This Day in History: 15 October 2020
15 October 1945
75 years ago, today, the leader of Nazi-occupied Vichy France, Pierre Laval, was executed by the firing squad for treason against France. Laval had originally been a deputy and senator of pacifist tendencies but shifted to the right in in the 1930s when he was acting as minister of foreign affairs. He had delayed the Soviet-Franco pact of 1935 due to his anti-communist views and wanted to align France instead with Fascist Italy. In 1940, with the German invasion, he used his influence to force an armistice. In the new Vichy state, Laval was dismissed as the minister of state after negotiating privately with Germany.
By 1942, Laval won the trust of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. As the premier of Vichy France, Laval collaborated with the Nazi programs of oppression and genocide, transforming into Hitler's puppet. After France was liberated by the Allies, he was forced to flee east for German protection. Once Germany was defeated in May 1945, he fled to many countries but finally surrendered to American authorities in late July. Laval was convicted of treason by the High Court of Justice and condemned to death. He attempted suicide by poison but was nursed back to health for his execution.
Want to find out more about Pierre Laval? Click here for more information, or here for a video about his execution.
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