The Collapse of the Third Republic
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | History, World War II |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | William L. Shirer |
| Products | History book |
The Collapse of the Third Republic: An Inquiry into the Fall of France in 1940 is a 1969 history book authored by William L. Shirer that examines the downfall of the French Third Republic following Hitler's invasion during World War II.
Prewar
Shirer, who served as a CBS correspondent stationed in Germany and frequently traveled to France before the war, explored how Germany managed to swiftly conquer France in 1940 despite their extended conflict during World War I. Proficient in French, he carried out thorough investigations through conversations with surviving politicians and leaders from that period. Shirer determined that much of France’s defeat stemmed from internal causes, particularly entrenched political divisions originating from the 1890s Dreyfus Affair. The enduring animosity between the left and right was intensified by the economic hardships of the 1930s Great Depression. The right-wing factions perceived the secular government as steering France toward decline. In an effort to prevent war, France participated fully in the 1938 Munich talks, but Hitler’s invasion of Poland in 1939 ignited World War II.
Collapse
During 1939–1940, France confronted a cohesive and technologically superior German force. Rather than uniting with determination, French leadership became mired in internal disputes during critical months, leading to the appointment of World War I veteran Marshal Philippe Pétain as prime minister. The French press had grown politicized and corrupt, advancing partisan agendas.
The German Blitzkrieg rapidly overwhelmed the French Army, breaking French resistance. After the Second Armistice at Compiègne, many French citizens, particularly on the right, regarded defeat as justified. Prominent individuals such as Pétain and ambitious politician Pierre Laval pledged allegiance to a Hitlerian New Order, prompting the exiled French Parliament at Vichy to grant them full authority over unoccupied France.
Under this government, the Third Republic disintegrated. Following liberation by the Allies, France discarded its previous constitution and adopted a new one in October 1946, founding the French Fourth Republic.