Pierre Laval

On July 31, 1945 Pierre Laval, fugitive former leader of Vichy France, surrendered to Allied soldiers in Austria. An excerpt from the article:

"Laval was shot four times while reviewing the Legion des Volontaires Francais at Versailles on August 27, 1941, survived his wounds and was returned to power in Vichy on April 18, 1942. Pressured to increase collaboration and deliver a reward for collaboration, Laval went on the radio four days after his return to announce la Releve , under which the Germans agreed to free one French prisoner for every three French workers who volunteered for work in Germany. Laval proclaimed that he, " hoped for German victory because without it tomorrow Bolshevism will be everywhere" during the same broadcast. The Releve failed to attract sufficient volunteers after word of conditions in Germany filter back to France. Laval responded by instituting Service du Travail Obligatoire (conscription for forced labor) and unleashing la Milice to enforce it in 1943.

Laval left Paris with the Germans in August 1944. He joined the other Vichy exiles in Belfort and later in Sigmaringen, Germany. He was flown to Spain a few days before the German surrender. Franco had him arrested and turned over to the Americans in Austria who extradited him to the French authorities in July 1945. He was tried, convicted and executed for collaboration in October 1945."