Léon Gambetta person

“It was in many ways futile for Gambetta to balloon out of Paris and drum up his levée en masse…”

“According to one account, Alphonse told Gambetta: that he liked M. Thiers but that Thiers had nonetheless unjustly accused him of having been his enemy.…”

“For in November 1881—on the eve of the crash—Léon Gambetta had become the French premier, committed (as it appeared) to a policy of external adventure and internal radicalism.…”

“The Rothschilds were perfectly prepared to encourage Gambetta, despite his reputation dating back to the Belleville programme of 1869 as a fou furieux, provided he concentrated on giving France an imperial policy.…”

“There is a famous account of a dinner during Gambetta’s brief premiership (1881-2) at which he and Alphonse were spotted chatting amiably in a window alcove...…”

“Gambetta wanted to make a naval demonstration: five gunboats to the port of Tunis, five companies to disembark and say nicely to the Bey: “Accept a protectorate, or hop it.”…”

“Alphonse told journalists in December 1881: “I want an all-out campaign; it is necessary to demolish Gambetta before he demolishes us.”…”

“We have already seen how the collapse of the Union Générale contributed to that demolition.…”