The armistice signed between France and Nazi Germany on June 22, 1940, officially came into effect three days later, on June 25. This agreement marked the conclusion of the Battle of France, a rapid military campaign that resulted in the fall of France to German forces within six weeks. The armistice stipulated that France would effectively surrender to Germany, leading to a division of the country into occupied and unoccupied zones. The occupied zone included major cities and industrial regions, while the southern zone was governed by the Vichy regime, which collaborated with the Germans.

After the catastrophic defeat, Prime Minister Paul Reynaud resigned, and Marshal Philippe Pétain took over the leadership of France. Under Pétain's authority, the Vichy government was established, which adopted a policy of collaboration with Nazi Germany. The armistice not only solidified German dominance in Western Europe but also set the stage for the eventual development of the French Resistance against the occupation.

The armistice had a profound impact on the course of World War II, effectively handing over control of French territories to the Nazis. This division allowed for the continuation of a neutral, albeit complicit, French government in the unoccupied zone while the collaborationist policies of Vichy established a complex relationship with Germany that would influence French politics for years to come.