Positions of Power in Vichy France
Establishment of the Vichy Government (July 10, 1940)
Authority of Nazi Ambassador to Vichy France (August 3, 1940)
The above documents are a good place to begin investigating the true nature of the Vichy regime. The first document is an excerpt from the French Constitution, as decreed on July 10, 1940. It was written and signed by Philippe Pétain, the Marshal of France and the Chief of the French State. Interestingly, this particular portion of the constitution happens to deal specifically with the Chief of the French State and all the powers granted thereto. It seems as though Pétain was able to write his own powers into the constitution. The power held by the person in this position was extraordinary. Whoever held this position had complete control over the executive and legislative branches of government, as well as the military, among other things. Control of the media and public opinion was left to the Nazi Ambassador to France, as seen in the second document posted above. This document outlines the duties of said ambassador, and is signed by Joachim von Ribbentrop, then German Minister of Foreign Affairs. Otto Abetz, the Ambassador, was appointed by Adolf Hitler and given the task of seizing political documents and art, "particularly art treasures belonging to Jews." Together, these documents show that the Vichy regime was a puppet government designed to give the illusion of French autonomy while consolidating power into the hands of a few men loyal to the Nazi cause.
Pétain's Speech
Marshal Pétain's Speech to the French People (May 16, 1941)
This document manages to show quite a bit about the Vichy government in only a few short paragraphs. Pétain delievered this address on May 16, 1941, less than a year after he was appointed the all-powerful Head of the French State. Pétain begins by saying that Admiral Darlan (a French naval commander) had recently met with Adolf Hitler, and that he had approved of this meeting. It seems as though he is being open and honest about the government's relationship with Germany, and he seems to express a genuine desire to "reconcile" with the German government. However, we know that there is no reconciling to be done, as the Vichy government was no more than a puppet of the German government. To that end, the most immediately striking thing about this speech is the sense of a democracy being all but eradicated. Pétain says, "It is no longer a question today of public opinion, [. . .] it is simply a question of following me without mental reservation along the path of honor and national interest." In his words, the path toward totalitarianism is clear. With Pétain's extraordinary amount of power as Head of the French State and the Nazi ambassador's control of the media, the French people were completely powerless. In this speech, Pétain's aim is to make it seem like his regime will work to overcome the German occupation of France, but behind the scenes, the Vichy and German governments are really one and the same.