Choices in Vichy France

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Post-World War II scholarship and films have often replaced the Gaullist notion of widespread resistance with the impression that the French were a "nation of collaborators," supporting the authoritarian Vichy regime and hindering the French Underground. John F. Sweets presents a reappraisal of French life during the war in Clermont-Ferrand, the largest town near Vichy, the setting of The Sorrow and the Pity. Through extensive examination of town archives and records, he reconstructs occupational commerce, education, media, and societal attitudes, arguing that most French citizens were not collaborationist. The book explores the societal impacts of war, oppression, internment, rationing, aryanization, and propaganda, revealing a complex portrait of the French populace that exists between outright resistance and enthusiastic collaboration. With examples of daily life for Germans, Jews, Communists, fascists, and the French masses, this work provides a clear perspective on a historically misunderstood era, challenging prevailing narratives and shedding light on the nuances of wartime experiences.