right-wing politics denounced fascism as a foreign ideology. Charles Morris, a right-wing journalist, politician and street organizer, was jailed for threatening to have the minister of the interior killed like a dog if police continued to harass the league.
Clips
The Catholic Church played a major role in the rise of French fascism, with many Catholics and nationalists believing that a communist revolution was imminent.
44:08 - 46:47 (02:38)
Summary
The Catholic Church played a major role in the rise of French fascism, with many Catholics and nationalists believing that a communist revolution was imminent. However, historian Robert Paxton argues that the right-wing leagues lacked the resources and organization to launch a true fascist revolution.
ChapterFrench Nationalists and the Threat of Communism in the 1920s
EpisodeBehind the Insurrections - The (French) Capitol Insurrection
PodcastBehind the Bastards
The struggle within the French right over their nationalist identity continued through the mid 1920s, as they wanted to be authentically of their nation while fighting off foreign influence and avoiding fascism.
46:47 - 48:15 (01:28)
Summary
The struggle within the French right over their nationalist identity continued through the mid 1920s, as they wanted to be authentically of their nation while fighting off foreign influence and avoiding fascism. This dilemma, also known as the dilemma of the authoritarian nationalist, played out during the apprenticeship period of the French leagues to the fascist international.
ChapterFrench Nationalists and the Threat of Communism in the 1920s
EpisodeBehind the Insurrections - The (French) Capitol Insurrection
PodcastBehind the Bastards
The rise of right-wing leagues in France in the mid-1920s was fueled by the veterans mystique, which was a near worship of the front generation.
48:15 - 50:30 (02:15)
Summary
The rise of right-wing leagues in France in the mid-1920s was fueled by the veterans mystique, which was a near worship of the front generation. Despite most veterans not joining the leagues, the idea that their sacrifices were betrayed by leftist leaders became a popular right-wing rallying cry.
ChapterFrench Nationalists and the Threat of Communism in the 1920s
EpisodeBehind the Insurrections - The (French) Capitol Insurrection
PodcastBehind the Bastards
Maurice Barrès was a Catholic fascist who became increasingly anti-Semitic after the Dreyfus affair.
50:30 - 51:43 (01:13)
Summary
Maurice Barrès was a Catholic fascist who became increasingly anti-Semitic after the Dreyfus affair. He founded the newspaper Action Francais which was influential among the French right-wing and was used to convince conservatives to destroy democracy and move towards monarchy.