The following are articles about the topic of
France during World War II: •
Maginot Line and
Alpine Line of fortifications and defences along the borders with Germany and Italy •
French declaration of war on Germany—17:00 on 3 September 1939. •
Phoney War, or
drôle de guerre ("strange war"), the name given to the period of time in Western Europe from September 1939 to April 1940 when, after the blitzkrieg attack on Poland in September 1939, there was almost no fighting, and no bombs were dropped. •
Maxime Weygand, commander-in-chief; little military activity between the defeat of Poland in October 1939 and April 1940. •
Anglo-French Supreme War Council set up to organize a joint strategy against Germany. • The
Battle of France in May and June 1940, in which the German victory led to the fall of the
French Third Republic.
Vichy France •
Vichy France, the German client state established in June 1940 under in the non-occupied
Zone libre, officially neutral and independent until invaded by the Axis in November 1942. • Marshal
Philippe Pétain, Vichy's main leader •
Pierre Laval, head of government 1942–1944 •
Vichy French Army •
Vichy French Navy •
Vichy French Air Force •
Milice •
Franc-Garde •
Groupe mobile de réserve •
Guard (Vichy France) •
Scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon. •
Service du travail obligatoire - the provision of French citizens as forced labour in Germany. • Axis occupation of France: •
German occupation of France during World War II - 1940–1944 in the northern zones, and 1942–1944 in the southern zone. •
The Holocaust in France. •
Italian occupation of France during World War II - limited to border areas 1940–1942, almost all
Rhône left-bank territory 1942-1943. == Free France ==