Occupation of France

Occupation of France
Conflict	Occupation of France
Partof	World War II
Date	1940–1944
Place	France
Result	Allied liberation, establishment of the Provisional Government of the French Republic

Occupation of France. The military defeat of France by Nazi Germany in June 1940 led to a period of foreign domination that fractured the nation. The subsequent occupation, lasting until the Liberation of Paris in 1944, was characterized by the establishment of the collaborationist Vichy regime, severe German exploitation, and the growth of the French Resistance. This period profoundly reshaped French society, its political institutions, and its post-war reckoning with collaboration.

Background and outbreak of war

The swift success of the German Army during the Battle of France in May-June 1940 resulted in a catastrophic defeat for the French Army. Following the Dunkirk evacuation of British and Allied forces, German troops advanced rapidly towards Paris. The French government, led by Paul Reynaud, collapsed and was replaced by a cabinet under Philippe Pétain, who immediately sought an armistice. The Armistice of 22 June 1940 was signed in the Compiègne Forest, at the same location as the 1918 Armistice of 11 November 1918, forcing France to accept German military occupation of its northern and western coasts.

Establishment of the Vichy regime

The terms of the armistice divided France into occupied and unoccupied zones, with the latter governed from the spa town of Vichy. The French National Assembly, meeting in Vichy, voted full powers to Philippe Pétain, effectively ending the French Third Republic. Pétain established an authoritarian state known as the French State, with its ideology of “National Revolution” centered on Travail, Famille, Patrie. Key figures like Pierre Laval and François Darlan directed a policy of state collaboration with Nazi Germany, aiming to secure a place for France in Adolf Hitler's New Order.

German military administration and occupation zones

Northern France, including Paris and the entire Atlantic coastline, was under direct German military administration headquartered at the Hotel Majestic in Paris. The northeastern regions of Alsace and Lorraine were annexed de facto to the German Reich. A heavily fortified Zone interdite restricted movement, while a narrow “free zone” was governed from Vichy until its invasion in November 1942 during Case Anton. Following the Allied invasion of North Africa, German and Italian forces occupied all of mainland France, with Italy controlling areas southeast of the Rhône.

Life in occupied France

Daily life was marked by severe shortages, controlled by a stringent rationing system administered through ration cards. The German authorities imposed massive financial levies, such as the Occupation costs, and systematically requisitioned food, raw materials, and industrial output for the German war effort. A strict curfew was enforced, and censorship controlled all media, including newspapers like *Le Matin*. The persecution of Jews intensified with ordinances like the Jewish statute and the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup of July 1942, overseen by the Vichy police.

Resistance and collaboration

Opposition to the occupation coalesced into the French Resistance, comprising diverse groups like the Francs-Tireurs et Partisans, Combat, and the Maquis. External direction came from Charles de Gaulle's Free France headquarters in London and its intelligence service, the Bureau Central de Renseignement et d'Action. Simultaneously, active collaboration flourished through political parties like the French Popular Party, paramilitary forces such as the Milice française, and intellectual circles. The LVF even fought on the Eastern Front alongside the Wehrmacht.

Liberation and aftermath

The liberation began with the Normandy landings in June 1944 and the subsequent Operation Dragoon in southern France. Key battles included the Battle for Caen and the Liberation of Paris led by the French 2nd Armored Division and supported by an uprising by the French Forces of the Interior. The Provisional Government of the French Republic, led by Charles de Gaulle, was established. The aftermath featured the Épuration légale (legal purge), including the trials of figures like Pierre Laval and the execution of Milice leader Joseph Darnand. The occupation's legacy deeply influenced the founding of the French Fourth Republic and national memory.

Category:World War II Category:History of France