Waubonsee Community College

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

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 997-1010)

maps

index present

non fiction

The collapse of the Third Republic

bibliography

27405

by William L. Shirer

an inquiry into the fall of France in 1940

After setting the stage with a look at the founding of the Republic in 1871, describes the political, social, and religious divisions in the country, the "Maginot Line complex" growing out of military trust in a defensive war, and the deleterious effect of the tragedy of World War I

Foreword -- Prologue -- Debacle! summer 1940 -- Book One: The rise fo the Third Republic, 1871-1919 -- A freakish birth and early growing pains 1871-1891 -- The Dreyfus affair 1894-1906 -- The consolidation of the Republic 1880-1914 -- Classes and conflict 1875-1914 -- The permanent political crisis 1875-1914 -- The achievements of the Third Republic 1875-1914 -- The coming of the first world war 1905-1914 -- The Third Republic's finest hour 1914-1918 -- Book Two: Illusions and realities of victory, 1919-1934 -- Victorious France: "the greatest power in Europe" 1919-1931 -- Decline I: political and financial chaos, and the Poincaré recovery 1924-1930 -- Decline II: the erosion of military power 1925-1934 -- Decline III: the world depression shakes the Third Republic 1931-1934 -- Book Three: The last years of the Republic, 1934-1939 -- A fateful turning point February 6, 1934 -- Aftermath: widening of the gulf 1934-1936 -- Coup in the Rhineland: the last chance to stop Hitler and avert a major war March 1936 -- France further divided, the front populaire and the Spanish Civil War 1936-1937 -- Dissension and disarray: France and the anschluss March 1938 -- The road to Munich I: April 27-September 13, 1938 -- The road to Munich II: September 15-28, 1938 -- The conference at Munich September 29-30, 1938 -- The turn of Poland 1939 -- A summer's interlude in Paris May-July 1939 -- The talks with Russia Summer 1939 -- The launching of World War II September 1-3, 1939 -- Book Four: The war and the defeat, 1939-1940 -- La Dróle de Guerre September 3, 1939-April 9, 1940 -- On the eve: the war in Norway, the threat to Belgium and the crisis in Paris Spring 1940 -- The battle of France I: The armies close in May 10-15, 1940 -- The battle of France II: disaster at Sedan, the breakthrough at the Meuse May 13-16, 1940 -- The battle of France III: disaster in Flanders and the surrender of Belgium May 16-June 4, 1940The fall of Paris June 5-14, 1940 -- The flight to Bordeaux June 11-14, 1940 -- The agony of Bordeaux, the fall of Reynaud, Pétain takes over June 14-16, 1940 -- Armistice! June 17-29, 1940 -- Book Five: The collapse of the Third Republic -- The end at Vichy June-July 1940 -- Epilogue