1945 in France

See also: 1944 in France, other events of 1945, 1946 in France.

Events from the year 1945 in France.

Events

• 6 February - Writer Robert Brasillach executed for collaboration with the Germans.
• 9 March - Japanese overthrow the Vichy French Decoux Government in Vietnam.
• 7 May - General Alfred Jodl signs unconditional surrender terms at Rheims, ending Germany's participation in the war. The document will take effect the next day.
• 8 May - World War II ends in Europe.
• 8 May-29 May - In Algeria, French troops kill an estimated 6,000 Algerian citizens in the Sétif massacre.
• 23 July - Marshal Philippe Pétain, who headed the Vichy government during World War II, goes on trial, charged with treason.
• 31 July - Pierre Laval, fugitive former leader of Vichy France, surrenders to Allied soldiers in Austria.
• 19 August - Việt Minh under Hồ Chí Minh begins the August Revolution in Vietnam.
• 2 September - Hồ Chí Minh proclaims the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
• 15 October - Former premier of Vichy France, Pierre Laval, is executed by firing squad for treason.
• 21 October - Legislative Election held.
• 13 November - Charles de Gaulle elected head of a French provisional government.

Sport

Births

• 17 February - Bernard Rapp, film director and television news presenter (d.2006).
• 4 April - Daniel Cohn-Bendit, political activist and politician.
• 15 April - Christian Bergelin, politician (d.2008).
• 15 June - Françoise Chandernagor, writer.
• 20 June - Jean-Claude Izzo, poet, playwright, screenwriter and novelist (d.2000).
• 12 August - Jean Nouvel, architect.
• 12 October - Aurore Clément, actress.
• 16 October - Pascal Sevran, TV presenter and author (d.2008).
• 28 October - François-Xavier Verschave, one of founders of the NGO Survie (d.2005).

Full date unknown

• Catherine Leroy, photojournalist and photographer (d.2006).

Deaths

• 5 February - Lilian Rolfe, heroine of World War II (b.1914).
• 5 February - Violette Szabo, World War II Allied secret agent (b.1921).
• 6 February - Robert Brasillach, author, executed for collaboration (b.1909).
• 23 March - Elisabeth de Rothschild, World War II heroine (b.1902).
• 30 March - Élise Rivet, nun and World War II heroine (b.1890).
• 8 June - Robert Desnos, surrealist poet (b.1900).
• 20 July - Paul Valéry, poet, essayist and philosopher (b.1871).
• 15 October - Pierre Laval, politician and Prime Minister (executed) (b.1883).
• 26 October - Paul Pelliot, sinologist and explorer (b.1878).

Full date unknown

• Denise Bloch, heroine of World War II (b.1915).

References