The Path of Pétain: How a World War I Hero Surrendered France to the Germans During World War II
On August 15, 1945, the Supreme Court of France sentenced Marshal Pétain to death on charges of collusion with the enemy and treason. This historic verdict marked the end of the long journey of the World War I hero who became a symbol of French collaborationism with the Third Reich. It also marked the beginning of a harsh period of postwar purges and persecutions against French citizens who cooperated with the Vichy authorities. The personality of the marshal himself remains a subject of debate, speculation, and contradictions even 80 years later.
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