| |
| 1938 |
| |
| Frenchwomen who had married under the separate property or dowry regimes gained their legal majority as a result of pressure from women's rights activists such as Maria Véronne, Suzanne Grinberg, and Yvonne Netter. | 1 |
| |
| Jan. 14 |
| |
| The Socialists deserted the cabinet, which was reorganized by Chautemps as a Radical Socialist ministry. This the Socialists at first tolerated. | 2 |
| |
| March 10 |
| |
| Chautemps's government fell, however, when the Socialists rejected a demand for full powers. | 3 |
| |
| March 13–April 10 |
| |
| Léon Blum, after trying in vain to organize a national coalition cabinet to face the acute international situation, formed a new Popular Front government. Like its predecessor it was frustrated by the Senate, which refused Blum all confidence. Forced out of office, Blum made way for Daladier. | 4 |
| |
| April 10 |
| |
| The cabinet of Édouard Daladier (Radical Socialist) was formed, who stood further to the Right. Daladier was given decree powers until July 31, and proceeded to devalue the franc and end a new strike movement. Blum and the Socialists supported him. | 5 |
| |
| Sept |
| |
| THE GERMAN-CZECHOSLOVAK CRISIS (See July–Aug). | 6 |
| |
| Oct. 4 |
| |
| The Daladier government broke definitely with the Socialists and Communists when the former abstained from the vote of confidence on the Munich agreements and the Communists voted in opposition. End of the Popular Front. | 7 |
| |
| Oct. 28 |
| |
| Senatorial elections confirmed the solid shift to the Right evident in the policies of the Daladier government. | 8 |
| |
| Nov. 12 |
| |
| The government promulgated a large number of decrees aimed at improvement of the desperate financial situation. Among other things the 40-hour week, retained in principle, was to be much modified in practice. This departure created much ill-feeling, especially in the ranks of the CGT (Confederation of Labor) with its 5 million members. A new strike epidemic was launched by the workers. | 9 |
| |
| Nov. 30 |
| |
| A general strike of protest, called for 24 hours, was the culmination of this epidemic. The government had prepared to meet the threat, had put railway workers under military orders, and had otherwise requisitioned services. Under threats of punishment the whole movement collapsed, with relatively few workers going on strike. | 10 |
| |
| |
