General Philippe Pétain

Philippe Pétain was a French military leader and politician, most known for leading France during World War I, notably at the Battle of Verdun, where he gained respect for his leadership. However, during World War II, he became the head of the Vichy government—a collaborationist regime that governed southern France after Germany occupied the north. His government collaborated with Nazi Germany and implemented policies that included repression and deportation of Jews. After the war, Pétain was tried for treason, convicted, and sentenced to death, though his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment due to his age and war service.