Themes and Sources option xii: The Second

Themes and Sources option xii:
The Second World War and its legacy in France
The purpose of this option is to teach a major historical topic to tripos standard while also
training students to use French primary sources and secondary literature, most of which is
unavailable in English. Students will acquire the ability to understand written, visual and
spoken sources (e.g. speeches and interviews), and will also practice the linguistic skills
needed to operate effectively in French at an academic level.
The paper will be taught in eight Faculty classes during the Lent and Easter terms and
examined by Long Essay in the same way as other options. But in addition, it will have a
language teaching element beginning in the Michaelmas term. This will be based on smallgroup
tuition. In addition, custom-made on-line teaching material based on the source
documents is provided at the University Language Centre for individual study and practice.
The language teaching will throughout be based on the historical source documents set for
study, and will aim to develop the skills necessary for a thorough understanding not only of
basic meaning, but also of the nuances of written and spoken language. A wide range of
non-written material, including newsreels and films, will be available at the University
Language Centre, and may be used as primary sources for Long Essays.
The number of additional hours of work that will be required will vary according to the level
of French already attained by individuals, and will somewhat exceed the language tuition
traditionally given by many colleges, but not by an unmanageable amount: for example, 2
hours per week of personal tuition plus 1 hour per week on line. Students choosing this
option should have the equivalent of A2 or good AS level qualifications, and to ensure their
suitability, AS level students will be given a test before beginning the course.
By the beginning of the Faculty classes in the Lent term, students will already have acquired
familiarity with a sample of written texts, images, newsreels, spoken interviews and films.
Building on this, the Faculty classes will concentrate on providing the historical and
historiographical content of the paper. Primary and secondary reading set for classes will
generally be in French. The parallel language classes will assist in the study of this material
week by week, developing both linguistic and historical comprehension.
The bibliography below lists sources and secondary works set for each class. There are also
longer lists of supplementary reading intended to provide ample material for a wide range of
Long Essay choices. Finally, there is a list of available audiovisual sources which may also be
drawn upon for the Long Essay.
Two core textbooks will be essential for this course. It is therefore STRONGLY
recommended that students purchase their own copies, both available in
paperback:
Schaum’s Outline of French grammar, 5th edition (Schaum’s outline Series) by
Mary Coffman Crocker (paperback- 1 October 2008), available on Amazon.
Jean-Pierre Azéma & François Bédarida, (eds), La France des Années Noires,
(Paris, Seuil, 2000) (2 vols).
2
Contents:
I. Introductory reading
II. a. Sources
b. Reading for class
c. Further suggested background reading for long
essay
III. Supplementary audiovisual sources
I General and introductory reading: some of the following are also listed
as reading for individual classes :
Jean-Pierre Azéma, De Munich à la Libération, 1938-1944, (Paris, 1979).
[560.d.95.17]
Jean-Pierre Azéma & François Bédarida, (eds), La France des Années Noires,
(Paris, 1993) (2 vols). [539.1.c.725.101-2]
Jean-Pierre Azéma & François Bédarida, (eds), Vichy et les Français (Paris, 1992).

[539.1.c.40.104]
Philippe Burrin, La France à l'heure allemand (Paris, 1995). [539:1.d.725.35]
Dominique Veillon, Vivre et survivre en France, 1939-1947 (Paris,1995).
[539.1.c.40.131].
Yves Durand, La France dans la deuxième guerre mondiale, (Paris, 1993).
[9008.c.3036]
André Kaspi, Les Juifs pendant l’Occupation (Paris, 1991). [514.57.d.95.11]
Jean-Pierre Azéma & Olivier Wieviorka, Vichy 1940-44 (Paris, Perrin, 1997).
[539.1.a.725.1]
Richard Vinen, The Unfree French. Life under the Occupation (London, 2006).
Robert Gildea, Marianne in Chains (London, 2002).
Julian Jackson, France: the dark years (Oxford, 2001).
Robert Paxton, Vichy France. Old Guard and new order, 1940-44 (New York, 1972).
Michael R. Marrus and Robert Paxton, Vichy France and the Jews (New York, 1981)
Andrew Shennan, Rethinking France: Plans for renewal, 1940-46 (Oxford, 1989).
