Phillip LeBel

Jackson provides a thorough examination of the French trial of Philippe Petain and other key French figures in the Vichy regime. At the time of the trial in 1945, attention as to the significance of Petain and Vichy would be overshadowed by the Nuremburg and Tokyo trials, what is instructive is how French citizens would come to terms with the defeat and armistice of 1940, and its significance for efforts to restore a sense of political legitimacy. While the focus us on Petain, the role of Pierre Laval and defeatists of the 1930’s would cast a shadow to the collaboration and recriminations of Vichy under Petain. All in all, a thoroughly well researched book of value to historical revisionist controversies today.