Election
Laval enters politics winning a seat in the Chamber of Deputies as member of the Socialist SFIO
Role range: 1914-1919
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Pierre Laval Biography and Timeline
Follow Pierre Laval through 63 dated historical records for France.
Pierre Laval, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
63Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1914–1942Years on this page
1914
1919
Election
Loses seat as a Socialist deputy, regarded as a defeatist during World War I
Role range: 1914-1919
1925
Minister of Public Works
Appointed Minister of Public Works
Role range: 1925-1926
1926
Election
Elected to the Senate
Role range: 1926-1930
Minister of Justice
Appointed Minister of Justice
Role range: 1926-1930
1930
Minister of Labour
Appointed Minister of Labour
Role range: 1930-1931
1931
Minister of Interior
Appointed Minister of the Interior
Role range: 1931-1932
Prime Minister of France
Appointed Prime Minister of France, 1st term
Role range: 1931-1932
1934
Referendum
Accepts Edens offer to send a force to preserve order against Nazi intimidation
Role range: 1934-1940
Foreign Secretary of France
Appointed Foreign Secretary
Role range: 1934-1940
1935
Alliance Samuel Hoare and Pierre Laval
Signed by Samuel Hoare & Pierre Laval. Parts of Abyssinia are ceded to Italy, the ensuing outcry forces Hoare to resign. A settlement between Abyssinia & Italy
Role range: 1934-1940
Visit to London
Flandin and Laval visit London. A memo is issued to negotiate with Germany over arms and League of Nations membership
Role range: 1934-1940
Pact between France and Belgium
Re-establishment of the French-Belgian military pact
Role range: 1934-1940
Re-establishment of the French-Belgian military pact
Re-establishment of the French-Belgian military pact
Role range: 1934-1940
France complains to the League of Nations about Germany's conscription and the
France complains to the League of Nations about Germany's conscription and the Luftwaffe
Role range: 1934-1940
Luftwaffe
France complains to the League of Nations about Germany's conscription and the Luftwaffe
Role range: 1934-1940
Stresa Diplomacy
League-era diplomacy struggles against German rearmament.
Role range: 1934-1936
Alliance France and Russia
Signs the Franco-Soviet pact, guaranteeing mutual assistance over 5 years
Role range: 1934-1940
French-Soviet pact, effective for five years, for mutual help in the case
French-Soviet pact, effective for five years, for mutual help in the case of an attack by an European nation
Role range: 1934-1940
Pact between France and Soviet Union
French-Soviet pact, effective for five years, for mutual help in the case of an attack by an European nation
Role range: 1934-1940
Pact between Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia
Soviet-Czechoslovakian pact, valid only if France supports both parties
Role range: 1934-1940
Political Support
Soviet-Czechoslovakian pact, valid only if France supports both parties
Role range: 1934-1940
Sanctions
France joins League sanctions while seeking compromise with Italy.
Role range: 1935-1936
Deflation to Defend Gold
Laval imposes sweeping deflationary decrees designed to reduce domestic prices and preserve the franc's gold parity without devaluation.
Role range: 1935-1936
Referendum
Says he will act against German intervention after referring to the League of Nations
Role range: 1934-1940
1940
Vice Prime Minister
Appointed Vice Prime Minister of France after the collapse of France
Vice Prime Minister
Appointed Vice Prime Minister of France after the collapse of France
Role range: 1939-1944 – 1940-1940
Collaboration
Laval meets Hitler & offers to collaborate
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1940
Invasion of France
Laval meets Hitler & offers to collaborate
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1940
Vice Prime Minister
Appointed Vice Prime Minister in the Vichy Government of Marshal Philippe Petain
Role range: 1939-1944 – 1940-1940
Vichy Government
Appointed Vice Prime Minister in the Vichy Government of Marshal Philippe Petain
Role range: 1939-1944 – 1940-1940
Vice Prime Minister
Appointed Vice Prime Minister in the Vichy Government of Marshal Philippe Petain
Vichy Government
Appointed Vice Prime Minister in the Vichy Government of Marshal Philippe Petain
Vice Prime Minister
Appointed Vice Prime Minister in the Vichy Government of Marshal Philippe Petain
Role range: 1939-1944 – 1940-1940
Vichy Government
Appointed Vice Prime Minister in the Vichy Government of Marshal Philippe Petain
Role range: 1939-1944 – 1940-1940
Arrest of Pierre Laval
Laval is dismissed and arrested, pressure from German ambassador Otto Abetz secures his release, Laval leaves for Paris and the protection of his German patron
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1940
Collaboration
Laval is dismissed and arrested, pressure from German ambassador Otto Abetz secures his release, Laval leaves for Paris and the protection of his German patron
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1940
1941
Collaboration
Laval is shot four times while reviewing the Legion des Volontaires Francais at Versailles, he survives his wounds and is returned to power in Vichy on April 18,1942
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1940
Vichy Government
Laval is shot four times while reviewing the Legion des Volontaires Francais at Versailles, he survives his wounds and is returned to power in Vichy on April 18,1942
Role range: 1939-1944 – 1940-1940
1942
Collaboration
Laval proclaims on that he," hoped for German victory because without it tomorrow Bolshevism will be everywhere". Laval goes on the radio to announce la Releve , under which the Germans agree to free one French prisoner for every three French workers who volunteer for work in Germany
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1940
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.