Hanna Diamond & Simon Kitson (eds), Vichy, Resistance, Liberation: New
Perspectives on wartime France (Oxford, 2005).
Donna Evleth, France under the German Occupation, 1940-1944. A Bibliography
(1991).
J.-P. Azéma and François Bédarida, Les Années de Tourmente. Dictionnaire critique
(Paris, 1995). [539.1.b.1.45]
Jean-Pierre Rioux, La vie culturelle sous Vichy (Brussels, 1990).
E. Ehrlich, Cinema of paradox: French filmmaking under the German occupation
(New York, 1985).
Pierre Laborie, L'opinion française sous Vichy (Paris, Le Seuil, 1990). [539.1.d.40.30]
3
II Classes
1. The Fall of France
2. The National Revolution
3. Collaboration
4. Resistance
5. Daily life, family and gender
6. Vichy’s racial policy
7. The Liberation
8. Memory and the legacy of the Second World War
For each class, sources in the folder are listed first, and material to supplement this
is listed separately.
Class 1: The fall of France
This class examines the catastrophic defeat of the French army in just six weeks and
its political, social and military implications. From the ‘phoney war’ and the ‘exode’,
to the collapse of the French Republic, the dictatorship established under Marshal
Pétain and the partial German occupation, we discuss the impact of the period upon
various sections of French society, both urban and rural.
a. Sources:
‘L'appel aux Français du Maréchal Pétain - 17 juin 1940’ in Jean-Claude Barbas (ed.)
Philippe Pétain, Maréchal de France, chef de l’état français: discours aux
français 17 Juin 1940-22 Août 1944 (Paris, 1989), pp. 57-8. [539.1.c.40.95].
‘L’appel du Général de Gaulle - 18 juin 1940’ in Jean-Louis Crémieux-Brilhac (ed.), Ici
Londres, 1940-1944: les voix de la liberté (Paris, 1976), vol. 1. p. 1.
[539:1.b.820.2].
‘Pétain annonce l’armistice-16 juin 1940’ in Isabelle Dumielle, Ces textes qui ont

marqué l’histoire de la France (Bordas, 2005), p. 384.
Denise Domenach-Lallich, Une jeune fille libre. Journal 1939-1944 (Paris, 2005), pp.
8-9; 15; 22-25 ; 27-9 ; 32-36.
Gustave Folcher, Les carnets de guerre de Gustave Folcher, paysan languedocien,
1939-45 (Paris, 2000), pp. 17-21 ; 143-8. [539.1.d.610.83]
b. Required reading:
J-B Duroselle, ‘1940: la France sans stratégie’ in J-C. Asselain et al., Études sur la
France de 1939 à nos jours (Paris, 1985), pp. 20-37.
Stanley Hoffmann, ‘Le trauma de 1940’ in Jean-Pierre Azéma et François Bédarida,
La France des années noires. Tome 1. (2 vols., Paris, 1993), pp. 131-50.
c. Supplementary reading for the long essay:
Sources
Irène Némirovsky, Suite Française (Paris, 2004 or London, 2006), chapters 1-13.
P. de Villelume, Journal d’une défaite 23 août 1939-16 juin 1940. [539.1.c.40.47]
Marc Bloch, L’étrange défaite (Paris, 1957), pp. 126-176. [739.45.d.95.143]
Georges Friedmann, Journal de guerre, 1939-1940, (Paris, 1987). [539:1.d.600.57]
Secondary works
Maurice Vaisse, Mai-juin 1940 (Paris, 2000).
4
Andrew Shennan, The fall of France, 1940 (London, Longman, 2000).
Julian Jackson, The fall of France: the Nazi invasion of 1940 (Oxford, 2003).
Jean-Baptiste Duroselle, Politique étrangère de la France, l'abîme, 1939-1944 (Paris,
1990). [539.1.c.40.68]
Peter Jackson, France and the Nazi Menace, (Oxford, 2000).
