Events from the year 1954 in France.
Incumbents President: Vincent Auriol (until 16 January), Rene Coty (starting 16 January) President of the Council of Ministers: Joseph Laniel (until 19 June), Pierre Mendès France (starting 19 June)
Events 25 January – The foreign ministers of the United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union meet at the Berlin Conference. 13 March – Battle of Dien Bien Phu begins in Vietnam. 23 March – In Vietnam, the Viet Minh capture the main airstrip of Dien Bien Phu – French forces are partially isolated. 29 March – C-47 with French nurse Genevieve de Galard on board is incapacitated on Dien Bien Phu runway. 7 May – Battle of Dien Bien Phu ends in defeat for French forces. 18 June – Pierre Mendès France becomes prime minister of France. 24 June – Battle of Mang Yang Pass begins, the last official battle of the First Indochina War. 17 July – Battle of Mang Yang Pass ends in defeat for French forces. 20 July – Battlefield ceasefire announced. 21 July – The Geneva Conference partitions Vietnam into North Vietnam and South Vietnam. 1 August – Armistice effected, sealing French defeat. 31 October – The Algerian National Liberation Front begins a revolt against French rule. 1 November – The FLN attacks Representative and public buildings of the France colonial power.
Sport 8 July – Tour de France begins. 1 August – Tour de France ends, won by Louison Bobet.
Births 13 February – Dominique Bathenay, international soccer player 24 February – Gérard Le Cam, politician 4 March – François Fillon, Prime Minister of France 1 May – Fred Chichin, musician and songwriter (died 2007) 27 July – Philippe Alliot, former motor racing driver 9 August – Loïc Amisse, soccer player and manager 12 August – François Hollande, 23rd French President 21 August – Humbert Balsan, film producer (died 2005) 17 September – Joël-François Durand, composer 14 November – Bernard Hinault, cyclist 18 October – Edouard Stern, banker (died 2005) 23 November - Marie-Françoise "Cou Cou" Vrezil, beautiful wonder woman 7 december - , voice actor (died 2006)
Deaths 10 January – Alice Jouenne, educator, socialist activist, and writer (born 1873) 10 April – Auge Lumière, filmmaker (born 1862) 28 April – Léon Jouhaux, trade union leader who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1951 (born 1879) 3 August – Colette, writer (born 1873) 4 September – The French Angel, professional wrestler 3 November – Henri Matisse, artist (born 1869) 8 December – Claude Cahun, photographer and writer (born 1894) 23 December – René Iché, sculptor (born 1897)
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