During the Great War...the poilus had won the respect and admiration of the world by their dogged courage and tenacity. in 1940, France went down like a lamb. In 1918, as the senior partner of a victorious coalition, France had seemingly settled accounts with her old German foe for a long time to come. Yet, some twenty years later, Hitler's legions were marching down the Champs-Elysées. How can one account for such a striking reversal in the fortunes of a nation? This book tries to answer that question by looking at the military, political, economic, social, demographic, intellectual, and psychological factors involved. -- From the Introduction.

Introduction:The Elan vital of France : a problem of historical perspective / John B. Wolf -- Political factor: speech at a secret session of the National Assembly, Vichy, July 10, 1940 / Pierre Laval -- Speech of October 11, 1940 / Philippe Petain -- Apologia of an integral nationalist / Charles Maurras -- Why France went to war in September, 1939 / Edouard Daladier -- The parliamentary system failed to function / Paul Reynaud -- The Communist fifth column / A. Rossi -- The Military and diplomatic factors : the war of missed opportunities / A. Goutard -- The Military collapse was European / John C. Cairns -- The Breakup of the Franco-Russian alliance / Pierre Cot -- The Intellectual, social, and psychological factors: Rationalism : Voilà l'ennemi! / Pierre Drieu la Rochelle -- The Lost generation / Jean Dutourd -- The Road to Vichy / Alexander Werth -- The French people was not decadent / Jacques Maritain -- Conclusion: A Frenchman examines his conscience / Marc Bloch.