1940: the path of commitment

Appeal of General de Gaulle posted in the streets of London. United Kingdom, 1940 © Shoah Memorial.

When September 1, 1939 begins what will become the Second World War, France is made up not only of the metropolis but also of a huge colonial empire.

Considered as the first military power in the world, it seems to be able to stand up to Nazi Germany and its projects. The defeat of the country in June 1940, after a month of fighting, constitutes a shock of rare magnitude.

It is in this context that Marshal Pétain takes power. Few understand from the outset the nature of a regime controlled by a man who has been given full powers and intends to implement a policy breaking with the Republic and democracy. Hitler’s Germany triumphs and dominates Western Europe.

In the summer of 1940, only the United Kingdom still holds its head. The Third Reich then seems all-powerful and called to last. Those who refuse the Nazi yoke or that of his collaborators are only a handful and engage in resistance which seems vain and without end.

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