In France, an arrangement was made whereby France was allowed to function under its own self-government known as Vichy France (much like imperial indirect rule). In France, an arrangement was made whereby France was allowed to function under its own self-government known as Vichy France (much like imperial indirect rule). Led by World War One leader, Pétain led Vichy France, collaboration and cooperating with the Germans in exchange for not to be further invaded or divided. Under his rule, the French slogan “liberty, fraternity, equality” became “country, family, work.”

Figure 6: A Map of Occupied France

Almost as many French worked in ‘defending law and order’ and putting down the resistance as those who worked for the resistance. Many wanted to avoid the revolution associated with the resistance. French police were often more brutal than the Germans.

Many believed that the Vichy government functioned to shield the French people from the cruelties of Nazi demands while secretly cooperating with and waiting for the Allied invasion. This myth existed until the 1980s. However, historians have noted that no more than 5-15% of the population actively resisted (depending on how resistance was defined-between passive resistance to actual fighting). Even more damning was the idea that many French welcomed German rule with the idea that German/Pétain rule was better than the rule of socialist Leon Blum. Additionally, German-Vichy rule allowed many to practice anti-Semitism that long plagued France. French police helped the Germans roundup 3,600 Polish Jews in May 1941 and in June 1942; French police seized 13,000 Jews sending them to the camps east. Finally, reflecting the era of the Great Depression, German-Vichy rule allowed many worked to better their social-economy position through joining the Vichy militia and working for the Germans. French Vichy colonial governments actively worked to find and hunt down the few Jewish people in their territory (including in Vietnam). The French government went after undesirables and shipped them back to Germany. Finally, many traditionalists, anti-communists and nationalists welcomed Nazi rule as a return to the the past or a way for needed rejuvenation.

In response the Vichy government and occupied France needed to produce stuff for the Germans and were under more demands than any other country in Europe showing that the shield did not protect the population of France. In addition to providing one million (mostly forced) laborers to staff German factors (where they were often bombed), French production included bauxite, 85% of French automobiles, and agricultural goods. The Germans paid for this by using the money received from the ‘occupation tax’ that they demanded. The Vichy regime failed to get any special treatment from the Germans.

Paris was the center of German rule. It was reckoned that there were 40,000 Germans in Paris in 1940 and 15,000 in 1943, although the number dropped as many went to the Eastern front, and possessed much more of a German presence than other areas in France. Hitler set the tone of such visits when on 23 June 1940 Hitler spent 2.5 hours in Paris, including having a picture of the German High Command in front of the Eiffel Tour. For the most part, Germans were clustered around ports, railways and main roads. At the same time, the resistance was centered in the countryside, in the hills and outside of the major cities.

German rule contained the seeds of resistance. Punishment was death and death of the surrounding community. Jews, political refugees or young men who might be sent for labor service in Germany quickly learned that the best way of avoiding the Germans was simply to climb. Up to 50% of men drafted for labor in Germany refuse to go and fled to the mountains or rural areas where they were sheltered and protected by farmers in exchange for their needed labor. As domestic conditions worsened between 1942 and 1944 anger against the Nazis and Vichy increased. 62% of household budget for food led to rationing and to malnutrition, lessening any French support for the Germans. Survival and to some degree resistance included dealing with the growing black market economy existed with the sheer amount of regulations that existed.

The turning of the war and Nazi loses also encouraged high-ranking French to support the allies. Public servants continued to obey the state and many did not want to return to war. Massive concern by Vichy over public opinion; declining support especially because failure to get back French POWs. People began assassinating Nazis and when the Allies invaded on June 6, 1944, the support and participation in the Resistance movement skyrocketed.

Life in Germany

In Germany itself, few groups remained to oppose Hitler. Communists were executed and political opponents were imprisoned for forced into exile. The army attempted a number of coups including one led by German Colonel von Stauffenberg, fictionalized in the movie Operation Valkyrie. This failed coup led to a massive crackdown by Hitler on the German officer corps and about 5,000 Germans in positions of authority were put to death. Many of their executions were recorded and replayed for Hitler.

People drank imitation coffee made out of barely, witnessed a 50% decrease in their tobacco, and saw the severe rationing of goods such as bread, flour, meat, cheese and sugar. Clothes became increasingly scarce and new consumer products harder to obtain. By the end of the war, starvation had begun to set in. People ate horse-meat or whatever they could find to survive. Crime flourished from 1943 onward. Rationing created a thriving black market, increased forgery and their rationed provisions. Drug dealers and draft dodgers pushed the rates of criminal activity to new levels.

The Allied bombing campaign worked to disrupt the German economy, increase homelessness and cause people to question the overall war effort. Despite promises by Goering that no bombs would fall on Berlin, attacks on factories making war-related products and the cities throughout Germany showed this to be a lie. By the spring of 1944, the German press continued to assure the public about its victories but people were increasingly skeptical and tired of war–surrender was acceptable as long as it brought about the end of the war.