The French Resistance 1940-1945

This discussion-based course will explore the origins, development, and legacy of the Resistance during the Nazi occupation of France in World War II. Through a combination of short texts and documentary films, students will examine how ordinary citizens—students, workers, clergy, and intellectuals—organized clandestine networks to oppose Nazi occupation and the Vichy regime. We will also examine how non-combatants found unique ways to resist. Topics will include early resistance efforts, the role of women and immigrant fighters, the relationship between the Resistance and the Allies, and the liberation of France. We will also investigate how the Resistance has been remembered and mythologized in French national identity. Students will gain a nuanced understanding of resistance as both a moral stance and a practical struggle, and how its legacy continues to shape debates about patriotism, collaboration, and civil disobedience.

Required Reading: Jean Bruller, The Silence of the Sea (Le Silence de la Mer), ISBN  978-1350106239.

Bill VanderWolk is a retired professor of French at Bowdoin College where he taught many courses dealing with French literature of World War II, including a senior seminar entitled, “Resistance, Revolt and Revolution.”