In the 1930's, France was a country of divided democracy. With Socialists and Radicals clashing ideas and butting heads, France was seen at a disadvantage if war was to break out. With Fascist Italy on one frontier and Hitler's Germany on the other, the French were at a disadvantage. Although the French had many reasons to fear Hitler's success in Germany, some, in the early 1930's were still pulling towards budget cuts to the military. In January of 1933, Vincent Auriol, who was offered control of the Ministry of the Budget, demanded that there should be more reductions in military expenditure. This never occurred however because Edouard Daladier, the Radical Premier-designate, realized that his party would not accept this and refused.1

By March of 1933, The French were even more nervous about war. In Paris, on March 5, 1933 the French people learned about Hitler's victory. "Frenchmen eagerly snatched the special editions...