Why Did Germany Allow Vichy France To Exist?
Calculated risk for potential long term gain
After France capitulated to Germany in 1940, the state was reorganized under a pro-Nazi regime. The new fascist government was based out of the resort town of Vichy and was headed by Marshall Philippe Pétain. The new collaborative government and state were colloquially known as Vichy France. The state was considered to be neutral and independent, and large swaths of France were left unoccupied by the Germans for years. They were even left with an army, a neutered military force known as the Armistice Army.
But why did Germany let their rival exist as an independent nation after they won the war? Other states were not as fortunate. Many places that were conquered by the Nazis were annexed and existed under harsh occupation by brutal military leaders. Hitler went out of his way to make sure that the world saw Vichy France as a legitimate and neutral nation. His efforts were largely unsuccessful, but Vichy France was given an inordinate amount of autonomy compared to other areas conquered in World War II.
The reason Vichy France was given a longer leash than other territories and the stamp of neutrality had to do with a number of factors. Germany was chiefly concerned with France’s overseas territories, the powerful French navy, and the…
