Vichy France
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French State État français | |
|---|---|
| 1940–1944[1] | |
| Motto: "Travail, Famille, Patrie" ("Work, Family, Fatherland") | |
| Anthem: "La Marseillaise" (official)[2] "Maréchal, nous voilà !" (unofficial)[3] ("Marshal, here we are!") | |
Emblem of the Head of State | |
 The French State in 1942:
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 The gradual loss of all Vichy territory to Japan and Free France as well other Allied powers | |
| Status |
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| Capital | |
| Capital-in-exile | Sigmaringen, Germany |
| Common languages | French |
| Demonym | French |
| Government | Unitary Pétainist[7][8] dictatorship |
| Head of State | |
• 1940–1944 | Marshal Philippe Pétain |
| Head of Government | |
• 1940–1942 | Marshal Philippe Pétain |
• 1942–1944 | Pierre Laval |
| Vice-President of the Council of Ministers | |
• 1940 | Pierre Laval |
• 1940–1941 | P.É. Flandin |
• 1941–1942 | François Darlan |
| Legislature | National Assembly |
| Historical era | World War II |
| 22 June 1940 | |
| 10 July 1940 | |
| 8 November 1942 | |
| 11 November 1942 | |
| Summer 1944 | |
| 9 August 1944[1] | |
• Capture of the Sigmaringen enclave | 22 April 1945 |
| Currency | French franc |
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| History of France |
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| Timeline |
| Topics |
Vichy France (French: Régime de Vichy, lit. 'Vichy regime'; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), also known as the Pétainist regime[7][8] (Régime pétainiste) and Pétainist France,[9] officially the French State (État français), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of German victory in the Battle of France. It was named after its seat of government, the city of Vichy.
Officially independent, but with half of its territory occupied under the harsh terms of the 1940 armistice with Nazi Germany, it adopted a policy of collaboration. Though Paris was nominally its capital, the government established itself in Vichy in the unoccupied "free zone" (zone libre).[10] The occupation of France by Germany at first affected only the northern and western portions of the country. In November 1942, the Allies occupied French North Africa, and in response the Germans and Italians occupied the entirety of Metropolitan France, ending any pretense of independence by the Vichy government.
On 10 May 1940, France was invaded by Nazi Germany. Paul Reynaud resigned as Prime Minister rather than sign an armistice, and was replaced by Marshal Philippe Pétain. Shortly thereafter, Pétain signed the Armistice of 22 June 1940. At Vichy, Pétain established an authoritarian dictatorship that reversed many liberal policies, began tight supervision of the economy and launched an ideological campaign called Révolution nationale. Vichy France exhibited characteristics of fascism, such as political and social engineering institutions and attempts at mass mobilization,[11][12] totalitarian aspirations in control over the populace,[13] and many similar, loosely related ideologies underpinning the government.[14][15] However, various historians have rejected its definition as fascist and called it authoritarian conservative instead.[16] The state and tightly controlled media promoted antisemitism and racism, Anglophobia, and, after Operation Barbarossa started in June 1941, anti-Sovietism. The terms of the armistice allowed some degree of independence; France was officially declared a neutral country, and the Vichy government kept the French Navy and French colonial empire under French control, avoiding full occupation of the country by Germany. Despite heavy pressure, the Vichy government never joined the