Édouard Daladier

Édouard Daladier (June 18, 1884 – October 10, 1970) was a French politician, and Prime Minister of France at the start of the Second World War.

He was born in Carpentras. A government minister in various posts during the coalition governments between 1924 and 1928, he was instrumental in the Radical Party's break with the Socialists in 1926 and with the conservative Raymond Poincaré in November 1928.

Daladier became a leading member of the Radicals. He first became Prime Minister during 1933, and then again in 1934 for a few weeks during the right wing rioting of that year, which led to the left's fall from power. He became Minister of War for the Popular Front coalition in 1936, and became Prime Minister again on April 10, 1938 after the fall of the Popular Front. His term in power saw the Munich Agreement, when France backed out of its obligations to defend Czechoslovakia. In 1939 after the German invasion of Poland he was reluctant to go to war, but did so on September 3, 1939. In March 1940 he resigned as Prime Minister in France, due to his failure to aid Finland's defense during the Phony War and was replaced with Paul Reynaud. He fled to Morocco, but was arrested and tried for treason by the Vichy government. He was a German prisoner until the end of the war.

After the war, he was a member of the Chamber of Deputies, and an opponent of Charles de Gaulle. He died in Paris.

Daladier's First Government, 31 January – 26 October 1933

• Édouard Daladier – President of the Council and Minister of War
• Eugène Penancier – Vice President of the Council and Minister of Justice
• Joseph Paul-Boncour – Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Camille Chautemps – Minister of the Interior
• Georges Bonnet – Minister of Finance
• Lucien Lamoureux – Minister of Budget
• François Albert – Minister of Labour and Social Security Provisions
• Georges Leygues – Minister of Marine
• Eugène Frot – Minister of Merchant Marine
• Pierre Cot – Minister of Air
• Anatole de Monzie – Minister of National Education
• Edmond Miellet – Minister of Pensions
• Henri Queuille – Minister of Agriculture
• Albert Sarraut – Minister of Colonies
• Joseph Paganon – Minister of Public Works
• Charles Daniélou – Minister of Public Health
• Laurent Eynac – Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones
• Louis Serre – Minister of Commerce and Industry

Changes

• 6 September 1933 – Albert Sarraut succeeds Leygues (d. 2 September) as Minister of Marine. Albert Dalimier succeeds Sarraut as Minister of Colonies.

Daladier's Second Ministry, 30 January – 9 February 1934

• Édouard Daladier – President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Eugène Penancier – Vice President of the Council and Minister of Justice
• Jean Fabry – Minister of National Defense and War
• Eugène Frot – Minister of the Interior
• François Piétri – Minister of Finance
• Jean Valadier – Minister of Labour and Social Security Provisions
• Louis de Chappedelaine – Minister of Military Marine
• Guy La Chambre – Minister of Merchant Marine
• Pierre Cot – Minister of Air
• Aimé Berthod – Minister of National Education
• Hippolyte Ducos – Minister of Pensions
• Henri Queuille – Minister of Agriculture
• Henry de Jouvenel – Minister of Overseas France
• Joseph Paganon – Minister of Public Works
• Émile Lisbonne – Minister of Public Health
• Paul Bernier – Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones
• Jean Mistler – Minister of Commerce and Industry

Changes

• 4 February 1934 – Joseph Paul-Boncour succeeds Fabry as Minister of National Defense and War. Paul Marchandeau succeeds Piétri as Minister of Finance.

Daladier's Third Ministry, 10 April 1938 – 21 March 1940

• Édouard Daladier – President of the Council and Minister of National Defense and War
• Camille Chautemps – Vice President of the Council
• Georges Bonnet – Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Albert Sarraut – Minister of the Interior
• Paul Marchandeau – Minister of Finance
• Raymond Patenôtre – Minister of National Economy
• Paul Ramadier – Minister of Labour
• Paul Reynaud – Minister of Justice
• César Campinchi – Minister of Military Marine
• Louis de Chappedelaine – Minister of Merchant Marine
• Guy La Chambre – Minister of Air
• Jean Zay – Minister of National Education
• Auguste Champetier de Ribes – Minister of Veterans and Pensioners
• Henri Queuille – Minister of Agriculture
• Georges Mandel – Minister of Colonies
• Ludovic-Oscar Frossard – Minister of Public Works
• Marc Rucart – Minister of Public Health
• Alfred Jules-Julien – Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones
• Fernand Gentin – Minister of Commerce

Changes

• 23 August 1938 – Charles Pomaret succeeds Ramadier as Minister of Labour. Anatole de Monzie succeeds Frossard as Minister of Public Works.
• 1 November 1938 – Paul Reynaud succeeds Paul Marchandeau as Minister of Finance. Marchandeau succeeds Reynaud as Minister of Justice.
• 13 September 1939 – Georges Bonnet succeeds Marchandeau as Minister of Justice. Daladier succeeds Bonnet as Minister of Foreign Affairs, remaining also Minister of National Defense and War. Raymond Patenôtre leaves the Cabinet and the Position of Minister of National Economy is abolished. Alphonse Rio succeeds Chappedelaine as Minister of Merchant Marine. Yvon Delbos succeeds Zay as Minister of National Education. René Besse succeeds Champetier as Minister of Veterans and Pensioners. Raoul Dautry enters the Cabinet as Minister of Armaments. Georges Pernot enters the Cabinet as Minister of Blockade.