Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Pétain, 1856 – 1951, commonly known as Marshal Pétain, commanded the French Army in World War I and became head of the collaborationist Vichy regime during World War II. On this date in 1940, he signed the armistice with Germany that created his deeply antisemitic government. Under his leadership, Jews suffered unspeakable terrors, but so did the French people themselves.
© 2024 John Oliver
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