Ludovic-Oscar Frossard (5 March 1889 – 11 February 1946), also known as L.-O. Frossard or Oscar Frossard, was a French socialist and communist politician. He was a founding member in 1905 and Secretary-General of the French Socialist Party (SFIO) from 1918 to 1920, as well as a founding member and Secretary-General of the French Communist Party (PCF) from 1920 to 1922. On 1 January 1923 Frossard resigned his positions and left the Communist movement over political differences. Frossard briefly attempted to establish an independent Communist political organization before returning to the ranks of the SFIO, gaining election to parliament under that party's banner in 1928, 1932, and 1936. From 1935 until 1940 Frossard held a series of ministerial positions in successive governments of Pierre Laval, Albert Sarraut, Camille Chautemps, Léon Blum, Édouard Daladier, Paul Reynaud, and the first government of Philippe Pétain. Following the armistice between France and Nazi Germany, Frossard declined to participate in the Vichy French government headed by Pétain, but continued to work as a journalist. His position led to his investigation, trial, and acquittal over accusations of collaborationism following the fall of the Pétain regime. Early years He was born 5 March 1889 in Foussemagne, Territoire de Belfort, France. His father was a saddlemaker who was dedicated to his son's education and success in life. Following completion of his schooling, Frossard became a schoolteacher, also working as a journalist. He also became involve in Socialist politics, joining the Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière (SFIO), at the time of its formation in 1905. Early political career During World War I, Frossard supported the pacifist minority faction of the SFIO. As the bloody conflict ground on without remit, Frossard's antiwar perspective became the majority view in the SFIO, leading to his election as Secretary-General of the party in 1918. He would remain in that capacity until the SFIO split into socialist and communist wings at the December 1920 Congress at Tours. In the summer of 1920 Frossard travelled to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic along with his party comrade, Marcel Cachin; the two participated in the 2nd World Congress of the Communist International. Frossard was active upon his return to France in advocating for the affiliation of the SFIO to the Comintern, and he departed with the left wing at the Tours Congress to form the Communist Party of France (PCF); he was its Secretary-General. Frossard was