page_title: French prisoners of war in World War II
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: French prisoners of war in World War II / Background
caption_attribution_description: Information added by Wikimedia users.Deutsch: Ein von der eigenen Besatzung am 16. Mai 1940 zerstörter "Char B1" Panzer mit der Kennung "Bearn II" des 37sten französischen Panzerbattalions im belgischen Beaumont. English: A french "Char B1" tank of the 37th battalion with the designation "Bearn II", after it has been destroyed by its own crew on May the 16th 1940, in Beaumont, Belgium Français&#160;: Un char B1 Bis du 37e Bataillon de Chars de Combat rataché à la 1re division cuirassée saboté par son propre équipage à Beaumont le 16 mai 1940, à l'ouest de Flavion en Belgique.
context_page_description: During World War II, the French prisoners of war were primarily soldiers from France and its colonial empire captured by Nazi Germany. Although no precise estimates exist, the number of French soldiers captured during the Battle of France between May and June 1940 is generally recognised around 1.8 million, equivalent to around 10 percent of the total adult male population of France at the time. After a brief period of captivity in France, most of the prisoners were deported to Germany. In Germany, prisoners were incarcerated in Stalag or Oflag prison camps, according to rank, but the vast majority were soon transferred to work details working in German agriculture or industry. Colonial prisoners, however, remained in camps in France with poor living conditions as a result of Nazi racial ideologies.
  During negotiations for the Armistice of 22 June 1940, the Vichy French government adopted a policy of collaboration in hopes for German concessions allowing repatriation.
context_section_description: In September 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany following the German invasion of Poland. The Anglo-French Supreme War Council decided to stay on the defensive along the border, relying on the Maginot Line in helping counter an anticipated German offensive across the German-French border. As neither side made any offensive moves, a Drôle de Guerre (Phoney War) developed as both sides stood-off along the border.
  On 10 May 1940, the Germans launched the invasion of France through neutral Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The rapid German advance, using the new Blitzkrieg doctrine, outflanked the Allied forces and advanced rapidly into France. By the end of May, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg had surrendered and the British were evacuating their forces from Dunkirk. In total, around 100,000 French soldiers were killed in action. German forces reached Paris on 14 June. The trauma from the German victories caused a period of division within the government of the Third Republic. German commanders finally met with French officials on 18 June who sought a cessation of hostilities, with the goal being an armistice with Germany. Chief among the new government leaders was the new Prime Minister, Marshal Philippe Pétain, a French war hero of World War I and often known simply as "The Marshal" (Le Maréchal).
  On 22 June, the Second Armistice at Compiègne was signed between France and Germany ending hostilities. Northern and western France was placed under German occupation, while Alsace-Lorraine was placed under direct German administration, in essence  becoming a  de facto part of Germany although it was never formally annexed. Italy would occupy its own zone in the southeast, with the rest of Metropolitan France being an unoccupied zone, the zone libre. The armistice called for the whole of Metropolitan France except Alsace-Lorraine to be governed by the newly formed Vichy government (État Français) led by Pétain, although in practice Pétain's authority in the occupied zones was very limited.  Vichy was nominally independent, and still controlled French overseas colonies, but in practice was essentially a German client state.
caption: A French Char B1 tank destroyed during the fighting in May 1940
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