Second World War - Vichy, De Gaulle & The Free French

This lesson explores the establishment and actions of Vichy France, Charles de Gaulle, and the Free French during World War II. Students will learn about the fall of France, the Vichy regime’s collaboration with Nazi Germany, and the resistance efforts led by de Gaulle. Activities include timeline sorting, analysing de Gaulle’s speeches, and creating infographics. The lesson concludes with a discussion on the legacy of the Vichy regime and the Free French.

Lesson Content and Activities:

Introduction:
Discuss the fall of France in 1940 and the establishment of the Vichy regime under Marshal Philippe Pétain.
Read The Guardian newspaper excerpt from 1940 and discuss the French decision not to defend Paris and its implications.

The Division of France:
Explain the division of France into the occupied zone and the unoccupied Vichy zone.
Discuss the collaboration between Vichy France and Nazi Germany.

Mers-el-Kébir Incident:
Describe the British attack on the French naval base at Mers-el-Kébir.
Discuss whether the British were justified in their actions and debate this as a class.

Policies of Pétain and Vichy France:
Discuss Pétain’s policies, including the “National Revolution,” and the shift from “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” to “Work, Family, Fatherland.”
Sort timeline cards into the correct chronological order to understand the sequence of events under Vichy France.

Charles de Gaulle and the Free French:
Read de Gaulle’s BBC speech and highlight examples of rhetorical devices and calls to action.
Research and create an infographic on Charles de Gaulle and the Free French, focusing on structured layout, visual elements, and minimal text.

Writing Task:
Write an essay explaining the impact of Vichy France’s collaboration with Nazi Germany and the significance of the Free French resistance.
Use the PEEKA paragraph structure to organise the arguments.

Class Discussion:
Share and discuss the infographics and essays.
Reflect on the legacy of Vichy France and the contributions of the Free French to the Allied victory.

Resources:
Excerpt from The Guardian, 1940
Timeline cards for sorting
De Gaulle’s BBC speech
Infographic creation tools and guidelines
PEEKA paragraph guidelines