▁the ▁later ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁Al ong ▁with ▁the ▁French ▁Social ist ▁Party , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁ener get ic ▁supp orter ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁of ▁European ▁integration . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁strong ▁back er ▁of ▁NAT O ▁and ▁of ▁close ▁al liance ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁most ▁" At l antic ist " ▁of ▁French ▁political ▁parties . ▁ ▁Its ▁leaders , ▁especially ▁Georges ▁B id ault ▁and ▁Paul ▁Cost e - F lor et ▁( fore ign ▁and ▁colonial ▁minister s ▁respectively ▁in ▁several ▁French ▁coal ition ▁govern ments ) ▁were ▁primary ▁architect s ▁of ▁France ' s ▁hard - line ▁colonial ▁policies ▁that ▁cul min ated ▁in ▁long ▁ins ur gen cies ▁in ▁Vietnam ▁( 1 9 4 6 - 1 9 5 4 ) ▁and ▁Al ger ia ▁( 1 9 5 4 - 1 9 6 2 ), ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁smaller ▁ins urre ctions ▁and ▁political ▁cr ises ▁elsewhere ▁in ▁the ▁French ▁Empire . ▁The ▁MR P ▁eventually ▁divided ▁over ▁the ▁Al ger ian ▁question ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁( with ▁B id ault ▁being ▁an ▁av id ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁O AS ). ▁ ▁In ▁terms ▁of ▁vot ers , ▁ ▁many ▁on ▁its ▁left - wing ▁joined ▁the ▁Social ists ▁and ▁many ▁on ▁its ▁right ▁wing ▁left ▁for ▁the ▁Mod er ates ▁or ▁Ga ull ists . ▁ ▁After