What does French word Vichy mean?

[ (vish-ee, vee-shee) ] The government of France after Germany defeated and occupied it at the beginning of World War II (see fall of France); Vichy, the capital, is a small city in central France. The Vichy government was essentially a puppet of the Germans.

What was the difference between Vichy France and Free France?

Vichy France was a puppet government set up by the occupying German forces and Free France was the name for a group of French people that continued to fight the German occupation forces.

Is Vichy a French word?

Vichy is a commune in the Allier department in Auvergne in central France. Up until the 18th century they were more properly known as les Vichois which stems from the Occitan name of the town, Vichèi. The writer Valery Larbaud uses the term Vicaldiens after the Ancient Roman name for the community.

What is Vichy France known for?

Vichy France, formally French State, French État Français, (July 1940–September 1944), France under the regime of Marshal Philippe Pétain from the Nazi German defeat of France to the Allied liberation in World War II.

What type of government was Vichy France?

Unitary authoritarian dictatorship
Vichy France (10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944, French: Régime de Vichy) is the common name of the French State (État français) headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II….Vichy France.

What was the free zone in France during WWII?

Zone libre
The French Demarcation line was the boundary line marking the division of Metropolitan France into the territory occupied and administered by the German Army (Zone occupée) in the northern and western part of France and the Zone libre (Free zone) in the south during World War II.

What happened to Vichy collaborators?

From there, the Nazis took them to Auschwitz. At the close of the war, France punished many Nazi collaborators: 9,000 were summarily executed during the liberation campaign, 1,500 were executed after a trial, and 40,000 were sentenced to prison.

What side was Vichy France on?

Despite heavy pressure, the French government at Vichy never joined the Axis powers and even remained formally at war with Germany. Conversely, Vichy France became a collaborationist regime….Vichy France.

Is Vichy worth visiting?

The reputation of the city was somewhat tarnished when it became the seat of the collaborationist regime during World War II, but these days Vichy is once again an elegant spa and resort town, certainly worth a visit if you’re in need of some therapeutic bathing.

What was the relationship between Vichy France and the Free French?

Additionally, it was believed that the Free French were widely reviled within Vichy military circles, and that Vichy forces in Syria were less likely to resist the British if they were not accompanied by elements of the Free French.

Who was the leader of Vichy France in 1944?

Vichy France. When the provisional government of Charles de Gaulle moved to France after the Allied invasion of Normandy, it took over from a fascist regime in utter collapse. In September 1944, after the liberation of Paris, the new government declared Pétain’s French State abolished, together with all its laws.

When did Laval return to power in Vichy France?

In April 1942 Laval returned to power and contrived to convince the Germans that they could get more active collaboration from him. Germany was now engaged in massive war with the Soviet Union and with the United States and needed greater security in western Europe. But six months later the whole basis of Vichy’s position was transformed.

Where was the provisional capital of Vichy France?

On 10 July 1940, the Parliament and the government gathered in the quiet spa town of Vichy, their provisional capital in central France. (Lyon, France’s second-largest city, would have been a more logical choice but mayor Édouard Herriot was too associated with the Third Republic.