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What were the main developments in Vichy France during the period, 1940-1944?
France declared war on Germany on 3 September, 1939. The Germans launched their blitzkrieg attack on Western
Europe on 10 May, 1940. The French Army collapsed after the Germans overcame the defences of the Maginot
Line. The French government signed the armistice and surrendered on 22 June 1940. France: divided into
occupied and unoccupied zones. Germany occupied all the north and west of France. Rest of the country
administered by Marshal Phillippe Pétain as Chief of State and Pierre Laval as head of government from their
capital at Vichy. Pétain blamed France’s defeat on the weakness of the Third Republic during the 1930s. Other
members of the Vichy administration such Josef Darnand were strongly supportive of Nazi policies, particularly
their anti-Semitism. The Vichy government thought that collaboration with Nazi Germany was the best longterm strategy for protecting France’s position in the new Europe which they thought would be dominated by
Hitler’s Thousand Year Reich. Since 1945, the phrase ‘les années noires’ (‘the black years’) has been used to
describe the years of Vichy rule.
Racist laws created by Pétain's government (Statut des Juifs) of October 1940. All French Jews were registered
by the French police. All foreign Jews residing in France were sent to Germany. There was a curfew placed on
Jews and restricions on movement. A yellow Star of David had to be worn at all times. Jews were forbidden to
go out in public and were restricted to end carriages on trains. The Vichy government deported 76,000 Jews to
German extermination camps. During the Vel'd'Hiv raid in 1942, nearly 13,000 Jews were arrested and sent to
the concentration camps. These extra arrests were not required by the Gestapo. Source of on-going controversy in
French academic debate; fewer French Jews killed than in other countries but Vichy government was fully
complicit in Nazi atrocities. Still viewed as the most shameful episode in French history.
The Free French forces led by Charles De Gaulle
were the main political group to oppose Vichy. De Gaulle
based HQ in London and Algiers. Civil war between the French Resistance and French pro-Nazi groups. Pétain
and Laval- ‘reasons’ for state collaboration: - hoped for the return of over 1.5 million prisoners of war- less
money to be paid for France’s ‘war indemnity’- hoped that the ‘guarantee of sovereignty’ would be observed by
Germany- full co-operation’ already agreed under Article 3 of Armistice Convention- German authorities had a
veto on any Vichy law or policy- Vichy officials tried to win favour with Germany by applying Nazi laws (antiSemitic legislation).
Senior Nazi officials treated Vichy with disdain as a defeated and cowardly nation. Herman Göring, Hitler’s
second-in-command, saw Vichy France as a huge source of raw materials, manufactured goods and labour to
be exploited for the benefit of the Third Reich. Vichy’s treatment was seen as justified after years of German
humiliation under the Treaty of Versailles. Josef Goebbels, Minister for Propanganda, took advantage of the
situation; systematic humiliation was a warning to all occupied countries. To the German military, Vichy’s
collaboration meant that France was now out of the war and required less Nazi resources to administer. N.B.
Contrary to the claims of its authorities, Nazi Germany did not view Vichy as an ‘ally’ or even as an independent
fascist state.
Private companies forced to work for the Nazis, especially in the coal and steel, aircraft and motor vehicle
industries. In many cases, these companies had no alternative- produce for Germany or be taken over.
However, many companies and individuals were more than willing to work for the Germans for profit. From
1941, photographic company Photomaton produced identity photos for Jews in German camps. Collaboration seen
in the French aircraft industry in particular. Supply of foreign labour became a huge concern for Nazi Germany
by 1942 (labourers from Poland and Russia had been decimated). Fritz Sauckel in charge of ‘recruiting’ new
labour but all his schemes to recruit the required number failed. February 1943: Vichy ‘introduced’ a compulsory
labour service, le Service du travail obligatoire (STO). By 1945, over 700,000 French people had been sent to
labour camps in Germany. France was the second-largest contributor of unskilled labour after Poland. 40% of
the wealth Nazi Germany acquired from occupied territories came from France.
The Vichy government supported German military operations, mainly in the form of supply lines, naval
operations and logistical support (as in 1941 in Syria and Tunisia). Up to 1942, Hitler and his generals kept
French military involvement to a minimum. For example, Vichy officials wanted to form a ‘Légion’ in November
1942 to fight in Tunisia. This offer was refused as the Nazis did not see Vichy France as an ‘ally.’ By 1943,
Germany’s multi-front war meant that they were willing to accept French help. In 1943, Frenchmen (previously
seen as too ‘impure’ to be accepted) could join the Waffen-SS. The same year, Laval was finally granted
permission to create the Milice (militia), headed by Joseph Darnand. This group fought with the Nazis against the
Resistance. Military collaboration also occurred in Occupied France with the Légion des volontaires français
contre le bolchevisme (LVF), a 10,000-volunteer unit that fought in Wehrmacht uniforms against the USSR.
In contrast to the actions of the Vichy government, the Resistance comprised of small local groups who opposed
the Nazis- initially, no real nationwide structure- small-scale disruption of Vichy and Nazi forces. Supported by
the Special Operations Executive (GB) in the form of dynamite, arms and supplies. Nicknamed the Maquis
(after the Breton word for scrubland)- various activities inc. guerrilla warfare, helping Allied forces in behindthe-lines actions and propaganda (newspapers, etc). Greater organisation after the creation of the Conseil
National de la Résistance (CNR) in May 1943 by Jean Moulin. CNR linked up with De Gaulle’s Free French
units and their controlling body, Comité Français de Libération Nationale (CFLN). Huge role in D-Day
invasions including intelligence, scouting and sabotage of German forces, especially communications and
transport (roads, rail lines and bridges).
Not all occupied countries were as willing to co-operate as Vichy France. In the Netherlands, the Dutch civil
service did not give Nazi forces any assistance other than ‘essential services.’
There were many forms of zealous French complicity:
 suppression of the Resistance by French police and the Milice
 deportation of over 70,000 Jews
 forced labour of 700,000 French people working in Germany
 trials and imprisonment of 135,000 French people
 internment of 70,000 `enemies of the state'
Following the D-Day invasion of France in 1944, Pétain, Laval and other Vichy ministers were smuggled to
Germany and established a government-in-exile at Sigmaringen until April 1945. After Germany’s defeat,
members of the Vichy government were arrested and charged with high treason. Trials and convictions followed
with some ministers, including Laval and Darnand, being executed. Pétain was sentenced to death but, due to his
record as a World War I hero, he received life imprisonment. Today, the ‘official’ view of the Vichy regime is that
it was never more than ‘an illegal government’ which was separate from the Third Republic (i.e. they were
traitors who collaborated with foreign invaders).