1. Collaboration: A significant number of French citizens collaborated with the German occupiers. This included individuals who held high-ranking positions in the French government, such as Marshal Philippe Pétain, who led the Vichy regime. Collaborators often benefited financially or politically from their cooperation with the Germans.
2. Resistance: On the other hand, many French people also actively resisted the German occupation. The French Resistance movement, which included both organized groups and individuals, carried out a range of activities, including espionage, sabotage, armed attacks, and providing assistance to Allied forces.
3. Everyday Resistance: In addition to organized resistance, many French citizens engaged in everyday forms of resistance. This included acts such as refusing to cooperate with German orders, hiding Jewish people and Allied soldiers, and listening to BBC radio broadcasts for news about the war.
4. Divided Loyalties: The occupation also led to divisions among the French population. Some people supported the Vichy regime and viewed it as the legitimate government of France, while others opposed it and saw it as a tool of German control.
5. Propaganda: Both the Germans and the French Resistance used propaganda to influence public opinion. The Germans portrayed themselves as liberators who were fighting against communism, while the Resistance emphasized the importance of fighting for freedom and democracy.
6. Deportations and Persecution: The German occupation resulted in the deportation of thousands of Jews and other minorities from France to concentration camps, where many were killed. French authorities under the Vichy regime were complicit in these deportations.
7. Liberation: The Allied invasion of France in 1944 led to the eventual defeat of the German occupiers and the liberation of France. This was met with widespread celebrations and relief among the French population.
In summary, the French response to the German occupation was characterized by a mix of collaboration, resistance, everyday acts of defiance, divided loyalties, and the persecution of minorities. The complexities of this period continue to be studied and debated by historians.