Usually Michael Neiberg is the interviewer in our ON WRITING series. In this episode he sits down with podcast editor Ron Granieri as the interviewee. They’re talking about his new book When France Fell: The Vichy Crisis and the Fate of the Anglo-American Alliance. The two examine the conflict between Free and Vichy France and the interaction with the Allies in the early days and throughout World War II. They discuss relationships rife with bad assumptions, mistrust, failed promises and difficult personalities which leads to a much better understanding of the United States’ dealings with its oldest ally.
I had always been fascinated by Vichy. It’s this strange political animal that really has no precedent to it. Nothing like it has ever come before or since where half the country is occupied the other half is left independent ,technically neutral and in control of the French empire and in control of the French fleet.
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Michael Neiberg is the Chair of War Studies at the U.S. Army War College.
Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.
Photo Description: (L) General Charles de Gaulle leader of Free France 18 June 1940 – 3 June 1944 (R) Marshal Philippe Pétain leader of Vichy France 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944.
Photo Credit: Portraits courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (L) Office of War Information, Overseas Picture Division (R) Creator unknown
Other releases in the “On Writing” series:
- UNDERSTANDING RUSSIAN CULTURE: JADE McGLYNN
(ON WRITING) - CHINA’S SHIFTING HISTORY: STEPHEN PLATT
(ON WRITING) - UNDERSTANDING CHINA THROUGH ITS RECRAFTED PAST: RANA MITTER
(ON WRITING) - WRITING ON A DEADLINE: SHASHANK JOSHI
(ON WRITING) - REAGAN AS THE PEACEMAKER: WILL INBODEN
(ON WRITING) - W.E.B. DU BOIS IN THE WOUNDED WORLD: CHAD WILLIAMS (ON WRITING)
- RUSSIAN IMPERIAL HISTORY-THEN AND NOW: ALEXANDER MIKABERIDZE
(ON WRITING) - TAKING COMMAND: TAMI DAVIS BIDDLE
(ON WRITING) - HOW TO WRITE THE HISTORY THAT HASN’T ENDED: IAN ONA JOHNSON
(ON WRITING) - AS TIME GOES BY: UNDERSTANDING FREE & VICHY FRANCE (ON WRITING)