The Resistance: The French Fight Against the Nazis

If you’re looking for research material on the French Resistance or simply would love to learn the details of their operations, “The Resistance” is a perfect read for this purpose. It’s very detailed, includes multiple witnesses’ accounts, historical speeches, and documents. The photographs were also a very nice addition to the narration and helped me better visualize everything that was taking place. Separate stories told by (or about) different participants were also incredibly fascinating. Each chapter deals with a separate period of time and stage of the movement’s development: the birth of the very first clandestine newspapers, first sabotage operations, the SOE involvement, the Maquis, the liberation, the aftermath, and many more. What I also highly appreciated about this book is that it was purely historical, presenting the facts and historical accounts for a reader to judge for themselves who was the hero, who was the villain, and who was a simple opportunist. A true must-read for all WWII history lovers - I really can’t recommend it enough!

A well researched study, written with a genuine sympathy for the brave men and women of France who refused to go with the edicts of Vichy. The tension among the various groups of resistants of different political aspiration is analyzed with great acuity. The portrait of Jean Moulin, an almost mythical figure in the annals of the resistance, and a strong administrator with clear views for the future of a victorious France, is right on the mark. The author does not spare Charles de Gaulle, sometimes too imbued of his persona of the great liberator of France to understand the dire and complex situation faced by the resistance. This is a must read for anyone who wishes to learn about the heroic deeds of the French resistance.

I thought it was an informative and interesting read. I learned a lot of things I didn't know before. I had a bit of difficulty following who all the players were but did manage to sort things out and figure out who were the forces for good. It was interesting because I didn't know that France was divided into two parts during the war. The North was governed by the Vichy government who were collaborators with the Nazis. A lot of brave people suffered and died to fight against the Nazis. It changed my mind about the French people as I had mistakenly believed that ALL the French people had collaborated with the Nazis and this wasn't true. It also was illuminating to read about Charles De Gaulle as I didn't know his story before and the impact he had on the way France was governed and run after the war.

Very interesting and informative book about the French Resistance. And an entire chapter about the contributions of the Maquis. Excellent bibliography. Highly recommend this book.

I just came back from France and enjoyed reading about the deeds of so many unsung heroes. The French nation has been the brunt of so many WW2 jokes, but they are undeserved.

Ordered for my son-in-law for Christmas and he's very much enjoying it!

Fabulous..... Painstakingly researched , even-handed & dripping with poignancy . A great book about the French Resistance has long been overdue. It h now arrived.

Book was very informative and well written. Enjoyed it very much.

When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.Anybody familiar with the film, 'The Man who shot Liberty Valance,' will remember that famous quip.It could equally apply to the French Resistance. Charting their history from France's humiliating defeat at the hands of the German in 1940 ( a six week campaign that stunned the world) we learn of the total paralysis that struck France, a nation unable to comprehend the disaster that befell it.As antipathy is replaced by defiance, we learn of the Resistance in its infancy, and how it struggled to get off the ground. In fact, many people considered it a nuisance, pinprick attacks that had no real military impact, but brought crushing retribution from the German occupiers in return.As the tides of war shifted against Germany, and forced labour acts were met by defiance from the French, the resistance bloomed.By liberation day in 1944, every man and his dog was claiming resistance membership, much to the annoyance of those who had fought alone, and had been dismissed as fools, for years.It is at this moment that Cobb earns his salt - separating fact from fiction, myths from reality.As a primer to a crucial chapter of French history, this book is first class.

This was too stolid a retelling for my tastes. It focused more on the political situation surrounding the French Resistance than the acts of resistance. That might float someone else's boat, but it left me a bit cold. Even when Mr Cobb described the action, it was dull and lacked any tension.This would be a better book if it was written less as a lecture and more as a series of stories. I realised it's a factual book, but that doesn't mean it has to be dull. Simple things like shorter sentences and using active instead of passive voice would make a huge difference.I also bumped up against a couple of inaccuracies that jarred for me. Basic things like the author stating the Battle of Britain had not yet begun by 31 July 1940 and wrongly referring to D-Day as Operation Overload instead of Overlord, not once but twice. It made me wonder what else was incorrect. Mr Cobb's habit of repeatedly calling the German army "Nazi soldiers" at the same time as explicitly stating that the rank and file were generally not Nazis, just soldiers following orders also bothered me.It's not a bad book, but it's not as interesting as a book about this fascinating slice of history should be.As an aside, I read the Kindle edition and the book itself finishes at 58%. The rest of the space is taken up with the glossary, bibliography, further reading, notes and a list of people and what happened to them. It made the book seem very slow going.

