Trial
Tried before the French High Court at Riom for the French defeat
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1942 in France
Explore 39 historical events and records for France in 1942.
Historical records for France in 1942
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 39 of 39 unique records.
39Unique records
1 of 1Page
29Named events on this page
14Named people on this page
6Places on this page
February
Arrest of Edouard Daladier
Interned by the Vichy Government & tried for betraying his country
Exile of Edouard Daladier
Deported to Germany & held there until the end of the war
Vichy Government
Interned by the Vichy Government & tried for betraying his country
April
Capture of Konigstein
Escapes from Konigstein, becomes an national hero in France
June
Fighting France
Holds a rally in the Albert Hall in front of 10,000 French who sing the "Marseillaise"
July
Fighting France
Announces on Bastille Day that his movement will be known as "Fighting France"
August
Collaboration
Laval proclaims on that he," hoped for German victory because without it tomorrow Bolshevism will be everywhere". Laval goes on the radio to announce la Releve , under which the Germans agree to free one French prisoner for every three French workers who volunteer for work in Germany
November
General
Appoints Legentilhomme High Commissioner of Madagascar
Operation Ironclad
Agrees with Britain to appoint Legentilhomme High Commissioner of Madagascar
Political Support at Vichy Government
France fully supports the Allies after the German occupation of Vichy France
Suez Canal
Welcomes Allied gains in North Africa as strengthening the Allied position in the Mediterranean and the approaches to Suez.
December
Assassination of Jean Francois Darlan
Assassination of the Vichy leader in north Africa
Death of Jean Francois Darlan
Death of Jean Francois Darlan, assassinated
Vichy Government
Assassination of the Vichy leader in north Africa
Other events (month unknown)
Armee Secrete
Forms the Armee Secrete, a nucleus for the French uprising at the Liberation
Arrest of Jean Francois Darlan
Captured by the Allies & transfers allegiance to the Allies
Arrest of Paul Reynaud
Imprisoned by the Germans
Arrest of Pierre Laval
Released from prison under Hitler's orders
Chief of Staff
Appointed Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
Appointed Chief of Staff
Commander of Free French
Appointed Commander of the Free French in the Levant
Commander of Free French
Appointed Commander of the Free French in the Levant
Free French
Appointed Commander of the Free French in the Levant
Free French
Appointed Commander of the Free French in the Levant
Free French
Submits plans to the British for the succesful Free French invasion of Madagascar
Government
Raises an army for Hitler & allows deportation to Germany for forced Labour. Leads a German puppet Government
Invasion of Madagascar
Submits plans to the British for the succesful Free French invasion of Madagascar
Les Visiteurs du soir
Directs Les Visiteurs du soir.
Prime Minister of France
Appointed Prime Minister of France, 2nd term
Prime Minister of France
Appointed Prime Minister of France, 2nd term
Recognition of As head of French north Africa by
Recognized as head of French north Africa by Eisenhower to gain French co-operation
The Myth of Sisyphus
Camus publishes The Myth of Sisyphus, developing his philosophy of the absurd.
The Stranger
Camus publishes The Stranger, a novel centred on alienation, judgment and absurdity.
The Structure of Behavior
Merleau-Ponty publishes The Structure of Behavior, connecting phenomenology with psychology and biology.
Trial
Trials held by the Vichy Government of those responsible for the 1940 French collapse
Trial
Blum & Daladier expose the trials & Vichy France loses American support
Vichy Government
Trials held by the Vichy Government of those responsible for the 1940 French collapse
Water and Dreams
Bachelard publishes Water and Dreams, extending his philosophical study of poetic imagination.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.