Dan Snow's History Hit

Marshal Pétain: Hero or Traitor?

Marshal Pétain emerged from the First World War as a French national hero. His defence of Verdun had set him on course to become one of France's most venerated commanders. But by 1945 the Marshal was on trial for treason, having collaborated with Nazi Germany as the head of the Vichy regime. Dan is joined by Julian Jackson, author of the Pol Roger Duff Cooper Prize-winning book 'France on Trial: The Case of Marshal Pétain'. Julian explains how Marshal Pétain went from the hero of Verdun to the traitor of Vichy, and why his trial remains divisive eight decades later. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW - sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://historyhit.com/subscription/</a>. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:ds.hh@historyhit.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ds.hh@historyhit.com</a>. You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.

Historian Dan Snow investigates the 'how' and 'why' of history's defining moments. From the Colosseum of Ancient Rome and the battlefields of Waterloo to the tomb of Tutankhamun, Dan journeys across the globe to share the greatest stories from the past that help us understand the present. New episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You can get in touch with us at <a href="mailto:ds.hh@historyhit.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ds.hh@historyhit.com</a> A podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts The Ancients, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</a>.