A Study on French Fascism-reevaluation of the political map of French conservatives in 1930's-

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There is a controversy over the degree of penetration of Fascism in France in 1930's, especially on the political situation of a veteran, lieutenant colonel Francois de La Rocque. The focus of this study is on the discrepancy between the real image of La Rocque and the collective memory of him. Because he mobilized the most important force at the antiparliamentary riot on February 6 in 1934, although best-ordered of all, La Rocque became the symbol of the threat of Fascism. This incident ironically made La Rocque famous as "the father of Popular Front". However, it was rather the anti-popular front who was supposed to call La Rocque "the father of Popular Front", for he had declined all appeals to present a united front of conservatives against the stream of Popular Front since February 6. After all, contrary to the label of extreme right given by the Left, he was oriented to the middle-of-the-road. La Rocque became " a traitor" for the conservatives especially when he refused to join … More the Front of Liberty advocated by Jacques Doriot in the spring of 1937. Because of this, not only was he attacked by the Left for his fascistic reputation but also he received tremendous amount of character assassination from the Right. However, it should be noted that he gained popularity among the masses, and his political party could have become the leading party if the general election of 1940 (canceled by the War) had taken place. Under the German occupation, while supporting the Vichy regime of Marshal Petain, La Rocque became involved with the Resistance. Consequently, he was arrested by Gestapo in the end, and even after the Liberation, he continued to be detained by the French authority. Suffering from aftereffects of more than two years captivity, La Rocque died with a disgrace of Fascist without being recognized as a resistant. This study investigates not only how his image was formed as fascist but also how this image of him developed into the collective memory which still remains so persistently after his death. We also put our attention to the struggle of La Rocque's bereaved family, who has been fighting for the Droit de reponse ( right of objection). Less