About this episode
Julian Jackson, Emeritus Professor of Modern French History at Queen Mary University of London and author of France on Trial: The Case of Marshal Pétain , joins the show to discuss the rise and fall of “the Lion of Verdun”; Philippe Pétain. ▪️ Times 01:06 Introduction 01:53 How Pétain became the “Hero of France” in WW1 11:32 France sues for peace with Germany in 1940 18:52 The legality of the armistice 27:49 Churchill’s take on the armistice 33:48 What Was Vichy France? 41:43 Vichy’s treatment of the Jews 53:05 Distancing France from extermination 58:13 Why does Pétain stay a servant to the Nazis 01:07:38 Vichy and Pétain on trial today Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod , and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack