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Etat français

The Etat français, or French State, refers to the political entity established by Marshal Philippe Pétain after the fall of the French Third Republic during World War II. It existed from the signing of the armistice in June 1940 until the liberation of France in August 1944. Pétain's government, based in the city of Vichy, colluded with the Nazi regime and is often referred to as the Vichy regime. Today, it carries a symbol of national shame in France due to its collaboration with the Nazis and the role it played in the deportations of Jews and other "undesirable" populations to concentration camps.