All the Light We Cannot See FINAL - University of Cincinnati

The History and the Literature: All the Light We Cannot See

Diane and Stan Henderson

OLLI at the University of Cincinnati October 29, 2021

The History

Overview

? The Fall of France, 1940 ? Vichy v. Free France: P?tain and de Gaulle ? Beginnings of Resistance ? Organization of the Resistance ? The Free French and the Allies: a Tense Embrace ? The Resistance in D-Day ? Battle of St. Malo ? Liberation and Revenge ? The Resistance: Impact and Memory

The Fall of France, 1940

French Position in 1940

? French army considered best in world

Backed by massive fortification of border

? Maginot Line

Built at cost of seven billion francs Array of forts linked by underground railway Relied on Germans following 1914 blueprint through

Netherlands and Belgium Discounted possibility of attack through Ardennes at

end of Maginot Line

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Blitzkrieg: Advantage Germans

? Deployment of Nazi forces emphasized concentration of tanks and utilization of technology

? Air superiority in spite of equal number of planes: concentrated numbers and Stuka design

? Germans used Netherlands/Belgian attack as a feint and concentrated on the Ardennes to the Meuse

? 8-hour bombardment by 1000 planes shatters French morale

Collapse and Dunkirk

? The Germans race to the Channel: "a narrow wedge of steel which pierced right through the body of France"

? Allied forces cut off from supply lines; Brits retreat to Dunkirk for evacuation

? Britain mobilizes flotilla, including private boats, that take advantage of three-day German pause

? 350,000 Allied troops escape, while French provide rear guard action, raising suspicion of discrimination

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"Exodus"

? As Nazis advance, French population flees; 8 million refugees, 20% of country's population clog roads with nowhere to go

? Churchill struggles to keep France in the fight; argues for guerrilla warfare

? Appointment of Phillipe P?tain to French government hastens capitulation

Vichy v. Free France: P?tain and de Gaulle

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Mar?chal Phillipe P?tain

? P?tain, one of France's greatest heroes in WWI, known as The Lion of Verdun, became Marshall of France at war's end

? In 1940, at age 84, he was named head of a "free" government in Vichy

? Most French welcomed his appointment, the "gift of my person" to the country

? He was tried and convicted of treason after the war but spared the death penalty because of his age

? De Gaulle said of him, he was "successively banal, then glorious, then deplorable, but never mediocre."

Nazis Enter Paris

? French government declares Paris an open city ? Two secret evacuations may influence war's end

France's replicas of German Enigma coding machine France's supply of "heavy water" for nuclear warfare

? June 14 Nazi troops goosestep on the Champs Elys?e

? Churchill flies to France to try to prevent French surrender

France Surrenders

? DeGaulle flees to London ? P?tain takes the reigns of government and sues

for peace ? Hitler designs surrender for maximum

humiliation of France ? June 22 Armistice is signed in same railway car

as WWI with victor and vanquished now reversed

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