William Tyler
Occupied France
Summary
An overview of France during the German occupation following the Battle of France, which last from September 1939 until May 1940. The new French Government under Reynaud withdrew to Bordeaux while France was lost and in effect divided into three parts. The Vichy Puppet Government, led by Marshal Petain (with Paul Laval pulling the strings), survived only until 1942 when Germany took control. It proved to be one of the worst Nazi puppet administrations in occupied Europe, playing a major role in sending Jewish citizens to German extermination camps.
William Tyler
William Tyler has spent his entire professional life in adult education, beginning at Kingsgate College in 1969. He has lectured widely for many public bodies, including the University of Cambridge and the WEA, in addition to speaking to many clubs and societies. In 2009, William was awarded the MBE for services to adult education, and he has previously been a scholar in residence at the London Jewish Cultural Centre.
One, because he didn’t have enough troops and people to govern the whole of France. It’s a massive place. He had in Petain and Laval people who were fascists. The Germans did this in other places as well. Think of places like Slovakia, for example. This is not anything different. The Germans, they would not have allowed a unoccupied Free French France, of course, but an unoccupied fascist France was fine. It was only when the whole thing was beginning to crack apart that the Germans decided they had to take control. And you can argue with some degree of value in it that the Germans took on more than they could cope with by taking over the whole of France.
Because they hate the British, because they couldn’t bear the thought of playing second fiddle to Britain. They wouldn’t, Churchill wasn’t talking about them playing second fiddle, but they simply couldn’t accept a deal. They’d sooner surrender than find themselves in cahoots to Britain.
Because he was punching above his weight and he always wanted to be considered an equal. And at D-day, he was excluded from the planning. They found him difficult. He was a difficult man. He’s a wounded bear after the surrender of France in 1940. And he is difficult to deal with.