ABSTRACT
Paul Ramadier, the new Prime Minister of France from January 1947, was a strong socialist who was tolerant of communism when he formed his ‘tripartisme’ coalition in which he made Maurice Thorez, the Communist Party leader, his Vice President of the Council. But he fell out with the Communist Party soon after because it challenged his wage-pegging policy. In May 1947, 20,000 workers at the Renault motor factory, who were members of the communist-led industrial union, challenged Ramadier’s wage policy through a strike to obtain a wage increase of 8.4 US cents per hour. Ramadier responded by forcing the communists from his coalition government and filling their positions with members from the moderate parties. He also expressed concern about communism in Vietnam and its influence within the DRV, and he praised the French troops for expelling the DRV forces from the major northern cities, including Hanoi.
