Défense de la France

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

Essentially developed in the Northern Zone, Défense de la France distinguishes itself by an activity centred on the distribution of a secret newspaper created in August 1941 by a group of Parisian students, of the Christian faith.

With a circulation of 450 000 in January 1944, it represented the largest circulation out of the whole secret press.

Philippe Viannay was the founder of it and the main editor.

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 journal 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 stuck to the National Liberation Movement.