istoryworld
Events relating to france
French economist Jean Monnet becomes the first president of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
In his first book of Structures, for two pianos, Pierre Boulez provides a classic of serial music
Le Corbusier's completes his most massive modernist development, the Unité d'Habitation at Marseilles
Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot ('En attendant Godot') is first performed in French in Paris
French composer Olivier Messiaen uses birdsong with piano and orchestra in his Waking of the Birds
French actor Jacques Tati directs and stars in the zany comedy Mr Hulot's Holiday
Cambodia wins independence from the colonial power, France
19-year-old Françoise Sagan has a major international success with her first novel, Bonjour Tristesse
In an armistice ending the Indochina War, France acknowledges the independence of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
Relations are normalized between West Germany and the USA, France and Britain, ending the postwar period of occupation
Le Corbusier completes the reinforced-concrete pilgrimage church of Notre Dame du Haut at Ronchamp
An armed uprising in Morocco persuades France to accept the principle of independence for the colony
Brigitte Bardot is directed by her husband Roger Vadim in his first film, And God Created Woman
Tunisia wins independence from France, with Habib Bourguiba as prime minister
Nasser disregards a French and British ultimatum to withdraw from the Suez canal
Under international pressure Britain and France agree to a humiliating withdrawal from Suez
French critic Roland Barthes develops in Mythologies the theory of semiotics, relating to signs and symbols
Six founding nations (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, West Germany) establish the European Economic Community (EEC)
Spanish-born Paris designer Cristóbal Balenciaga produces an ostensibly shapeless garment, the 'sack', that greatly excites the world of fashion
Christian Dior dies and is followed by Yves St Laurent as head designer at the famous fashion house
French Algerians seize government buildings in Algiers, in a campaign to ensure that Algerian remains French
Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita is published in Paris
The national assembly in Paris grants de Gaulle six months of unrestricted power as president – his condition for returning to government
On his second day in power, de Gaulle visits Algiers to confront the settlers with an unwelcome message
French citizens approve the new constitution proposed by de Gaulle, thus introducing the Fifth Republic
