France divided as Armistice signed

22nd June 1940: A temporary agreement - that will last five years - leaves France at the mercy of the German occupiers

Jun 22, 2025

∙ Paid

Alfred Jodl, Wehrmacht Chief of Staff, (on the right) in the Compiegne railway carriage on 22nd June 1940

On 21st June 1940 Hitler had peremptorily left the railway carriage at Compiegne in a deliberate slight to the French delegation. He left Wilhelm Keitel, Chief of the Wehrmacht, and Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff, to continue discussions with the French…

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