Vichy France facts for kids

Vichy France was a government set up in southern France during World War II. This happened in 1940, after Germany had taken over much of France.

The government was led by Philippe Pétain. He was a famous general who helped France win World War I. Vichy France was like a "puppet state" of Germany. This means it was officially in charge, but Germany really controlled it.

The Vichy government controlled the southern part of France. The German army directly controlled the northern part. In 1944, as the war was ending, the Vichy government moved to Nazi Germany. It was later officially ended.

Images for kids

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  French prisoners of war are marched off under German guard, 1940

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  Pierre Laval and Philippe Pétain in Frank Capra documentary film Divide and Conquer (1943)

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  Pierre Laval with the head of German police units in France, SS-Gruppenführer Carl Oberg

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  1943 1 Franc coin. Front: "French State". Back: "Work Family Homeland".

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  Memorial to the 1,297 French seamen who died during the British bombardment of their ships at Mers El Kebir.

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  Japanese troops entering Saigon in 1941.

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  Henri Giraud and de Gaulle during the Casablanca Conference in January 1943.

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  French Police registering new inmates at the Pithiviers camp.

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  Poster above the entrance of an anti-semitic exposition called "The Jew and France".

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  Two Jewish women in occupied Paris wearing Yellow badges before the mass arrests

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  Légion des Volontaires fighting with the Axis on the Russian front.

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  Vichy French zinc and aluminum coins made during the war. These coins circulated in both the German–occupied zone and unoccupied zone.

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  Progressive end of the Vichy regime

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  A recruitment poster for the Milice. The text says "Against Communism / French Militia / Secretary-General Joseph Darnand".

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  The Sigmaringen operation was based in the city's ancient castle.

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  Liberation of France, 1944.

See also

In Spanish: Francia de Vichy para niños