istoryworld
Events relating to france
Adolf Hitler attends the signing of the armistice with France, in the railway carriage used for the armistice after the German defeat in 1918
The armistice leaves France with the southern part of the country, with a new capital at Vichy
A delegation from France, defeated and partly occupied by Germany, signs in Rome an armistice with Mussolini's Italy
The British government gives recognition to Charles de Gaulle as official leader of the Free French
Increased German U-boat activity after the fall of France launches the crucial Battle of the Atlantic
Henri Matisse, recovering from an operation, develops his technique of gouaches découpées (cut-out patches of painted paper)
De Gaulle forms in London the French National Committee, a government in exile in London for the Free French
Algerian nationalist Ferhat Abbas produces a manifesto demanding independence from France
French author Albert Camus creates an early anti-hero in his novel The Outsider (L'Étranger)
French author Marguerite Duras makes her name with her partly autobiographical novel The Sea Wall
French music student Pierre Boulez joins a harmony class taught by Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatoire
Pierre Laval becomes head of the government in German-backed Vichy France
Canadian troops provide most of the assault force in a disastrous raid on Dieppe
Hitler, disregarding the armistice, sends German troops to take control of Vichy France
French crews in Toulon scuttle the fleet to prevent it falling into German hands
French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre expounds his theory of existentialism in Being and Nothingness ('L'Être et le néant')
Pablo Picasso transforms a bicycle's handlebars and saddle into Head of a Bull
Jean-Paul Sartre begins a new career as a dramatist with his first play, The Flies ('Les Mouches')
The Allies cross the Channel on D-day for the Normandy invasion
British general Bernard Montgomery commands the Allied land forces in the Normandy Landing on D-day
Two pre-constructed harbours, known by the code name Mulberries, are towed across the Channel to Normandy
German troops massacre more than 600 civilians in the French village of Oradour
The Seventh US army, commanded by Alexander Patch, opens another front with a landing on the French Riviera
George Patton gets a division of his Third US Army across the Seine southeast of Paris
Barricades are built in the streets as Parisians stage an impromptu uprising against the Germans
