Who was Chief of State of Vichy France from 1940 to 1944, he was sentenced to death for collaboration but the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment?
Vichy France put on trial for treason by the new Provisional government, and received a death sentence, but this was commuted to life imprisonment by de Gaulle. Only four senior Vichy officials were tried for crimes against humanity, although many more had participated in the deportation of Jews for internment in Nazi concentration camps, abuses of prisoners, and severe acts against members of the Resistance. In 1940, Marshal Pétain was known as a First World War hero, the victor of the battle of Verdun. As the last premier of the Third Republic, being a reactionary by inclination, he blamed the Third Republic's
Jacques Benoist-Méchin triumvirate to administer Vichy France but the plan came to nothing. He was arrested in September 1944 for his role as collaborator. His trial began on 9 May 1947 before the High Court of Justice. He was accused of tactical and strategic collaboration with the enemy. On 6 June, Benoist-Méchin was sentenced to death and "indignité nationale". He was pardoned on July 30 by President Vincent Auriol and on 6 August his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and later to 20 years. He benefited from a remission of sentence 24 September 1953 and was released on parole in