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Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Something not discussed much: The joys of French collaboration with the Germans

In 1943, more books were published in France than in either the United States or Britain.

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Scherl: Beim Bummel durch Paris. - Deutsche Soldaten fragen ein paar junge M‰dels nach dem Weg. PK - Boesig - Scherl Bilderdienst 8020-40 "Fr." OKW Juni 1940
Scherl: Beim Bummel durch Paris. - Deutsche Soldaten fragen ein paar junge M‰dels nach dem Weg. PK - Boesig - Scherl Bilderdienst 8020-40 "Fr." OKW Juni 1940
Scherl: Beim Bummel durch Paris. - Deutsche Soldaten fragen ein paar junge M‰dels nach dem Weg. PK - Boesig - Scherl Bilderdienst 8020-40 "Fr." OKW Juni 1940

 

 

Interesting fact: In 1943, more books were published in France than in either the United States or Britain. “The German system of control depended heavily on French self-censorship,” Cora Sol Goldstein writes in an essay in the October issue of the Journal of Military History.

Another interesting fact: “There are no records of even a single French policeman refusing to follow the order to round up French Jews.”

Photo credit: By Bild Bundesarchiv/Wikipedia Commons

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1
Tags: France, Germany, Military

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