The Panama Canal affair remains one of the greatest financial and political scandals of the Third Republic. Between 1888 and 1893, this scandal shook the very foundations of the French Republic and nearly destroyed the career of one of its greatest statesmen: Georges Clemenceau.
💰 An unprecedented financial scandal
The Universal Company of the Interoceanic Panama Canal, led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, went bankrupt in 1889 after swallowing billions of francs. Hundreds of thousands of French savers lost everything. But the worst was yet to come: the revelation that many parliamentarians and journalists had been bribed to cover up the scandal.
⚖️ Clemenceau in turmoil
Georges Clemenceau, then a radical deputy and director of the newspaper La Justice, found himself at the heart of the storm. Accused of having received funds from the Panama Company and of being linked to the swindler Cornélius Herz, Clemenceau saw his reputation destroyed overnight.
In 1893, he lost his seat as deputy and found himself politically isolated. His political career, which seemed destined for the highest offices, came to an abrupt halt. The "Tiger" was brought down.
🔄 A desert crossing... then the triumphant return
For more than ten years, Clemenceau stayed away from active political life. He devoted himself to journalism and writing, patiently waiting for his time. But the Tiger had not said his last word.
His involvement in the Dreyfus affair and his fight for justice gradually allowed him to regain the public's trust. In 1902, he returned to the Senate. In 1906, he became Minister of the Interior, then President of the Council.
And it was ultimately he, the man the Panama scandal had tried to destroy, who led France to victory in 1918 as the "Father of Victory".
📚 To go further
The Panama Canal affair is just one episode in the tumultuous and fascinating life of Georges Clemenceau. To discover the man behind the myth, beyond the image of the "Tiger" and the "Father of Victory," we recommend "The Real Clemenceau" by Ernest Judet.
This rigorous and well-documented biography reveals the shadows, contradictions, and complexity of a man who left an indelible mark on French history.
An unvarnished portrait of a major historical figure.