The United States and the making of postwar France : 1945-1954

This is the first study of French-American relations in the critical postwar period, 1945-1954, which makes use of recently opened diplomatic archives and personal papers in France and the United States. Wall examines the American role in French diplomacy, economic reconstruction, military policy, politics, and the reshaping of French society from labor unions to consumer tastes and films. Particular emphasis is placed on American attempts to combat the influence of French Communism and achieve a stable, centrist regime avoiding the extremes of right and left. This study of French-American relations in the critical postwar period, 1945–1954, makes use of recently opened diplomatic archives and personal papers in France and the United States. Irwin Wall examines the American role in French diplomacy, economic reconstruction, military policy, politics, and the reshaping of French society from labour unions to consumer tastes and films. Particular emphasis is placed on American attempts to combat the influence of French Communism and achieve a stable, centrist regime avoiding the extremes of right and left. BETWEEN 1947 AND 1954 the United States and France entered into an intimate relationship characterized by unprecedented American involvement in French internal affairs. This study of French-American relations in the period 1945-1954 uses recently opened diplomatic archives and personal papers in France and the United States A study of the American government's influence in France during the critical postwar period