Jacques Duclos for many years stood at the helm of the communist movement of France. He was involved in the First World War, he was persecuted by the authorities. The influence of Duclos on the communist movement was enormous. The authority of an experienced communist extended beyond his homeland.
From the biography of Jacques Duclos
The future leader of the French Communists was born on October 2, 1896 in the provincial city of Lue. Duclos lived more than modestly. Jacques father was a carpenter, mother - a seamstress. At the age of 12, the boy entered as a pupil to the baker. Jacques dreamed of breaking free from the shackles of a quiet and dull provincial life, to get a good education. But the imperialist war intervened in the plans of the young man.
In 1915, Duclos was drafted into the army. He happened to fight on the most dangerous section of the front - near Verdun, where the most bloody battle of the First World War took place. Jacques was seriously injured and spent some time in captivity.
Young communist
In 1918, a bloody war ended. Duclos returned to his homeland. In 1920, Jacques joined the Communist Party of France. Gradually, this political union became a powerful force. The influence of the party extended to ordinary people and to veterans of the past war. A year later, Duclos became the secretary of one of the Paris party sections. His duties included work in the Republican Association of Veterans.
Useful to Jacques and the skills acquired in childhood: until 1924 he had to combine party activities with the work of a pastry chef.
In 1926, Duclos became a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. In the same period, he joined the French Parliament. The bourgeois government of the country was mortally afraid of the Communists and sought to prevent the leftist forces from coming to power.
Duclos was at the forefront of the struggle against imperialism. He vehemently opposed anti-people policies of the authorities. Duclos represented the interests of his party in the Comintern, personally knew many leaders of the Soviet state. In 1928, the Communist leader was threatened with imprisonment for anti-war statements, so Duclos was hiding from persecution.
Party leader
As one of the leaders of the Communist Party, Duclos was engaged in journalism and literary work. A number of his bold articles are published in the newspaper "Humanite". Until a certain time, Jacques was an implacable supporter of a fierce class struggle, which did not allow compromises. After 1934, Duclos' position became softer: he urged his comrades-in-arms to get closer to related parties, among whom were those who sympathized with the communist idea.
Duclos possessed the qualities of a born speaker; therefore, he was responsible for propaganda in the party. In 1936, Jacques became vice-chairman of the National Assembly of the country, which expanded the possibilities of the Communists.
During the Spanish Civil War, Duclos provided all kinds of support to the Spanish Communists. During the war against fascism, the French Communists actively worked in the Resistance. At the end of World War II, Duclos agreed with General de Gaulle on the participation of the Communists in the leadership of the republic.
