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France: |
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Following World War I, France, like Great Britain, feared another war with Germany. As a result, they constructed the massive Maginot Line, a fortification of heavy artillery designed to repel a frontal assault by German land forces. However, due to what would prove to be misplaced confidence in the Treaty of Versailles, the French military was far behind Hitler's when he had completed German rearmament. When Hitler began to test his forces in Europe, France followed the British example of appeasement. They became increasingly involved with Great Britain, and once again became allies when Germany attacked Poland in 1939. In May 1940, Germany attacked France, bypassing the Maginot Line. Within weeks the French had been defeated, and on June 17, under the leadership of Marshal Petain, France asked for armistice with Germany. Under the armistice, northern France would fall under German control, while the rest of the country could establish a new government. Petain became the leader of this government, based out of the city of Vichy. For this reason, this government is often referred to as Vichy France. However, there was opposition to Petain's government. General Charles de Gaulle organized the French soldiers in England who had escaped Dunkerque to follow him and fight Germany and Vichy. Many agreed and he had control of a small armed force. He joined with many internal resistance movements, and moved his whole force to Algiers and set up his base of operations there. He brought local resistance movements into his movement to help him in France. Using these supporters, when the Allies liberated Paris in 1944, de Gaulle set up a provisional government, administered largely by the leaders of local resistance movements. He was largely in control of the government until 1946, when he stepped down due to a falling out with elected officials on the issue of the power of the executive branch in the new French government. |
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