René Besnard
René Henry Besnard | |
|---|---|
| Minister of the Colonies | |
| In office 12 January 1913 – 18 January 1913 | |
| Preceded by | Albert François Lebrun |
| Succeeded by | Jean Morel |
| Minister of Labor and Social Welfare | |
| In office 21 January 1913 – 18 March 1913 | |
| Preceded by | Léon Bourgeois |
| Succeeded by | Henry Chéron |
| Minister of the Colonies | |
| In office 12 September 1917 – 16 November 1917 | |
| Preceded by | André Maginot |
| Succeeded by | Henry Simon |
| Ambassador to Italy | |
| In office 1924–1928 | |
| Preceded by | Camille Barrère |
| Succeeded by | Maurice Delarue Caron de Beaumarchais |
| Minister of War | |
| In office 21 February 1930 – 25 February 1930 | |
| Preceded by | André Maginot |
| Succeeded by | André Maginot |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 April 1879 Artannes-sur-Indre, Indre-et-Loire, France |
| Died | 12 March 1952 (aged 72) Paris, France |
René Henry Besnard (12 April 1879 – 12 March 1952) was a French politician who was a deputy for Indre-et-Loire from 1906 to 1919 and senator from 1920 to 1941. He was briefly Minister of the Colonies and then Minister of Labor and Social Welfare in 1913. He was twice Undersecretary of State for War during World War I (1914–18), and did much to reform aircraft production. He was briefly Minister of Colonies in 1917. From 1924 to 1928 Besnard was Ambassador of France to Rome. For a few days in 1930 he was Minister of War.