Munoz, Antonio J. Hitler's War Against the French Resistance 1940-1944

In 1941, a year after France's formal surrender, Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French Forces, appointed Jean Moulin as coordinator of the various resistance movements that had formed throughout France. His task was to forge the diverse and often fragmented resistance groups into a more cohesive organization. He succeeded in uniting various resistance factions under the umbrella of the National Council of the Resistance (CNR), a crucial step in forming a united front against the German occupiers and the Vichy regime in France. From the beginning of the occupation, the Germans were aware that resistance to their rule was inevitable. Therefore, they sought total control over France, not only through the German forces stationed in the country, but also through the entire Nazi security apparatus. From 1941 onward, the Germans faced increasingly frequent and devastating resistance actions, which, in addition to reconnaissance and counter-espionage, required raids and smaller-scale operations. The intensity of partisan attacks increased significantly again in 1942. Resistance intensified further in 1943. At this time, the partisans specifically targeted local German garrisons and collaborationist forces in rural France. By early 1944, the Résistance, also known as the Maquis, was acting with increasing boldness and established so-called Free French Republics in various regions of the country. Based on primary sources from various archives, author Antonio Muñoz has written a one-volume study that comprehensively presents the partisan and anti-partisan struggle in France from 1940 to 1944. "Hitler's War Against the French Resistance 1940-1944" is a reference work for anyone interested in the guerrilla and anti-guerrilla warfare of the Second World War.