Clemceau was born on september 28, 1841, at mouilleron-en-pareds, in the vendee.although educated sa a doctor, he became interestedin politics and journalism.in 1865, during the american civil war, he went to the united states, where he taught french riding in stamford, connecticut, and was a war correspondent for paris temps. in 1869 clemenceau returned to france, where he practised medicine, but he was soon involved in the events leading to the overthrow of napoleon III.
after the establishment of the third republic, clemenceau became [1871] mayor of the 18th arrondissement,the montmartre district of paris, and was then a member and later president of the municipal council. he was electedto the chamber of deputies in 1876, and quickly became a leader of the radical party. in the chamber headhered to the extreme left, constantly criticizing the goverment in power and on serval occasions precipatating the overthrow of cabinets; but he refused to accept any ministerial position himself. he favoured the separation of church and state; opposed the policy of securing colonies in asia and africa; and resisted the monarchists of all groups. clemenceau was defeated for re-election to the chamber in 1893.
During the next nine years clemenceau did not confine his activityto politics. in 1880 he had founded a newspaper, la justice, of whicw he remained editor for 20 years; and in 1897 he founded a daily paper, l'aurore [the dawn], which became a vehicle for his anticlerical campaigns. in l'aurore he was an outspoken defender of yhe army officer alfred dreyfus in his struggle against anti-semites and army bureaucrats. clemenceau olso established a weekly magazine, le bloc [1900-1902].
in 1902 he was elected to the senate, again sitting with the extreme left, although he had in fact become a moderate. in march 1906, clemenceau accepted the cabinet post of minister of the interior. in may he used military force to break a strike resulting from a mining disater in the pas-de-calais department. this incident and his defence of his action made him the leader french politcian. in october clemenceau became premier of france. his goverment was important for the close relation it established with great britian. his ministry fell in july 1909, and in 1911 clemenceau was again elected senator. from then until the startof world war I he urged french military preparedness against the growing menace from germany. both in the senate and in his latest newspaper,l'homme libre [the free man, established in 1913], he denounced germany and the ineffciency of the french army. when the newspaper was suppressed after the outbreak of war in 1914, it reappeared two days later as l'homme enchaine [the chained man].
clemenceau continued his agitation throughout the war, and in november 1917, he again became premier. at that time france was suffering under the attack of the german armies. he earned the nickname of "the tiger" by the boldness and the ruthlessness of his administration. despite opposition he made ferdinand foch marshel of france and organized the nation for an all-out victory effort. after the armistice on november 11, 1918, he presisted in his uncompromising position, holding that the germams should be renederd incapable of further warfare. together with the british prime minster liyed george and us president woodrow wilson, he participated in the post-war diplomacy that resulted in the treaty of versailles. clemenceau was intent on ensuring the security of france by imposing disarmament, military occupation, and heavy indemnities on the defeated germans. his policy and that of lioyd george is generally believed to have prevailed over the more idealistic attitude of wilson. in january 1920, his wartime ministry fell, but he continued his activities as edtior, writer, and public speaker, touring the united states in 1922. his writings include au soir de la pensee [2 vols, 1927; trans. in the evening of my thoughts, 1929] and american reconstruction, 1865-1870 [1928]. clemenceau died on november 24, 1929. his autobiography was published posthumously in 1930.