The Unfree French: Life Under the Occupation

by Richard Vinen

Book Overview

The swift and unexpected defeat of the French Army in 1940 shocked the nation. Two million soldiers were taken prisoner, six million civilians fled from the German army's advance to join convoys of confused and terrified refugees, and only a few managed to escape the country. The vast majority of French people were condemned to years of subjugation under Nazi and Vichy rule. This compelling book investigates the impact of the occupation on the people...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300126018
• ISBN13: 9780300126013
• Release Date: December 2007
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Interesting book on lesser known area of WWII

This is a well written, enjoyable and quick read on an area of WWII that doesn't get a lot of coverage at least in the States. My one complaint is that he uses a lot of French terms, titles and names without translating. Possibly he or his editor felt it wasn't necessary to understanding the story which it wasn't. It would have been nice though. Now here's the part where the comments will fly. From this Yanks point of view it proves that ( as Jay Leno pointed out a few years ago)the French wouldn't even fight for their own country. Thank God for Winston, The Brits (and as much as he could until the Day Of Infamy) FDR