Ernest R. May, Strange Victory: Hitler’s Conquest of France (2000)
Tobias Jersak, `Blitzkrieg revisited: a new look at Nazi war and extermination
planning,’ Historical Journal, 43, 2 (June 2000), pp 565-582
M.S. Alexander, ‘After Dunkirk: the French army’s performance … 25 May-25 June
1940’ War in History 14 (2007) pp 219-264
Class 2: The National Revolution
From 10 July 1940 to 25 August 1944, France was governed by the Vichy regime
under Marshal Pétain who took the title of ‘Chef de l’État Français’. Vichy France had
legal authority in both the northern zone of France, which was occupied by the
German Wehrmacht, and the unoccupied southern zone, where the regime’s
administrative centre of Vichy was located. The southern zone remained under
Vichy control until the Allies landed in French North Africa in November 1942.
This class examines the construction, evolution and aims of the Vichy regime and its
leaders. We discuss the implications of Pétain’s ‘Revolution nationale’, particularly
for young people and families. We also analyze Vichy’s use of the media and
propaganda.
a. Sources:
Philippe Pétain : Les Actes Constitutionnels du 11 juillet 1940,
Philippe Pétain: ‘Message du 10 octobre 1940’ in Jean-Claude Barbas (ed.) Philippe
Pétain, Maréchal de France, chef de l’état français: discours aux français 17
Juin 1940-22 Août 1944 (Paris, 1989) pp. 86-93. [539:1.c.40.95]
Philippe Pétain: ‘Message du 29 décembre 1940’ In Jean-Claude Barbas (ed.)
Philippe Pétain, Maréchal de France, chef de l’état français: discours aux
français 17 Juin 1940-22 Août 1944 (Paris, 1989), pp. 104-106.
[539:1.c.40.95]
Philippe Pétain : ‘Discours du 8 juillet 1941’ ibid., pp. 147-155. [539:1.c.40.95]
Jean Guéhenno, Journal des années noires (Paris, 1947) : entries - 29 décembre

1940, pp. 87-8; 5 mars 1941, p. 112-3. [539.1.d.725.21]
L’homme aux mains rouges, pp. 2-14.
Audiovisual sources (a selection will be used in class):
Newsreels :
6 novembre 1940 :‘Pétain de retour à Vichy’.
11 décembre 1940 :‘Visite de Pétain à Lyon’.
16 mai 1941 :‘Fête de Jeanne d’Arc’.
30 mai 1941 :‘Fête des mères’.
1 & 8 mai 1942 :‘L’anniversaire de Pétain’.
8 mai 1942 : Laval- chef du gouvernement.
22 mai 1942 :‘Pétain- politique de travaille’.
27 novembre 1942 : ‘Les allemands traversent la ligne de démarcation’.
31 décembre 1942 :‘Pétain à Noël’
5
b. Required reading :
Jean-Pierre Azéma, ‘Le régime de Vichy,’ in J.P. Azéma and François Bédarida, La
France des années noires. Tome 1. (Paris, 1993, 2 vols.), pp. 151-79.
Robert Frank, ‘Pétain, Laval, Darlan’, ibid. pp 297-332
c. Supplementary reading for the long essay:
Marc Olivier Baruch, Le régime de Vichy, (Paris, 1996). [9003:d :5934]
P. Servent, Le mythe Pétain- Verdun ou les tranchées de la mémoire, (Paris, 1992).
[563.5.c.95.75]
Marc Ferro, Pétain, (Paris, 1990). [539.1.c.40.77]
Gérard Noirel, Les origines républicaines de Vichy (Paris, 1999).
Dominique Remy, Les lois de Vichy, (Paris, 1992). [Squire : TM.gd.9.R.1]
H. Michel, Pétain et le régime de Vichy (Paris, 1993).
Philippe Burrin, La France à l’heure allemande, 1940-1944 (Paris, 1995), pp.92-103.
Jean-Pierre Azéma & Olivier Wieviorka, Vichy 1940-44, (Paris, Perrin, 1997).
[539.1.a.725.1]
Fred Kupferman, Laval, 1883-1945 (Paris, 1983).
Nicholas Atkin, The French at War, 1934-1944, (London, 2001).
Nicholas Atkin, Pétain, (London, 1998).
Dominique Rossignol, Histoire de la propagande en France de 1940 à 1944. L'utopie
Pétain (Paris, 1991).
