Pierre Boisson
Pierre Boisson | |
|---|---|
| High-Commissioner for French Africa Governor-General of French West Africa | |
| In office 25 June 1940 – 13 July 1943 | |
| Preceded by | Léon Cayla |
| Succeeded by | Pierre Cournarie |
| Governor-General of French Equatorial Africa | |
| In office 3 September 1939 – 28 August 1940 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph-François Reste |
| Succeeded by | Félix Éboué |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 June 1894 Saint-Launeuc, Cotes du Nord, France |
| Died | 20 July 1948 (aged 54) Chatou, Ile-de-France, France |
Pierre François Boisson (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ fʁɑ̃swa bwasɔ̃]; 19 June 1894 – 20 July 1948) was a senior French civil servant, colonial administrator, and the Governor General of French Equatorial Africa (AEF) and French West Africa (AOF). His diplomatic career included two terms where he reigned as Governor-General of the AOF and one term as Governor-General of the AEF. During his second reign over these territories, he is remembered for assuming the role of High Commissioner to Vichy France. His diplomatic actions were met with strong condemnation from the French Resistance. These attitudes significantly aroused negative French public sentiment after the war until his death. As such, Boisson's legacy is significantly tainted by his decision to surrender French colonial control to Vichy administrative forces.