Robert O. Paxton's classic study of the aftermath of France's sudden collapse under Nazi invasion utilizes captured German archives and other contemporary materials to construct a strong and disturbing account of the Vichy period in France. With a new introduction and updated bibliography; Vichy France demonstrates that the collaborationist government of Marshal Pétain did far more than merely react to German pressures. The Vichy leaders actively pursued their own double agenda―internally; the authoritarian and racist "national revolution;" and; externally; an attempt to persuade Hitler to accept this new France as a partner in his new Europe.
#1263561 in Books 1998-10-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x 1.39 x 5.50l; 1.48 #File Name: 0231103352360 pages
Review
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Some good information but not neutralBy CustomerThis book on the Hindu nationalist movements contains a lot of factual information. Unfortunately it is also marred by a less than neutral attitude and bias. He would be in serious trouble if he would give the same treatment to any other community (like the Muslims for example). Seth Frantzman's review describes it very clearly. The author Christophe Jaffrelot has been criticized as being biased against Hindu culture/nationlism and for "Nehruvian prejudice"; while turning a blind eye to Islamic or Christian fundamentalism; but unlike many similar writers; he is at least knowledgeable. For a study and introduction on Hindu nationalism I'd rather recommend Koenraad's Elst 650 pages work "Decolonizing the Hindu Mind". For specific topics on Hindu nationalism; the works of Arun Shourie; Sita Ram Goel; Harsh Narain and Ram Swarup are highly recommended.10 of 13 people found the following review helpful. An interesting exploration of nationalism in IndiaBy JFThis was part of required readings for one of my university courses on India. It provides a great deal of information for discussion for scholars and those interested in South Asia. The RSS; BJP; Jana Sangh; VHP; and Janata Party are all discussed; as well as key issues such as the temple/mosque contreversy in Ayodhya; and cow protection movement in Madhya Pradesh. Jaffrelot draws upon classic social science literature; including books by Peter van der Veer; Victor Turner; Paul Brass; and Benedict Anderson. In all; a good source for understanding some of the issues surrounding Hindu nationalism in India; but should be placed into a broader context (read some of the books by the authors listed above; for example) for complete understanding.11 of 24 people found the following review helpful. A corrective to bsastry@uclaBy A CustomerThis work is an instrumental and precise review of the rise of fascistic movements in the formation of the Indian state. Groups like the RSS; which can be collectively brought under the umbrella moniker; "Sangh Combine"; continue to operate today with the strength of other groups like the VHP ever increasing. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the current Hindu nationalist party in power in India; and represents the kinder; gentler; more compromising face of Hindu nationalism that has fascistic groups like the RSS and VHP controlling them behind the scenes. The particular danger of supporting bsastry's views are that they play into the RSS's hands. The RSS has been particularly effective in states like Maharashtra; and the same involvement in education he is talking about has to do with the manipulation of childrens' educations to raise new Hindu nationalists. These textbooks are particularly instructive in demonstrating how children are brought up to think of Muslims as "others"; with word problems and demonstrations often comparing productive people with Hindu names with lazy and slow people with distinctly Muslim names. Poems children recite in school smack of Nazi-type nationalist language that picks out images like "Mother India (Bhaarat Maataa)" as the national goddess (a particularly "Hindu" image). Gandhi has been wiped out of textbooks in this state completely (an RSS member assassinated him for "pandering to Muslims"); and the RSS continues to think that was a good decision. This is a very complicated topic to deal with in a book review; but Dr. Jaffrelot's dissertation is a brilliantly written analysis of how this movement has paced along in the past 75 years. Indeed; Hindu nationalism has been part of the formation of the Indian state from at least the 1870's; and rests heavily on colonialist discourse about Hinduism as a unified tradition; and of "Hindu" scriptures like the Vedas as India's original religion. The search for origins has much more to do with 'othering' minority groups--in this case Muslims--and putting forth a nationalist agenda that attempts to 'protect threatened majorities' from 'unfair' quotas for minorities. Hindutva is not a call to true 'Indian-ness'; but rather a particular rhetoric for putting forth fascistic ideas in a democratic state. I encourage anyone looking into this topic seriously to read Achin Vanaik's "The Furies of Indian Communalism" (London: Vasco Inc.(?)); a Marxist critique of the possibilities of Indian fascism and the resetting of a sane picture of Indian politics wrested from these nationalists; traditionalists; and subalternists. Jaffrelot's work is seminal and important for evaluating the history and current development of post-colonial formations of religion in politics in India.