René Dalisson, ‘La propagande festive de Vichy.’ Guerres mondiales et conflits
contemporaines: Revue d’histoire 207 (2002), pp. 5-35.
Nathalie Dompnier, Vichy à travers les chantes: pour une analyse politique du sens
et de l’usage des hymnes sous Vichy (Paris, 1996).
Class 3 Collaboration:
Historians of occupied France tend to make a distinction between two different forms
of collaboration: ‘State Collaboration’ - a pragmatic political and economic
cooperation with the German occupiers aiming to safeguard French interests, and
‘Collaborationism’ - an ideological commitment to Nazi Germany. This class looks at
the differing types of French collaboration, from the ideological collaboration of the
extreme right wing and the milice, to the everyday collaboration of ordinary French
people. We discuss political, economic, cultural and practical collaboration and look
at the extent of collaboration through French society.
a. Sources:
Police report on Pétain’s views in 1941.
Letter from Pierre Laval to Ribbentrop, 12 mai 1942
Pierre Laval's radio broadcast, 22 juin 1942.

Philippe Pétain, ‘Message du 20 octobre 1944’ in Jean-Claude Barbas (ed.) Philippe
Pétain, Maréchal de France, chef de l’état français: discours aux français 17 Juin
1940-22 Août 1944 (1989) p. 340-41. [539:1.c.40.95]
Angelo Tasca, La France de Vichy, archives inédites (Paris, 1995). [576.c.26.31]:
18 décembre 1940 :‘Tous autour du Maréchal’, p. 177.
Pierre Drieu de la Rochelle, Journal 1939-1945 (1992) [738.47.C.95.1033]
6 Décembre 1939, pp. 123-5.
11 avril 1940, p. 171.
6
5 juin 1940, p. 235.
22 juin 1940, p. 250.
25 juin 1940, p. 251
26 juin 1940, pp. 253-4.
1 octobre 1941, p. 275.
12 octobre 1941, p. 276.
4 janvier 1942, p. 285-6.
29 mars 1944, pp. 378-9.
28 juin 1944, pp. 389-391.
Lucien Rebatet, Les mémoires d’un fasciste. I. Les Décombres 1938-1940 (1976)
[539.1.c.600.104]
Les vainqueurs de l’hôtel du Parc, pp. 559-62.
Lucien Rebatet, Les mémoires d’un fasciste. II. 1941-1947 (1976)
[539.1.c.600.105], pp. 19 and 83.
Audiovisual sources (a selection will be used in class)
Newsreels :
6 juin 1941: ‘Doriot - PPF’.
27 juin 1941: ‘Pétain discours: La mémoire courte’.
11 juillet 1941: ‘Doriot - L’Angleterre vaincu’.
25 juillet 1941: Réunion RVF’.
19 septembre 1941: ‘Maurice Chevalier’.
14 novembre 1941: ‘Ecrivains français en Allemagne’.
10 avril 1942: ‘Comédiens français en Allemagne.’
5 février 1942: ‘Création de la Milice’.
8 avril 1943: Pétain - discours: Français-il fait choisir’.
14 avril 1942: Laval et Ribbentrop.
31 décembre 1943: Pétain: discours: ‘dans le Malheur’.
4 février 1944: Henriot à Lille: ‘Qui sont les vrai patriotes?’
b Required reading:
Philippe Burrin, ‘Le collaborationnisme’ in Jean-Pierre Azéma, & François Bédarida
(eds), La France des Années Noires, (Paris, Seuil, 1993), vol. 1, pp. 363-385.
Robert O. Paxton, ‘La collaboration d’état’, ibid. pp 333-62
c. Supplementary reading for the long essay:
Source :
Brasillach, Robert, Notre avant guerre: une génération dans l’orage [1941] ( Paris,
1992). [9002.d.8019]
Secondary works :
Jean-Pierre Azéma, De Munich à la Libération, 1938-1944 (Paris, Le Seuil, 1979), pp.
107-119.
JP Azéma, 1940. L’année terrible. (Paris, 1998), pp. 216-267.
Dominique Veillon , La collaboration: Textes et débats (Paris, Livre de Poche, 1984).
Henry Rousso, La Collaboration (Paris, 1987).