Overview of the role of France during World War II
France during World War II
3 September 1939 – 2 September 1945
President(s)
Albert Lebrun Philippe Pétain Charles de Gaulle
Prime Minister(s)
Édouard Daladier Paul Reynaud Philippe Pétain Pierre Laval Pierre-Étienne Flandin François Darlan Charles de Gaulle
Chronology
Interwar France
Trente Glorieuses
v
t
e
Free French campaigns
Africa and Middle East
Dakar
Gabon
Keren
Exporter
Kufra
Bir Hakeim
Run for Tunis
Torch
Tunisia
Europe
Eastern Front
Husky
Corsica
Monte Cassino
Glières
Ist
Mont Mouchet
Overlord
Paris
Elba
Saint-Marcel
Vercors
Dragoon
Toulon
Marseilles
Lorraine
Dompaire
Strasbourg
Nordwind
Colmar Pocket
Alps
Indian Ocean and Asia
Réunion
Crimson
Indochina
North America
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
France was one of the largest military powers to come under occupation as part of the Western Front in World War II. The Western Front was a military theatre of World War II encompassing Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale combat operations.
The first phase saw the capitulation of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France during May and June 1940 after their defeat in the Low Countries and the northern half of France, and continued into an air war between Germany and Britain that climaxed with the Battle of Britain.
After capitulation, France was governed as Vichy France headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain. From 1940 to 1942, while the Vichy regime was the nominal government of all of France except for Alsace-Lorraine, the Germans and Italians militarily occupied northern and south-eastern France. France was not liberated until 1944, when the allied invasion restored the French Government.
and 30 Related for: France during World War II information
timeline of declarations of warduringWorldWarII. A declaration of war is a formal act by which one nation goes to war against another. The declaration...
victory in the Battle of France and the liberation of the country, the Allied Forces bombed many locations in France. In all 1,570 French cities and towns were...
Technology played a significant role in WorldWarII. Some of the technologies used during the war were developed during the interwar years of the 1920s and...
war. WorldWarII was a total war; homeland military production became vital to both the Allied and Axis powers. Life on the home front duringWorld War...
This is a list of war crimes committed duringWorldWarII. The Axis powers (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan) were some of the most systematic...
Vietnam. But France took back control of the country in 1945–1946. In looking at the broad picture of Southeast Asia at the end of WorldWarII, the different...
DuringWorldWarII, the Allies committed legally proven war crimes and violations of the laws of war against either civilians or military personnel of...
The Tour de France was not held because of WorldWarII because the organisers refused German requests. Although a 1940 Tour de France had been announced...
During American involvement in WorldWarII (1941–45), propaganda was used to increase support for the war and commitment to an Allied victory. Using a...
Mexico's participation in WorldWarII had its first antecedent in the diplomatic efforts made by the government before the League of Nations as a result...
Vatican City pursued a policy of neutrality duringWorldWarII, under the leadership of Pope Pius XII. Although the city of Rome was occupied by Germany...
WorldWar I Ministry of Information for the duration of WorldWarII to generate propaganda to influence the population towards support for the war effort...
United Kingdom in WorldWarII covers the Second WorldWar against the Axis powers, starting on 3 September, 1939 with the declaration of war by the United...
DuringWorldWarII, the Spanish State under Francisco Franco espoused neutrality as its official wartime policy. This neutrality wavered at times, and...
The history of Canada duringWorldWarII begins with the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. While the Canadian Armed Forces were eventually...
In WorldWarII, many governments, organizations and individuals collaborated with the Axis powers, "out of conviction, desperation, or under coercion...
This is a list of French military equipment in the Second WorldWar. MAB Model A MAB Model D pistol Modèle 1935 pistol Star Model 14 MAS 1873 revolver...
known as the "Phoney War," Nazi Germany invaded France and occupied the city of Lille, in the Nord department of northern France, from May 31 of that...
duringWorldWarII began in 1939. Although geographically distant from the main theaters of war, Colombia played an important role in WorldWarII because...
In Poland, the resistance movement duringWorldWarII was led by the Home Army. The Polish resistance is notable among others for disrupting German supply...