Foreign relations of Vichy France policy of keeping 2 million French prisoners of war in Germany, effectively as hostages. Although Vichy France was nominally in control of all of France--apart from Alsace Lorraine--in practice the Germans controlled over half of the country, including the northern and western coasts, the industrial northeast, and the Paris region. The Petain government in Vichy controlled the rest until October 1942, when Germany took it all over. At that point, the Vichy regime became entirely a puppet of the German occupiers. Germany wanted food, minerals, and industrial productions, as well as volunteers to work in German factories. Vichy was allowed
Military history of France during World War II negotiate with the Vichy French governor, but if this was unsuccessful, to take the city by force. The Vichy French forces present at Dakar were led by a battleship, the "Richelieu", one of the most advanced in the French fleet. It had left Brest on the June 18 before the Germans reached it. "Richelieu" was then only about 95% complete. Before the establishment of the Vichy government, , an aircraft carrier, had been operating with the French forces in Dakar. Once the Vichy regime was in power, "Hermes" left port but remained on watch, and was joined by the Australian