2-WWII+France+OT

Occupied France (Ryo)

What were the circumstances in the Occupied Territory that compelled the policies implemented by the occupying power there? How was policy shaped to address these circumstances?

Occupied France was very much in ruins. From the very first German occupation, towns had been destroyed, villages deserted, and farmsteads empty. The crops grown in France would first go to the German soldiers, before France’s own people, and then to those the French who were in complete allegiance to the German occupants. The pathetic remains were rationed among those people who fit neither of the above requirements. Due to the destruction of the the farms and an increased number of mouths to feed, food coupons began to be issued. This system was easily cheated though, by means of theft of coupons or forgery. The german invaders decided that France was to be de-industrialized, which means only a select few industries would be kept open in order to supply materials to the Nazi party. The Germans wanted France to resort back to an agrarian society, which would help supply the German occupants with an essential need, food. In addition, Hitler was not concerned with the French building their economy, he merely wanted the French to meet his own personal needs. The French Resistance Movement took off in 1940, purposed with resisting the Germans and communists. These movements were focuses in Northern France, and attempted to undermine the German occupation.

What were the effects of the occupation of your territory on the occupying power's war effort? This should include basic data such as numbers of troops diverted to the occupation and so forth, but should also take into account less logistical factors such as the psychological effect of occupation on the occupying power, issues of morale, attitudes of occupation forces toward the local population (and vice versa) and the degree to which that sharpened or dulled the occupiers' resolve, etc.

The Germans had a high price to pay in order to sustain their occupational army. There were approximately 300 thousand Germans in the occupational army and it cost the nation approximately 20 million Reichmarks per day. This was a very high and difficult price to pay for the Germans so they took advantage of the French by creating a fake exchange rate of 20 Francs for one Reichmark. This led to several problems such as food shortages and a higher malnutrition rate of the population. As a result of this, many of the French began to make purchases through the black market, which was again taken advantage of and used for bribery.Malnutrition and food shortages became a very large problem and continued to expand. This was mainly because of Germany’s control over France and bad climatesfor agriculture. The French constantly tried to avoid Germans to escape bribes and other immoral actions. But at this time, France was so heavily occupied by the Germans that this escape was impossible. They were everywhere from restaurants, to bars, to public events. This led to a countryside movement in which many rebellious people moved to rural areas of the mountains where they could be left alone. More and more people moved into rural areas and formed groups that decided to stand up against the Germans. Many wanted to fight against it but were instilled with fear based off the news about death camps for Jews. Approximately 80 thousand Jews were sent to death camps at this time and fewer than 4 thousand survived.

What were the motivations/methods/outcomes of resistance and collaboration? How did this affect the Occupied Territory after the war? Use case studies to illustrate.

After the fallout of World War One, the occurrence of the Battle of France, and the more than one armistice between the Germans and the French, altogether, life wasn’t too difficult for the average Frenchman. However, when the Germans began to occupy France, the public was less than content. The Germans used brutal methods for asserting dominance and ensuring submission, and in addition, caused the majority of the French to succumb to poverty. A condition of the German occupation was that, in essence, the French had to pay for the Germans to occupy them. The amount of money that went towards the German occupants left little money and little quantity of food for the true citizens of France. The shortage led to issues regarding health of French children, elders, and the hardworking laborers. The French did not think that it was fair that another group of people could march into their country, order them around, demand their money, and leave them malnourished. That was the motivation of the French. They channeled their anger into a resistance, and with each day, the amount of resistance involvement grew. The outcome of collaboration with the occupants was dealt with using a policy of people’s justice. Average French citizens prosecuted other citizens who had collaborated with the enemy. This includes, but is not limited to the women that decided to become friendly with the Germans. Their punishment was generally public humiliation, by means of having their head shaved and/or stipped of all of their clothing. After the war, the French peoples were still struggling to have enough food to eat, and attempting to break free from their economic depression. The damage that the German occupants had subjected the French had scarred their nation for decades to come.

What were the effects of occupation on women & youth in the Occupied Territory? Use case studies to illustrate.

Women who collaborated with the German soldiers during the German Occupation could be subjected to public humiliation, which may include them being stripped nude in public, and even having their hair shaved off. Women who did not collaborate with the German soldiers faced poverty, malnutrition, and endangering the health of their family. If their husbands were taken as a prisoner for something like being a part of the resistance, the woman of the family would be transitioned to chef de famille. With this role came the responsibility of providing for the family, in a time and place where it was difficult to come by food, let alone any of nutritional value.

Youth of Occupied France were expected to not cause any trouble. Children were subjected to German political propaganda in their schools. For example, there was a portrait of Marshal Philippe Petain on the walls of classrooms in some French schools. The children had to memorize chants praising the Germans, and a combination of the verbal and pictorial propaganda created a personality cult. The German Occupants took advantage of the easily-influenced minds of the French children, and taught them the ways of the German regime.

Works Cited: Diamond, Hanna. "Women and the Second World War in France 1939-1948: Choices and Constraints." Reviews in History. University of Cardiff, Nov. 2000. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. .

Jackson, Julian. "France: The Dark Years, 1940-1944." QuestiaSchool. Oxford University Press, 2001. Web. 21 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nov. 2013 [|. <__http://www.questiaschool.com/read/117421133/france-the-dark-years-1940-1944__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">>.

Katz, Ethan. "Memory at the Front: The Struggle over Revolutionary Commemoration in Occupied France, 1940-1944." QuestiaSchool. Journal of European Studies, June 2005. Web. 21 Nov. 201 [|3.] [|<__http://www.questiaschool.com/read/1G1-135567790/memory-at-the-front-the-struggle-over-revolutionary__] >.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Life in occupied France during the second world war." the Guardian. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 201 [|3.] [|<__http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/08/life-in-occupied-france-nazi__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">>.

Taylor, Lynne. "The Black Market in Occupied Northern France, 1940-4." JSTOR. JSTOR, July 1997. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. < [|__http://www.jstor.org/stable/20081623__] >.