Does anyone know who is the leader of France during World World II?
The leader of German-occupied France (or “Vichy France,” so named because the government was based in Vichy instead of Paris) from 1940-1944 was Marshal Philippe Patain. It’s important to note that this is the France that was conquered by Germany. It was not a free country with leaders elected by the French people. Paul Reynaud was the prime minister of France before the invasion in 1940. The leader of free French forces (numbering no more than a few hundred thousand, mostly gathered from French colonies) during the war was General Charles De Gaulle. After France was liberated in 1944 de Gaulle became the leader of the new government.
Because there were “different” leaders, and France was in fact divided following their surrender in World War II The Third French Republic… the government of France prior to their defeat on 9 July 1940. The President was Albert Lebrun. Vichy France – Marshal Philippe Pétain proclaimed the government following the military defeat of France by Nazi Germany during World War II and the vote by the National Assembly on July 10, 1940. This vote granted extraordinary powers to Pétain, the last Président du Conseil (Prime Minister) of the Third Republic, who then took the additional title Chef de l’État Français (“Chief of the French State”). Pétain headed the reactionary program of the so-called “Révolution nationale”, aimed at “regenerating the Nation. Pierre Laval served as the President of the Council of the Vichy Government from 1942-1944. Charles de Gaulle claimed “leadership” of Free-French forces…
