Description: Olivier Wieviorka's history of the French Resistance debunks lingering myths and offers fresh insight into social, political, and military aspects of its operation. He reveals not one but many interlocking homegrown groups often at odds over goals, methods, and leadership. Yet, despite a lack of unity, these fighters braved Nazism without blinking.
Brief description: Olivier Wieviorka is Professor of History at the École Normale Supérieure de Cachan.
Review Quotes: Wieviorka brings important insights into a critical and often misunderstood topic. Going beyond the myths and partisanship surrounding the Resistance, and World War II more generally, this book will help set the tone for future work on the period.--Michael S. Neiberg, author of The Blood of Free Men: The Liberation of Paris, 1944