French Literature Reviews - 2026

B. Vergez-Chaignon, Les Français dans la guerre. Archives du quotidien, 1940-1945
History, Politics and Society

Upon opening this book, one is immediately greeted by an anonymous crowd saluting Marshal Pétain, who is instantly recognizable. Who are these people? They are French citizens filled with hope yet enduring a seemingly endless war day after day. Due to shortages, people travel by bicycle or on foot, and observe the curfew. There is no longer any sugar, butter, or eggs.
And while propaganda posters present the pleasant image of a housewife, mother of a large family, fulfilled by a happy husband, daily life remains difficult, hampered by numerous restrictions and the constant threat of repression. Here, in full color, are these five years of war, brought to life through original documents and previously unpublished or lesser-known photographs that capture every detail of this history—from the trauma of defeat to victory and the return to normal life.

The daily experience of civilians during the Second World War forms a central area of historical inquiry within modern French studies, focusing on how populations navigated the profound disruptions of occupation, shortages, and state propaganda. Scholars in this field examine the material conditions of survival, rationing, and the pervasive climate of surveillance and repression under the Vichy regime. By turning away from battlefield narratives to center on the lived realities of ordinary citizens, this literature illuminates the social fabric and psychological landscape of a nation divided between hope, endurance, and the trauma of defeat. Readers interested in the social history of occupied France and the visual archives of the Second World War may find it relevant.