The French Third Republic lasted from its creation in 1870, after the defeat of the Second Empire during the Franco–Prussian War, until France’s defeat by Germany in 1940. Although it was permanently troubled by political unrest and...

There were several Third Republics in the course of history. See...

From 1871 to 1914, France experienced many social, economic, and cultural changes under the government of the Third Republic, including the modernization of its rural areas, the centralization of the state, and the emergence of a mass media culture. In addition, France's political climate was the most stable as it had ever been since 1871, and its foreign policy involved in imperial expansion in Africa and Asia. It is important to recognize that France's desire to expand overseas stemmed not only from the g