Vichy France
Ideology: Third Alternative
Ruling Party: National Popular Party (RNP)
Head of State: Philip Pétain
Capital: Vichy
International Status: Semi-Autonomous Satellite Regime of the German Reich
Vichy France, also known as the 'French State' was formally established in the summer of 1940 following the defeat of French forces to the German military. The semi-autonomous authoritarian state encompassed the southern half of France, labeled after a small aristocratic town sharing the same name, whilst German forces occupied the north as a precautionary measure considering Great Britain was not far from the northern coastline. Vichy France was ruled by the legendary field marshal of the Great War Philip Pétain, better known by his famous moniker "The Lion of Verdun". The region surprisingly enjoyed a significant level of autonomy as a result of France's rather quick request for peace when at war with the Germans. The French State was even permitted to maintain control of most of the French Empire's colonies. Following the armistice with England in late 1945, Hitler still remained skeptical as to the safest way toward handling the situation with France. He feared the idea that if he unified France that the country may rise against Germany in the future, among the other possibilities of potential enemy forces mobilizing within the country to strike the Reich. With circumstances still uncertain, Hitler pursued the idea of establishing a separate puppet regime in the north of France as to maintain stability and security, placing Jacques Doroit of the French Popular Party as its head of state. Of course, Hitler knew this could only be a temporary solution as nationalistic sentiment among the French populace continues to rise, along with the uncertainty regarding the future of the Vichy regime's aging and ailing leader Marshal Pétain, the only one effectively capable of maintaining peace amongst the growing number of dissatisfied citizens actively demanding the rightful unification of the French state as a whole. It has become obvious that this matter will have to be resolved soon before the situation inevitabley escalates towards total civil strife...