L. A. S. Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929) Autographed Letter Signed to André Tardieu

  
Following the failure of his mentor's presidency in favor of Paul Deschanel on January 17, 1920, he took the lead of the "clémentiste opposition" and, in January 1922, founded a new newspaper with Georges Mandel, called l'Écho national, intended to defend the ideas and legacy of his mentor. Autographed letter signed by Georges Clemenceau addressed to André Tardieu - 2 pages in-8 on a double sheet - Saint-Vincent-Jard, April 23, 1922 - good condition, creases, central fold related to the sending.

In this letter, Georges Clemenceau refers to the Rapallo Treaty, signed on April 16, 1922, by the Weimar Germany and the Soviet Federative Socialist Republic of Russia, on the sidelines of the Genoa Accords. This treaty allows the two signatories to break the isolation they faced after the First World War and the October Revolution. Through this treaty, Germany and the RSFSR (which would become the USSR in December 1922) renounce war reparations owed to each other and reestablish diplomatic and commercial relations. It also establishes a secret military collaboration that will last until 1933 with secret German training camps in the USSR.

Through this treaty (specifically the secret military collaboration), Germany will rearm itself, constituting a serious breach of the Treaty of Versailles. I would like to speak openly without you immediately taking advantage of the disposition of mind that you know about me. I did not have the right to hide my feelings from you. One must be a fool not to understand that a military alliance has been formed between Germany and Russia.

The consequences, I do not need to elaborate on them. They seem to me to be such that they go far beyond the question you are asking me. I had foreseen it, you can believe me. But I was trying to go beyond, as the task that we have ahead of us seems to be inhumane, and it is the least each of us can do to try to know where we are going. I cannot explain myself any clearer in writing.

Moreover, we need to know what will happen at the conference, with the game of repercussions ahead. I'm not talking about a ministry.

It's about something other than moving forward or taking a pawn. I ask you to have a little trust in me. Also available in our shop are other documents (letters, photographs, manuscripts) concerning Georges Clemenceau and André Tardieu.