In the Footsteps of Vichy France: Lessons for Contemporary America

“Is this America’s Vichy Moment?

Richard J. Golsan argues the demise of French democracy in 1940 holds important lessons for Americans grappling with the realities of life under Donald Trump.

“For the historian of modern France and Vichy and World War II in particular, the situation in the
United States today calls to mind a number of disturbing comparisons with France during the so-
called “Dark Years” of 1940 to 1944.
At first glance, this statement seems outlandish, not to say outrageous. For starters, the United
States has not experienced a staggering military defeat and the occupation of part of its country
by a foreign power, as did France in summer 1940. Nor has the United States been forced to
accept a humiliating peace with its conqueror, including the concession of assets and the
impoverishment of its people.
The United States has also not (yet?) witnessed the suicide of its democracy, which did occur in
France in July 1940, when the National Assembly voted itself out of existence, giving pleins
pouvoirs, ‘ full powers’ to the new Head of the Etat Français, the ‘French State’ Marshal Philippe
Pétain.“

Richard J. Golsan

For the UC Riverside Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Fall 2025 quarter, I will be presenting the course: “In the Footsteps of Vichy France: Lessons for Contemporary America. Lecturing at both the UC Riverside and Palm Center campuses, these classes will mark my 36th and 37th academic offerings in 23 subject areas.

You will find the Fall 2025 link here:

https://olli.ucr.edu/ucrolli/category/category.aspx?fbclid=IwY2xjawMZzshleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFzbDE1TFNPOWNwbTdIRFUzAR6AEcyKraSqnTN9G1dSnQdygrH3p16YeRXDpfkHEetDzcQ3QgGE_McvcoxfdQ_aem_ecsfoSWWqWuQKFxUV-RCog