Hervé Alphand
Encyclopedia
Hervé Alphand was a French diplomat
, and French ambassador to the United States, from 1956 to 1965.
of Finance. He married the same year, a music-hall singer, Claude Raynaud; they divorced in 1957.
In 1934, he was sent to Ankara
to help the government of Turkey
to reorganize the finances of Turkey, and he was appointed Financial Attaché in Moscow
in 1936, before taking up positions in the Department of Commerce.
, he was financial advisor of the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C.
Opposed to the Vichy regime, he resigned in 1941, and joined Charles de Gaulle
in London.
He was then appointed National Commissioner for the Economy, Finance and the Colonies and Director of Economic Affairs of the French Committee of National Liberation
(CFLN), first in London and then in Algiers, and became a close advisor to De Gaulle.
At the liberation of Paris in 1944, he became Director of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As such he participated in conferences on security and reconstruction in Europe.
He was representative of France to the sixteen nation Conference in Paris, in July 1947, which developed the Marshall Plan
.
He served as ambassador of France to the United States between 1956 and 1965.
He played a leading role in the Franco-American relations.
This included explaining the war in Algeria in the context of decolonization, and with the return of De Gaulle to power in 1958, justifying the French position on NATO, which resulted in the withdrawal of France from the integrated military command of the organization in 1966.
During their stay in Washington, and his wife Nicole Alphand (ex-wife of Stephen Bunau-Varilla), whom he married in 1958, made the Embassy of France renowned for diplomatic receptions during the Kennedy administration.
Back in Paris in 1965, he became secretary general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until 1972. He then performed diplomatic missions in the Middle East and the Far East.
In 1977, he published his memoirs, Wonder of being: a journal 1939 to 1973.
He died in Paris. He is buried at Passy Cemetery
.
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, and French ambassador to the United States, from 1956 to 1965.
Life
Born into a family of diplomats, he studied law and graduated in political science. In 1930, he joined the Inspector GeneralInspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
of Finance. He married the same year, a music-hall singer, Claude Raynaud; they divorced in 1957.
In 1934, he was sent to Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
to help the government of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
to reorganize the finances of Turkey, and he was appointed Financial Attaché in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in 1936, before taking up positions in the Department of Commerce.
Economic adviser to De Gaulle
At the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was financial advisor of the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C.
Opposed to the Vichy regime, he resigned in 1941, and joined Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
in London.
He was then appointed National Commissioner for the Economy, Finance and the Colonies and Director of Economic Affairs of the French Committee of National Liberation
French Committee of National Liberation
The French Committee of National Liberation was a body formed by the French leaders Gens. Henri Giraud and Charles de Gaulle to provide united leadership, organize and coordinate the campaign to liberate France from Nazi Germany during World War II. The committee was formed on June 3, 1943 and...
(CFLN), first in London and then in Algiers, and became a close advisor to De Gaulle.
At the liberation of Paris in 1944, he became Director of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As such he participated in conferences on security and reconstruction in Europe.
He was representative of France to the sixteen nation Conference in Paris, in July 1947, which developed the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
.
Representative of France
Raised to the rank of ambassador of France in 1950, he was the French representative to NATO between 1952 and 1954, then Permanent Representative of France to the UN in 1955.He served as ambassador of France to the United States between 1956 and 1965.
He played a leading role in the Franco-American relations.
This included explaining the war in Algeria in the context of decolonization, and with the return of De Gaulle to power in 1958, justifying the French position on NATO, which resulted in the withdrawal of France from the integrated military command of the organization in 1966.
During their stay in Washington, and his wife Nicole Alphand (ex-wife of Stephen Bunau-Varilla), whom he married in 1958, made the Embassy of France renowned for diplomatic receptions during the Kennedy administration.
Back in Paris in 1965, he became secretary general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until 1972. He then performed diplomatic missions in the Middle East and the Far East.
In 1977, he published his memoirs, Wonder of being: a journal 1939 to 1973.
He died in Paris. He is buried at Passy Cemetery
Passy Cemetery
The Passy Cemetery is a famous cemetery located at 2, rue du Commandant Schlœsing in Passy, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France.-History:...
.
Works
- L'Étonnement d'être, journal 1939-1973, Fayard, 1977.
- Le Partage de la dette ottomane et son règlement, Preface Anatole de MonzieAnatole de MonzieAnatole de Monzie was a French administrator, encyclopaedist , political figure and scholar. His father was a tax collector in Bazas, Gironde where Anatole - a name he disliked from an early age - was born in 1876...
, Paris: Les Éditions internationales, 1928
External links
- H.E. Herve Alphand Oral History Interview - JFK #1, 10/14/1964
- http://www.mortoupasmort.com/qui/herve-alphand