François Darlan

François Darlan
Darlan in Algiers, 13th November 1942.
81st Prime Minister of France (as Vice-President of the Council) Head of State and nominal Head of Government : Philippe Pétain
In office 9 February 1941 – 18 April 1942
Preceded by	Pierre Étienne Flandin
Succeeded by	Pierre Laval
Personal details
Born	Jean Louis Xavier François Darlan 7 August 1881 Nérac, France
Died	24 December 1942(1942-12-24) (aged 61) Algiers, French Algeria
Military service
Allegiance	French Third Republic  Vichy France
Service/branch	French Navy
Years of service	1902–1942
Rank	Admiral of the Fleet

Jean Louis Xavier François Darlan (7 August 1881 – 24 December 1942) was a French Admiral and political figure. He was Admiral of the Fleet and commander in chief of the French Navy in 1939 at the beginning of World War II. After France capitulated to Nazi Germany in 1940, Darlan served in the pro-German Vichy regime, becoming its deputy leader for a time. When the Allies invaded French North Africa in 1942, Darlan was the highest-ranking officer there, and a deal was made, giving him control of North African French forces in exchange for joining their side. Less than two months later he was assassinated.

Darlan was born in Nérac, Lot-et-Garonne, to a family with a long connection with the French Navy. His great-grandfather was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar. He graduated from the École Navale in 1902. During World War I he commanded an artillery battery that took part in the Battle of Verdun. He remained in the French Navy after the war, and was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1929 and Vice Admiral in 1932. Darlan was made an Admiral in 1936 and Chief of Staff from 1 January 1937. In 1939 he was promoted to Amiral de la flotte, a rank created specifically for him, and given command of the French Navy.

After Axis forces defeated France (May-June 1940), Philippe Pétain formed a new government (16 June 1940), which surrendered to Germany (22 June 1940) but retained control of the territories of "Vichy France" - a German satellite state. Darlan adhered to the Pétain administration which moved to Vichy; he served as the Minister of Marine from 16 June. The terms of the armistice called for handing over the ships of the French Navy to Germany. But Darlan ordered all ships then in the Atlantic ports (which Germany would soon occupy) to steam to French overseas possessions, out of the Germans' reach. In the final days before the French surrender Darlan had met the British prime minister Winston Churchill and had promised him: "No French ship will ever come into the hands of the Germans."