Pierre Billotte

Pierre Billotte is a general and a Politician French, born the March 8th 1906 with Paris and deceased the June 29th 1992 with Boulogne-Billancourt.

A soldier with the fulgurating career

He is the son of the general Gaston Billotte killed with the combat in May 1940. Left Saint-Cyr military school and the University of war, it takes part in the combat of the Second world war and manages to slow down the advance of the tanks of Guderian in the the Ardennes. Seriously wounded in the countryside of France, it is made prisoner in Poméranie, it S `escapes and gains the USSR where it is interned until the moment of the German attack. It becomes then representing free France with Moscow. With other French, It is exchanged against Russian citizens and embarks with Arkhangelsk on a boat which enables him to gain London. It is then is chief of staff general de Gaulle and national secretary of the defense committee in London. De Gaulle imposes on Leclerc her assignment in her division and, then Colonel, it unloads in Normandy with the head of one of the three tactical groupings of the division Leclerc. The August 25th 1944, it makes the junction, with the Police headquarter, with Parisian interior Resistance at the time of the Libération of Paris. In September 1944, it is promoted with the Brigadier general rank of and, in dissension with Leclerc, it leaves the 2eDB. It forms with Parisian FFI the 10th division of infantry which it orders from now on as a general.

He is named representing France at the committee of staff of UNO in 1946 but he resigns of this function and the army four years to later protest against the Atlantic policy too of the government.

Deputy RPF and minister ARS

He is elected Député RPF of the Coast-with Or in 1951 but is beaten in 1956. He votes confidence with Antoine Pinay in 1952 and is one of the 27 dissidents of ARS. He is Minister for National defense in the Gouvernement Edgar Faure (2) of the October 6th 1955 at the 1956.

To the National Assembly, it is devoted to the military questions and is rapporteur of the commission of defense on the agreements of London and Paris which replace CED that it had fought.

It publishes an article in Le Monde against torture in Algérie. “ One does not obey contrary orders with the laws of the war… Torture, in some form that it is, is condemnable ”.

Gaullist of left under Ve République

Pierre Billotte is one of the gaullists of left which take part in the foundation of the democratic Union of work (UDT). Appointed High-Commissioner in Algeria, it is finally replaced by Christian Fouchet in 1962.

In November 1962, he is elected appointed (UNR-UDT) of the the Valley-of-Marne, mandate which he preserves until in 1978 under the various labels gaullists (UD-Ve République, UDR, RPR). He is minister of state charged with the departments and overseas territories in the governments with Georges Pompidou (3) and (4) with the January 8th 1966 with the May 31st 1968 and supports the internal autonomy as of these entities.

He founds a “Mouvement for socialism by the participation” in 1971. He supports Jacques Chaban-Delmas before the presidential election of 1974. He leaves the memory of a courageous and daring man, with the impetuous temperament and showing a ombrageux gaullism.

He was mayor of Creteil of 1965 with 1977.

Decorations

He is titular many decorations:

Large Officer of the Legion of Honor
Companion of the Release - decree of November 8th, 1944
Military Cross 1939-1945 (5 quotations)
Medal of the escaped prisoners
Medal of Wounded the
Medal commemorative of the Voluntary Services in Free France
Gold medal of Physical education
Knight of the Dragon of Ass
Officer of the Legion off Merit (the USA)
Military Cross (Belgium)
Commander of Ouissam Alaouite (Morocco)
Commander of the Nichan Iftikhar (Tunisia)

Gaullism and strategy

One owes him:

the Fate of the German Defeat, London 1941
the Time of the Choice, Robert Laffont, 1950
Europe was born, Fayard, 1955
strategic Considérations, Larousse 1957
Of the bread on the board, Plon 1965
the Ways of the Adventure, 1972
the Time of the Weapons, Plon 1972
Thirty years of humor with de Gaulle, 1979
the Past with the future, Stock 1979

Sources

Gaullistes, Pierre-Viansson-Decked, ED. threshold, 1963 (pp. 66-69)
the death of Pierre Billotte: With the Service of the gaullism, Andre Passeron, Le Monde , July 3rd, 1992
Dictionary of the French members of Parliament, Volume 2, Documentation Frenchwoman 1992 (pp. 386-388).
Biography of Pierre Billotte on the site about the Release

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