World War II:France

Causes and Consequences

Before the War

After world war I, Germany and others were very unhappy with the outcome.

France and britain, noticing the increasing hostility and aggression from Germany, signed the Munich Pact giving Germany permission to invade Sudenten part of Czechoslovakia. 1938

In 1939, Germany invaded Poland, and in turn, France declared war on Germany for violation of the Treaty of Versailles and dangerous aggression.

Cost of War

World war II, referred to as the bloodiest soldier war actually took more civilian lives than ever before.

France suffered 350,000 soldier casualties and over half a million civilian lives!

Effects

During the war, France was split between the German occupied north west, and the unoccupied South.

The unoccupied region comes under rule of Marechal Petain and his Vichy based collaborationist government.

Map of France During World War II

Effects, cont’d.

Petain’s government at Vichy was not recognized by Charles de Gaulle who was ruler.

After the war, Charles de Gaulle returned to reinstate a new French Republic and rebuild the infrastructure while removing remaining Germans.

Person of ImportancePhilippe Petain

Philippe Petain, a World War I veteran, was made part of the cabinet by Prime Minister Reynaud.

When the 2nd Part of the Battle for France was lost, Petain refused to leave the country. Instead, had the congress sign an armistice with Nazi Germany, giving the Germans the north western part of France.

Petain then set up a collaborationist government in Vichy after having the Corrupt Third Republic voted out. Petain was extremely authoritative and strict.

When Charles de Gaulle came back from Britain after the war, Petain was found guilty of treason but giving life imprisonment instead of death where he became completely senile and past away.

After the War

After the war found France with high inflation scattered government and broken trade lines.

Cities and towns that had been bombed needed rebuilding and the jewish community was depleted

There was also the colonies and conquests of North Africa and Asia to contend with.

But World War II did lead to the reconstruction of a corrupt government and the right for women to vote.

Charles De Gaulle

Sources

www.worldwarhistory.info/in/france.html

En.wikipedia.org/wiki/military_history_of_france_during_World_war_II

En.wikipedia.org/wiki/philippe_petain_and_vichy_France

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