Collaborators in World War 2 France

Jim DelaneyDr. Sperry

21 January 2009

Background In 1940, living in German occupied

France, the citizen had to decide if they wanted to resist the Nazis, work with them, or be neutral. The citizens who decide to work with the Nazis became known as ‘collaborators’. Though these collaborators may not have had a drastic effect on any life or the war, they were all seen as traitors.

Vichy Government June 1940- August 1944 1

Began after Henri-Philippe Petain negotiated with Nazis 2

Puppet government3

2

Milice Arose from the Legion Francaise des

Combattants (1940) 4

Officially started in 1943 5

Leader: Joeseph Darnad• Officer in Waffen SS 6

7

Milice 2 Three Main Duties

Vigilance Propaganda Security 4

Branch Franc Garde 4

7

Citizen Collaborators Worked with Nazis for many reasons

• Out of fear• For money • Shared same beliefs 8

Many different types of collaboration 8

9

French Resistance Regular citizen Covertly attack Nazis 10

• Hit and runs• Blocked roads• Captured military personal 11

12

Treatment of Collaborators After the War

Trial and Punishment of Collaborators on mass scale 13

Collaborators met many fates 14 • Shaved heads• Firing squad

15

Conclusion The French collaborators of World

War 2 ranged from Military personnel, to politicians, or simple citizens. Their degree of collaboration also varied. This, however, did not matter, they were all seen as traitors in the eyes of the French civilians. And after the war, the civilians had their revenge.

Works Cited1. “Vichy France. “ Spartacus Educational. Web. 11 Jan. 2010.

<http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWvichy.htm>2. “Vichy France” Answers.com. Web. 19 Jan. 2010.

<http://www.answers.com/topic/vichy-france>3. “The Vichy Regime.” Jewish Virtual Library. 2010. Web. 12 Jan. 2010.

<http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/VichyRegime.html>

4. “Foreign Volunteers.” Axis History Factbook. 2007. Web. 13 Jan. 2010. <http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=7264>

5. “Milice.” Spartacus Educational. Web. 10 Jan. 2010. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FRmilice.htm>

6. Poznanski, Renee. “The Paramilitary Police State.” Jews in France during World War 2. Brandeis Press, 2001. Google Books. Web. 10 Jan.

2010.7. “World War 2 France Milice.” Wikimedia.com. 2009. Web. 18 Jan. 2010.

<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:World_War_II_France_Milice>

8. Dowswell, Paul. Second World War. Ed. Jane Chisholm. London: Usborne, 2005. Print.

Works Cited 29. “Collaboration.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 2009. Web.

12 Jan. 2010. <http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=1000 5466>

10. Conot, Robert.“The French Resistance.” ScrapbookPages.com. Web. 18 Jan. 2010. <http://www.scrapbookpages.com/oradour-sur-glane/Story/FrenchResistance.html>

11. “French Resistance.” Paralumun.com. Web. 15 Jan. 2010. <http://www.paralumun.com/warfrenchresistance.htm>

12. “The French Resistance.” History Learning. 2009. Web. 19 Jan. 2010. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/french_resistance.htm>

13. “WW2 French Resistance.” VisualCollector.com. 2001. Web. 18 Jan. 2010. <http://www.visualcollector.com/FFI/>

14. “Pursuit of Nazi Collaborators- France.” Global Oneness. Web. 18 Jan. 2010. <http://www.experiencefestival.com/pursuit_of_nazi_collaborators

_-_france>15. World War Two Forums. 2006. Web. 12 Jan. 2010.

<http://worldwartwozone.com/forums/european-war-september-1-1939/574-collaborators-in-france-and-belgium.html>