Vichy France: Map & History
Vichy France, also known as the Pétainist regime and Pétainist France, officially the French State, was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of German victory in the Battle of France.
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Vichy France, also known as the Pétainist regime and Pétainist France, officially the French State, was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of German victory in the Battle of France. It was named after its seat of government, the city of Vichy.
Modern Countries Once Part of Vichy France
At its mapped extent, Vichy France covered territory in 28 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Burkina Faso1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Mali1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Cambodia1940–1943 CE · nearly all
- Chad1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Niger1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Benin1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Togo1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Djibouti1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Guadeloupe1940–1943 CE · nearly all
- Comoros1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Martinique1940–1943 CE · nearly all
- Vietnam1940–1943 CE · nearly all
- Guinea1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Côte d'Ivoire1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Gabon1943–1944 CE · nearly all
- Mauritania1940–1944 CE · nearly all
- Republic of the Congo1943–1944 CE · most
- Laos1940–1943 CE · most
- Senegal1940–1944 CE · most
- Algeria1940–1944 CE · most
- Central African Republic1943–1944 CE · most
- French Guiana1940–1943 CE · most
- Madagascar1940–1944 CE · most
- Tunisia1940–1944 CE · most
- Cameroon1943–1944 CE · most
- Morocco1940–1944 CE · most
- France1940–1942 CE · a large part
- Libya1944 CE · a large part
States and Provinces
- Toliary, Madagascar
- Bamako, Mali
- Boke, Guinea
- Guinaa, French Guiana
- Kayes, Mali
- Mahajanga, Madagascar
- Nzerekore, Guinea
- Rhône-Alpes, France
- Adamaoua, Cameroon
- Centre, Cameroon
- Est, Cameroon
- Faranah, Guinea
- Kankan, Guinea
- Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- Ségou, Mali
- Tamanghasset, Algeria
- Timbuktu, Mali
- Tiris Zemmour, Mauritania
- Wouleu-Ntem, Gabon
- Antsiranana, Madagascar
- Fianarantsoa, Madagascar
- Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur, France
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Vichy France's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Vichy France in Depth
Social and economic history
Vichy authorities strongly opposed "modern" social trends and promoted "national regeneration" to restore behaviour more in line with traditional Catholicism. Philip Manow argued that, "Vichy represents the authoritarian, antidemocratic solution that the French political right, in coalition with the national Church hierarchy, had sought repeatedly during the interwar period and almost put in place in 1934". Calling for "National Regeneration", Vichy reversed many liberal policies and began tight supervision of the economy, with central planning as a key feature.
Labour unions came under tight government control. There were no elections. The independence of women was reversed, with an emphasis put on motherhood. Government agencies had to fire married women employees.
Fall of France and establishment of the Vichy government
France declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939 after the German invasion of Poland on 1 September. After the eight-month Phoney War, the Germans launched their offensive in the West on 10 May 1940. Within days, it became clear that French military forces were overwhelmed and that military collapse was imminent. Government and military leaders, deeply shocked by the debacle, debated how to proceed. Many officials, including Prime Minister Paul Reynaud, wanted to move the government to French territories in North Africa and to continue the war with the French Navy and colonial resources.
Decline of the regime
In 1943 the Service d'ordre légionnaire (SOL) collaborationist militia, headed by Joseph Darnand, became independent and was transformed into the "Milice française" (French Militia). Officially directed by Pierre Laval himself, the SOL was led by Darnand, who held an SS rank and pledged an oath of loyalty to Adolf Hitler. Under Darnand and his sub-commanders, such as Paul Touvier and Jacques de Bernonville, the Milice was responsible for helping the German forces and police in the repression of the French Resistance and Maquis.
Following the liberation of Paris on 25 August 1944, Pétain and his ministers were taken to Sigmaringen by the German forces.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Vichy France (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vichy France: Key Facts
| Capitals | Paris, Vichy |
|---|---|
| Official language | French |
| Form of government | dictatorship, authoritarianism |
| Currencies | French franc, Coins of Vichy France |
| Founded | 10 July 1940 |
| Dissolved | 29 August 1944 |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
- Provisional Government of the French Republic
Facts from Wikidata Q69808 (CC0).
Interactive map
Vichy France on the World War II map →
See Vichy France’s territory change day by day from 22 June 1940, with every battle it fought.
Vichy France Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 11,922,201 km² in 1943 CE.
Vichy France: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Vichy France exist?
Vichy France is dated to 1940 CE – 1944 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of Vichy France?
The capital of Vichy France was Vichy.
How large was Vichy France at its peak?
At its peak in 1943 Vichy France covered about 11,922,201 km².
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