The Riviera at War

During World War II three distinct forces opposed the Allies - Germany, Italy, and Japan. Few areas of the world experienced domination by more than a single one of these, but southeastern France - the region popularly known as the Riviera or Cote d'Azur - was one. Not only did inhabitants suffer through Italian Fascism and German Nazism but also under a third hardship at times even more oppressive - the rule of Vichy France. Following a nine-month prelude, the reality of World War II burst onto the Riviera in June 1940 when the region had to defend itself against the Italian army and ended in April 1945 with a battle against German and Italian forces in April 1945, a period longer than any other part of France. In this book, George G. Kundahl tells for the first time the full story of World War II on the French Riviera. Featuring previously unseen sources and photographs, this will be essential reading for anyone interested in wartime France.

George G. Kundahl was, until his retirement, a Major General in the U.S. Army. He is the author of Confederate Engineer: Training and Campaigning with John Morris Wampler (2000), Alexandria Goes to War: Beyond Robert E. Lee (2004) and The Bravest of the Brave: The Correspondence of Stephen Dodson Ramseur (2010). He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Alabama, USA and has been resident on the French Riviera for many years.