Douglas William John Johnson (1 February 1925 – 28 April 2005) was a British historian. He was Professor of Modern History at theUniversity of Birmingham from 1963 to 1968, and Professor of French History atUniversity College London from 1968 to 1990.
Johnson was born on 1 February 1925 inEdinburgh, Scotland. He attended theRoyal Grammar School inLancaster, Lancashire, England. He studied historyWorcester College, Oxford, having been awarded a scholarship. There was a break in his studies as he served in theSecond World War with theNorthamptonshire Regiment from 1943 to 1944. Having been invalided out of theBritish Army, he returned to Oxford and graduated in 1946 with asecond-class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.[1] In 1950, he married Madeleine Rébillard, with whom he had a daughter.[1]
His academic career was as a historian of France. He joined theUniversity of Birmingham as a lecturer in modern history in 1949. He was madeProfessor of Modern History in 1963, and served as Chair of the School of History between 1963 and 1968. He then moved to London, where he was Professor of French History atUniversity College London from 1968 to 1990.[2]
His books includedFrance and the Dreyfus Affair (1966),France (for the Thames & Hudson 'Nations and Peoples' series, 1969),An Idea of Europe (with Richard Hoggart, 1987) andThe Age of Illusion: art and politics in France, 1918-1940 (with his wife Madeleine, 1987). From 1983 he was General Editor of theFontana History of Modern France.
UnashamedlyFrancophile, Johnson devoted his academic career to improving relations between France and Britain. He became an advisor toMargaret Thatcher on all matters concerning France, although his own political position was always something of a mystery.
Johnson died fromoesophageal cancer at theRoyal Free Hospital in London on 28 April 2005, at the age of 80.[1]
A collection of essays in his honour was compiled by Martyn Cornick and Ceri Crossley under the titleProblems in French History and published by Palgrave in 2000.[3]
Johnson was awarded a number of honours by the French government:National Order of Merit (1980);Commandeur of theOrdre des Palmes Académiques (1987); andChevalier (1990) thenOfficier (1997) of theLegion of Honour.[2] He did not receive any honours from the British government.[1]
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