Overview

In 1931 André Citroën (1878-1935), the French automobile manufacturer, sponsored an expedition that retraced the ancient Silk Road followed by Marco Polo in the thirteenth century. The goal of the expedition, led by Georges-Marie Haardt (1884-1932), was to increase international understanding through trade, science, and art.

Background

André Citroën introduced mass production to France in a munitions plant that he transformed into an automobile factory after the First World War. Citroën was as interested in marketing and adventure as he was in cars. Known as a risk taker, he sponsored three expeditions that showcased the half-track cars designed by his company for rugged cross-country travel. The first expedition, in 1922, crossed the Sahara Desert from Algeria to Sudan. The second, in 1924, was a 1,300-mi (2,092 km) trek from Algeria south to Madagascar. These expeditions demonstrated the potential of motorized travel across French Colonial...