To justify the Vichy ideology of the Révolution nationale ("national revolution"), Pétain needed a radical break with the Republic, and during his radio speeches the entire French Third Republic era was always painted in the blackest of colours, a time of la décadence ("decadence") when the French people were alleged to have suffered moral degeneration and decline.
Untuk menjustifikasi ideologi Vichy dari Révolution nationale ("revolusi nasional"), Pétain membutuhkan istirahat radikal dengan Republik, dan selama pidatonya di radio, seluruh era Republik Ketiga Prancis selalu dilukis dengan warna paling gelap, masa la décadence ("decadence") ketika orang-orang Prancis dituduh menderita kemunduran moral dan kemerosotan.