#HowFranceBecameAFascistState
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On this day in 1945, Philippe Petain was put on trial in France for treason. The French "Hero of Verdun" in WWI became the Nazi's fascist ruler of France in WWII.
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After he was named chief of state by the Nazis, Petain replaced the well-known national motto, “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” or “Freedom, equality, and brotherhood” with “work, family, and country.” He assumed absolute power, rejected France’s secular and liberal traditions, and reorganized the nation’s government to institute a social hierarchy. Petain considered equality among people a false notion. In practice, this meant repressive measures against all those he saw as enemies, especially French republicans, intellectuals, and Jewish people. He dismissed them from government roles, barred them from professional fields and higher education, confiscated their property, and sent French Jews to prison camps where thousands died. Under Petain’s rule, the Vichy government rounded up foreign Jews and handed them over to the Nazis. He also imposed censorship, revoked freedom of expression, and reinstated the crime known as “felony of opinion.” At the end of Petain’s trial, he was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. Due to Petain’s exemplary service in WW1 and his age – 89 at the time – the punishment was commuted to life in prison. A b/w photo of Philippe Petain arriving in the French courtroom for his trial for treason. Image source: Shutterstock
July 23, 2025 at 1:16 PM