Word: pleven
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Laniel waited, nevertheless, confident that Juin would change his imperious mind and obey at the last moment. A clock chimed 7 p.m. No Marshal Juin. 7:15 p.m.: a bustle in the courtyard, and Defense Minister Pleven arrived. At 7:45 p.m., Laniel and Pleven walked out to the Premier's car. "Is Marshal Juin coming?" a waiting newsman asked. "No comment," said Laniel. The ministers drove to the Elysee Palace to confer with President Coty. Afterwards, Laniel summoned an emergency Cabinet meeting...
...soon as he heard the report of Juin's speech to the cavalry officers, Defense Minister Pleven delivered an ultimatum: "Either he goes or I do." The Cabinet sided with Pleven. By 1 a.m., it 1) canceled Juin's right to advise on promotions of army generals, 2) removed him from the defense council, 3) deposed him from his position as chief adviser on military strategy. The State Secretary for War personally drove to Juin's home to tell him of the decision. "He will get this message personally, at least," a minister is reported to have...
Outside, in the streets of Paris, the affair did not end so smoothly. At week's end, bands of right-wing students, veterans, followers of General de Gaulle and monarchists began parading and shouting, "Vive Juin!" Laniel and Pleven went to a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe for the fallen soldiers of Dienbienphu...
...ceremonies, a glowering, hostile crowd surrounded Laniel and Pleven. Gaullist hooligans lunged at them, shouting: "Resign! Resign!" Leaflets showered down: "They fired Juin today, will they arrest De Gaulle tomorrow?" A man shook his fist in the Defense Minister's face. Officials helped Laniel elbow his way to a police car. Police had to link arms and plow a path before Pleven could make it to his own car. "This is the first time such a disgraceful and disagreeable scene has ever occurred at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," said an official...
...demonstration was shocking enough, but the reports that went out to France and the rest of the world were even more shocking. Correspondents (including those of the Associated Press, United Press, New York Herald Tribune) reported colorfully, and in varying detail, that Pleven had been slapped, his hair pulled, his glasses knocked off, and that the Premier of France had been kicked-one said in the pants. "Both were jostled badly," said one of the demonstrators later, "but not hit. I am sorry Pleven was not mauled...