In the Resistance movements in France during World War II, morality, as it had been known, was often thrown out the window. Murder was an oft-used tactic by Resistance members—though less so than deceit and duplicity—and bias was rampant among information presented by both sides of the conflict; however, this is by no means an exhaustive list. As in every conflict, the people involved in the Resistance, along with collaborators and the German occupying forces, were fighting for what they believed was the best course of action for the peoples of France. In their own minds, their actions were justifiable and necessary given the how the occupation was affecting what they thought was the correct way for France to proceed as a country. The definition
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Women held traditionally female roles, like secretaries, teachers, and homemakers even throughout the war. In relation to Resistance activity, these societal constraints set women up to be useful agents, though generally not in combat roles. Many men had been killed or taken prisoner before the fight between the Germans and French concluded and the occupation began, which potentially allowed women to take combat roles in the Resistance. However, societal expectations constrained them, as they “were still stacked up against the involvement of women outside the home.” Thus, women had to participate in somewhat unconventional roles. In one case, a woman used coquetry—arguably a patented art of French women—to seduce a man and get him as far as a cab before killing him. Some situations, like this one, played within the constraints of French societies expectations and imposed morality on women and used it to the advantage of the Resistance. However, personal morals also played a role in these events. The woman who murdered the man in the taxi, under the pseudonym Claude, later suggested that “she was unprepared for the shocking reality of a partisan attack.” The inherent immorality of murder is ingrained into people by society, and Claude was not an exception. While the murder itself was, no doubt shocking to her in the moment, the “ordeal” of recounting it also points to her shock at herself for committing it in the first place. Though they were conditioned by society to believe that murder is immoral, Claude was by far not the only Resistance fighter to use the tactic to achieve the goals of the
Women held traditionally female roles, like secretaries, teachers, and homemakers even throughout the war. In relation to Resistance activity, these societal constraints set women up to be useful agents, though generally not in combat roles. Many men had been killed or taken prisoner before the fight between the Germans and French concluded and the occupation began, which potentially allowed women to take combat roles in the Resistance. However, societal expectations constrained them, as they “were still stacked up against the involvement of women outside the home.” Thus, women had to participate in somewhat unconventional roles. In one case, a woman used coquetry—arguably a patented art of French women—to seduce a man and get him as far as a cab before killing him. Some situations, like this one, played within the constraints of French societies expectations and imposed morality on women and used it to the advantage of the Resistance. However, personal morals also played a role in these events. The woman who murdered the man in the taxi, under the pseudonym Claude, later suggested that “she was unprepared for the shocking reality of a partisan attack.” The inherent immorality of murder is ingrained into people by society, and Claude was not an exception. While the murder itself was, no doubt shocking to her in the moment, the “ordeal” of recounting it also points to her shock at herself for committing it in the first place. Though they were conditioned by society to believe that murder is immoral, Claude was by far not the only Resistance fighter to use the tactic to achieve the goals of the