Vichy France

The Vichy regime was an odd duck. Uniquely among the countries defeated by Germany, France was neither fully occupied nor completely turned over to a collaborationist allied regime.

France can probably credit its navy for that unusual result. The existence of its powerful navy game France, even in the face of utter defeat, some leverage. Too harsh an approach by the Germans and the French would simply fight on, in exile, supported by a powerful navy and drawing on a worldwide colonial empire. While nowhere near as much of an economic asset as the British empire and dominions, the overseas possessions of France and its fourth-in-the-world Navy were not insubstantial.
The flip side of this was the danger that getting control of the French Navy would pose to i interests. The 5-5-3-1.75-1.75 ratio of the Washington Naval treaty suggests the extent of that danger -- France and Italy/s portions add up to 3.5. When you add in Germany the margin of British superiority becomes slim, indeed, and actually disappears when one considers factors of geography, the advantage of the offense and the Pacific.

The Vichy deal allowed Germany to neutralize the French and take them out of the war, for at least long enough to resolve Hitler's British problem and deal with Stalin as well. Or so it seemed it should.  Of course, two years later neither Britain nor Russia were defeated and the United States was now added to the mix. The Vichy regime had, in the meantime, been frustratingly uncooperative  to Hitler's schemes in many ways. Although the French did have their share of Nazi sympathizers and collaborators, it was clear in the summer of 1942 that any cooperation from the French would be limited and grudging and would not involve giving up  the fleet or any colonies to the Axis.

On the other hand, the Vichy situation presented ticklish problems for the Allies as well. The British, of course, were sponsors of the Free French, which was, strictly speaking, an illegal and illegitimate faction. Meanwhile the Americans kept up relations with Vichy, even while at war with Japan and Germany, which gave their officials some access to Vichy territory and contacts among Vichy elements that might aid the Allies.

How, exactly, the complex interaction might play out was hard to discern. The Americans, at least, held out some hope that the Vichy French would not fight at all, but prudence dictated that the invasion had to be planned and equipped as though they would fight most bitterly. As it turned out, we will see, things played out in a middle ground.