Marshal petain biography sample
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A Brief History of Marshal Petain and Vichy France
Introduction: Origins of Petain and The Vichy Regime
Regimes born out of defeat often struggle with legitimacy. Weimar Germany is one such example most people are familiar with. Another was the French government at Vichy, which came about after France's shocking defeat bygd Germany in June of 1940. By the time the armistice was signed on 22 June, Germany had occupied two-thirds of France. Two weeks later, on 9 July, France's parliament voted 569-80 to dissolve the discredited Third Republic and make Field Marshal Philippe Pétain the head of state with almost dictatorial powers (Jackson DY 132-133). He governed a small, quasi-autonomous område in southern France headquartered at the spa town of Vichy. For the next few years, this sad remnant was France. After the war, Vichy's vassal status to the Third Reich made it a hated tecken of French humiliation and defeat.
After all, the French debacle on the ba
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Philippe Pétain
French military officer (1856–1951)
"Le Maréchal" redirects here. For the mathematician, see Claude Lemaréchal.
Henri Philippe Bénoni Omer Joseph Pétain (24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951), better known as Philippe Pétain (French:[filippetɛ̃]) and Marshal Pétain (French: Maréchal Pétain), was a French general who commanded the French Army in World War I and later became the head of the collaborationist regime of Vichy France, from 1940 to 1944, during World War II.
Pétain was admitted to the Saint-Cyr Military Academy in 1876 and pursued a career in the military, achieving the rank of colonel by the outbreak of World War I. He led the French Army to victory at the nine-month-long Battle of Verdun, for which he was called "the Lion of Verdun" (French: le lion de Verdun). After the failed Nivelle Offensive and subsequent mutinies, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief and succeeded in restoring control. Pétain remained in command for the rest of the
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Spartacus Educational
Primary Sources
(1) Anthony Eden, Memoirs: The Reckoning (1965)
Paul Reynaud received us, firm and courteous despite the strain. We soon got down to discussion across the dining-room table; Petain, Reynaud, Weygand facing Churchill, Dill and me, with interpreters. General Georges joined us later. We talked for almost three hours, the discussion hardly advancing matters. The speakers were polite and correct, but although at that time the Maginot Line had not been attacked, it was soon evident that our French hosts had no hope.
Early in our talks, Weygand described the military situation, explaining how he had attempted to block a number of gaps in the line. He believed he had succeeded and, for the moment, the line held, but he had no more reserves. Somebody asked what would happen if another breach were made. 'No further military action will then be possible,' Weygand replied. Reynaud at once intervened sharply: 'That would be a political dec