Biography

Pierre Cot was born on November 20, 1895 in Grenoble, Isère, France. He was married to Louisa Phelps. He died on August 21, 1977 in Coise-Saint-Jean-Pied-Gauthier, Savoie, France.

First minister of Air in the French government (1933), he helped found Air France and he structured the French Air Force. He was thus minister of Air or of other departments in successive governments till 1938.He was in favor of helping the Spanish republicans during their civil war and against the Munich Agreement of 1938. After the 1940 defeat, he had discussions with Charles de Gaulle in London but went instead to the United States where he met with Franklin D. Roosevelt. He became university professor and member of 'France Forever'.

He was member of the Free French Consultative assembly in Algiers and later member of the one in Paris after Liberation in November 1944. He was elected to the Assemblée nationale from 1945 to 1958. He was university professor from 1960 at the 'École pratique des hautes études' and he wrote many books.