The collapse of the Third Republic : an inquiry into the fall of France in 1940 / William L. Shirer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Shirer, William L. (William Lawrence), 1904-1993, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

France--History--1914-1940.

France.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (1,072 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

[Place of publication not identified] : RosettaBooks, LLC, [2014]

Summary:

The National Book Award-winning historian's "vivid and moving" eyewitness account of the fall of France to Hitler's Third Reich at the outset of WWII ( The New York Times ). As an international war correspondent and radio commentator during World War II, William L.Shirer didn't just research the fall of France. He was there. In just six weeks, he watched the Third Reich topple one of the world's oldest military powers-and institute a rule of terror and paranoia. Based on in-person conversations with the leaders, diplomats, generals, and ordinary citizens who both shaped the events and lived through them, Shirer constructs a compelling account of historical events without losing sight of the human experience. From the heroic efforts of the Freedom Fighters to the tactical military misjudgments that caused the fall and the daily realities of life for French citizens under Nazi rule, this fascinating and exhaustively documented account brings this significant episode of history to life. "This is a companion effort to Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, also voluminous but very readable, reflecting once again both Shirer's own experience and an enormous mass of historical material well digested and assimilated." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Contents:

Intro

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Contents

Foreword

Prologue

1. Debacle! Summer 1940

Book One The Rise of the Third Republic 1871-1919

2. A Freakish Birth and Early Growing Pains 1871-1891

3. The Dreyfus Affair 1894-1906

4. The Consolidation of the Republic 1880-1914

5. Classes and Conflict 1875-1914

6. The Permanent Political Crisis 1875-1914

7. The Achievements of the Third Republic 1875-1914

8. The Coming of the First World War 1905-1914

9. The Third Republic's Finest Hour 1914-1918

Book Two Illusions and Realities of Victory 1919-1934

10. Victorious France-"The Greatest Power in Europe" 1919-1931

11. Decline, I: Political and Financial Chaos, and the Poincaré Recovery 1924-1930

12. Decline, II: The Erosion of Military Power 1925-1934

13. Decline, III: The World Depression Shakes the Third Republic 1931-1934

Book Three The Last Years of the Third Republic 1934-1939

14. A Fateful Turning Point February 6, 1934

15. Aftermath: Widening of the Gulf 1934-1936

16. Coup in the Rhineland: The Last Chance to Stop Hitler and Avert a Major War March 1936

17. France Further Divided-the Front Populaire and the Spanish Civil War 1936-1937

18. Dissension and Disarray: France and the Anschluss March 1938

19. The Road to Munich, I: April 27-September 13, 1938

20. The Road to Munich, II: September 15-28, 1938

21. The Conference at Munich September 29-30, 1938

22. The Turn of Poland 1939

23. A Summer's Interlude in Paris May-July 1939

24. The Talks with Russia Summer 1939

25. On the Eve of War August 23-31, 1939

26. The Launching of World War II September 1-3, 1939

Book Four The War and The Defeat 1939-1940

27. La Drôle de Guerre September 3, 1939-April 9, 1940.

28. On the Eve: The War in Norway, the Threat to Belgium and the Crisis in Paris Spring 1940

29. The Battle of France, I: The Armies Close In May 10-15, 1940

30. The Battle of France, II: Disaster at Sedan. The Breakthrough at the Meuse May 13-16. 1940

31. The Battle of France, III: Disaster in Flanders and the Surrender of Belgium May 16-June 4, 1940

32. The Fall of Paris June 5-14, 1940

33. The Flight to Bordeaux June 11-14, 1940

34. The Agony of Bordeaux. The Fall of Reynaud. Pétain Takes Over June 14-16, 1940

35. Armistice! June 17-29, 1940

Book Five The Collapse of The third republic

36. The End at Vichy June-July 1940

Epilogue

Footnotes

Notes

Acknowledgments.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780795342493

0795342497

9780795342479

0795342470

OCLC:

1051141586