Élie Joseph Bois (1878–1941) was a French journalist who was editor of the newspaper ''

Le Petit Parisien ''Le Petit Parisien'' () was a prominent France, French newspaper during the Third French Republic, Third Republic. It was published between 1876 and 1944, and its circulation was over two million after the First World War. Publishing Despite its ...

'' for 25 years.Mary Lynn Stewart, ''Gender, Generation, and Journalism in France, 1910–1940'' (Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2018), p. 79.'M. Elie Bois', ''The Times'' (29 April 1941), p. 7. Bois's speciality was international relations and he attended the League of Nations Assembly in Geneva each September. He supported the policy of

Aristide Briand Aristide Pierre Henri Briand (; 28 March 18627 March 1932) was a French statesman who served eleven terms as Prime Minister of France during the French Third Republic. He is mainly remembered for his focus on international issues and reconciliat ...

to maintain peace and was among the earliest to recognise the danger of

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

. His opposition to German propaganda caused conflict with his directors, who favoured collaboration. During the

Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...

in 1940, Bois was asked by ''Le Petit Parisiens management to publish a statement proclaiming that as editor he had followed a personal policy, which he refused. He subsequently ceased to be the paper's editor. During the French collapse in June 1940, Bois sought refuge in Britain, where he worked for the

Free France Free France () was a resistance government claiming to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third French Republic, Third Republic during World War II. Led by General , Free France was established as a gover ...

movement. He authored ''Truth on the Tragedy of France'', which analysed France's defeat.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bois, Élie 1878 births 1941 deaths 20th-century French journalists