In 2013 the author published a memorable account of the liberation of Paris in August 1944. This earlier book covers the four long years that preceded those eleven dramatic days. The French Resistance is the subject of a vast amount of literature, of all kinds. It’s hard to know where to begin. I would suggest here with Matthew Cobb’s account.The catastrophe of May 1940, the death of the third Republic, German occupation and the birth of Vichy. The old political formations were swept away. A new term entered the language – collaboration.Resistance at first fragmented, hesitant and weak. A friend meets a friend for a drink, a third joins them – they put their glasses down and decide they need to “do something”. Just type up a leaflet or scrawl a slogan. A group of young lycee students make a noise on Bastille Day, ruffle feathers. Some are imprisoned in Lyons, one is shot in Lille. Organization improves - secrecy and caution adopted but actions bolder taken. Things are getting tougher for everyone – rationing, forced labour, petty and not so petty humiliations. A big strike in the mines northern France shows it’s not impossible.So it goes. Hundreds of different groups emerge, are broken, reunite, link up. The invasion of the Soviet Union brings in the experience of the Communists, who find they can work with the people they hated in the 30s. Railway lines are blown up, Nazis assassinated, British pilots smuggled home. In turn the Allies – with the USA in the mix after 41– drop weapons and spies in return for intelligence. De Gaulle is a potent figurehead. Stalingrad. They know they will win now. Sabotage and terrible reprisals. Thinking of what comes after – when it’s over – planning a new France, a better world. D-Day. Insurrection. Paris rises. The Nazis return east.Cobb gives us a riveting account. The big questions are covered. The failure to protect Jewish people is discussed. The attitude of the Allies, the attitude of De Gaulle. He looks at the divisions within this kaleidoscope of resisters. Sometimes old scores were settled; there were traitors within their ranks; justice was summary and decisive. And of course – did these brave men and women make a difference ?A final chapter shows how the Resistance became historical “fact” and potent “myth”. What happened to its soul? Did the sharing of fear and sacrifice, of betrayal and triumph, of brotherhood and sisterhood - did it survive or did they all return to the shadows? The author is not an academic historian – a noted zoologist, in fact – but he sifts a huge amount of historiography and memoir, modern analyses, discoveries and debates: notes account for almost half the text.A central paradox is that for those who survived the struggle was the happiest time of their lives. Matthew Cobb, weaving his account with the threads of individual heroes and heroines, explains why.* Note the kindle edition does not contain photographs.

This is a first rate read. Like many complacent British people, my belief was that the French Resistance was a case of too little too late and that many French people were decidedly cynical about the German Occupation and looked after themselves and did precious little to help the Jews in their midst. Certainly some French people do merit that blame but this book in a scholarly and well balanced way sets the record straight, emphasising the great difficulty that many ordinary French people had in knowing what to do once the Germans took over and the very great dangers to which anyone who dared to challenge the Occupation exposed themselves to not only from the Nazis from the collaborative Vichyites. The account is rent with the inveterate French tendency to factionalism among the Resistance workers but also their huge heroism and readiness to face horror and death. This is a very moving testimony to a terrible time in the history of France.

Over the years there have been very few works of factual literature that have captured my imagination and intelect in the way this book has. Though a work documenting historical events, it is so well researched and written that it reads like the very finest novel. I just could not put it down, often to the point of losing hours of sleep because I just had to know what happened next. If you have any political or military heroes from this period (Roosevelt, Churchill, DeGaulle) then I,m affraid this book will begin to open your eyes as to the self serving perfidity of such men even in these days, its not a phenomenon confined to contempory political and senior military leaders. As to those within the resistance, maquis and a large number of ordinary people in the occupied countries who helped and risked all, their courage and self sacrifice shines like a beacon from the pages and I can only wonder how few of us today would show such bravery in such terrible circumstances. A magnificent book by an inspired author. Very highly recommended.