Jules Cambon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 5 April 1845 Paris, France |
| Died | 19 September 1935(1935-09-19) (aged 90) Vevey, Switzerland |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Relatives | Paul Cambon (brother) |
Jules-Martin Cambon (5 April 1845 – 19 September 1935)[1] was a French diplomat and brother ofPaul Cambon. As the ambassador to Germany (1907–1914), he worked hard to secure a friendly détente. He was frustrated by French leaders such asRaymond Poincaré, who decided that Berlin was trying to weaken theTriple Entente of France, Russia and Britain and was not sincere in seeking peace. The French consensus was that war was inevitable.[2][3]
Cambon began his career as alawyer in (1866), served in theFranco-Prussian War and entered the civil service in 1871. He was prefect of the department ofNord (1882) and of theRhône (1887–1891), and in 1891 becamegovernor-general ofAlgeria, where he had served in a minor position in 1874.[4]
Cambon was nominated French ambassador atWashington, DC, in 1897 and in that capacity negotiated the preliminaries of peace on behalf of the Spanish government after the war against the United States. He was serving as theFrench ambassador to the United States during theWar of 1898. He was an active participant in the peace negotiations between Spain and the United States and a contributor to the final agreement, theTreaty of Paris of 1898. His role in those negotiations helped Spain and France to develop a strong political partnership.[5]
Cambon was transferred in 1902 as ambassador to Spain and in 1907 to Germany, where he served until the outbreak ofWorld War I in 1914, and then as the head of the political section of theFrench Foreign Ministry during the war. Cambon believed in theEntente Cordiale with Britain and worked to reinforce and strengthen diplomatic ties with France's main ally. Secret negotiations led to the settlement ofPalestine after the Allied victory over theOttoman Empire. Cambon acted as adviser to French Prime MinisterAlexandre Ribot as the war draw to a close.
Secrecy surrounded the issue of aSykes–Picot Agreement, known for many months only to Paris and London. Cambon assisted in the Triple Entente of an Arab–Zionist–Armenian alliance after the fall of the Sultanate had given way to the military regime of theYoung Turks. His department shared military and other intelligence with theBritish Foreign Office in pursuit of the defeat of theCentral Powers,Tsarism andBolshevism.[6][7]
In 1928, he published what became a classic study of diplomacy,Le Diplomate, which was translated into English, Spanish, German, and Russian, and in it, he wrote, "What really distinguishes the diplomatist from the common herd is his apparent indifference to emotions; he is compelled to carry professional reserve to lengths which seem incomprehensible".[8]
His brother,Paul, was also a notable French diplomat.
