The Nazi Occupation of France began in June 1940 after Germany defeated French forces in World War II. The country was divided into two zones: the occupied zone in the north and the unoccupied zone in the south, known as the Vichy regime. The occupation led to strict control over the French population, including censorship, forced labor, and the persecution of Jews and other groups. Resistance movements emerged throughout France, with individuals and groups working to undermine the Nazi regime. The occupation lasted until the Allied liberation in 1944, which marked the end of Nazi control and the restoration of French sovereignty.