Microcosm of the French images of the USA: American visit of the marshal F. Foch in 1921

The article analyses an important event in the Franco-American relations of the post-WWI period, namely, the visit to the USA paid by Marshal F. Foch in October - December 1921. This is the first research on this topic in Russian historiography. The author explores the American voyage of Foch through several interconnected problems: 1) what was the French elites’ image of the USA; 2) how did this image influence the Paris diplomacy; 3) what efforts did the French make to ameliorate the image of the Third Republic in the USA? The parallel preparation and the beginning of the Washington conference of 1921-1922 amplified the importance of the visit. The centenary of the conference stimulates interest in its under-researched aspects. Author concludes that Foch’s American voyage throws the light on the different areas of the relations between France and the USA. On the one hand, the cordial atmosphere of the visit and its resonance testified the vivacity of the memory about the Franco-US allied cooperation during the WWI and its positive impact on the French image. On the other hand, the warm reception of Foch in the USA did not serve to benefit the French diplomacy during the Washington conference.