Défense de la France

Défense de la France is the name given to a group of the French Resistance during the Second World War.

The September 30, 1943 issue of Défense de la France

Essentially developed in the Northern Zone, Défense de la France distinguishes itself by an activity centred on the distribution of a clandestine newspaper created in August 1941 by a group of Parisian students, of the Christian faith. Philippe Viannay was the founder of it and the main editor. With a circulation of 450 000 in January 1944, it represented the largest circulation out of the whole clandestine press.

The niece of Charles de Gaulle, Geneviève, known later under the name of Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz was part of the founding group of the movement.

The newspaper denounced the attacks and actions of the army up until 1942. It firstly supported General Henri Giraud before turning to de Gaulle in June 1943. Not represented at the Conseil National de la Résistance (National Resistance Council), at the end of 1943 Défense de la France adhered to the Mouvement de libération nationale (National Liberation Movement), which would participate to the foundation of the right-wing Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance (UDSR).