France

Ingrid Gilcher-Holtey

pp. 111-124

in: Martin Klimke, Joachim Scharloth (eds), 1968 in Europe, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008

Abstract

The May movement in France did not start until international developments had reached their peak. Within a few weeks, however, it caught up with other movements in terms of mobilization and then surpassed the German and American protest movements in its political explosiveness. What began as a revolt by a small minority of students in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre quickly developed into a general strike that paralyzed the entire country. It also caused a political crisis that threatened to topple the Gaullist System. How could this happen?