The Pétain marshal is named President of the Council on June 16, 1940 in the night. The old marshal estimates that the only possibility for France is to require an armistice following the defeat of the French Armies during the countryside of France and the retirement of Dunkirk.

In the evening of June 17, it addresses a message to the French in whom it announces that its government requested from the Germans the conditions of an armistice. The Germans accept these requests. The two delegations meet on June 21, 1940 in Rethondes, where the armistice of 1918 was signed. The Germans give the conditions which the French must accept under penalty of resumption of the hostilities. The text specifies that France will be separate into two. In north, a zone occupied by the German army, at the south, a free zone. France will have to finance the presence of the German year in the country. The army will be reduced to 100 000 men. The fleet will be demobilized and will have to be maintained in its home ports. French aviation will be also demobilized. " the French Government is held to deliver on request all the German nationals designated by the government of Reich and who are in France " (Article 19 al.2). This clause touches primarily the Germans who fled the Nazi Germany.
After some very slight negotiations, the clauses are accepted on June 22. The armistice is signed. The question of the prisoners of war, that Pétain considered to be significant, is given to the signature of peace. June 23, an armistice is also signed with Italy, in war against France since June 10.
August 28: Basing itself on article 19 of the convention of armistice, Reich claims in Vichy the handing-over of Germans interned in the camps of free zone.

As of June 18, General de Gaulle protested against this armistice. He will launch, of Londre, a convainquant call to all the French.

Little heard the very same day, this call throws the bases of French resistance and the constitution of the free Forces French.

The call of June 18

June 18, 1940, General de Gaulle addresses especially to the soldiers and to the governors of the colonies: he asks them to resist in the colonies or to join it in London.

Extract of the call of June 18, 1940: [... ] " Me, General de Gaulle, currently in London, I invite the officers and the French soldiers who are in British territory or who have suddenly been there, with their weapons or without their weapons, I invite the engineers and the workmen specialists in industries of armament which are in British territory or which have suddenly been there, to contact with me. No matter what it arrives, the flame of French resistance should not die out and will not die out. Tomorrow like today, I will speak with the Radio about London."

Ch. de Gaulle