French Resistance, An overview

As France surrendered to Nazi Germany, French soldiers and government officials as well as French citizens began to organize resistance movements. Former generals and government leaders fled to England where they organized secret missions and sabotage attacks on the Nazis. Along with these more official "Free French" hundreds of private and individual resistance movements occurred. Citizens helped sneak Jews or people wanted by the Nazis into other countries such as England or the U.S. as well as assassinating collaborators, Nazis officials, and members of the Vichy Regime.
Because the majority of resistance fighters were under-equipped to challenge the Nazis and the puppet Vichy Regime in the open, most resistance fighters adopted a tactic of sabotage and guerilla warfare. Resistance fighters from all factions coordinated attacks and sabotages on Nazi positions during the days surrounding the invasion of Normandy.
The Resistance also played a key role in providing news and a morale boost to French citizens living in both France and England. Underground newspapers and radio stations informed French citizens of new victories against the Axis powers as well as providing resistance fighters with orders and warnings from the Free French Government living in England.