So, You’ve Been Invaded: A French Resistance Survival Guide for the U.S.

How the French Resisted Occupation—And What We Can Learn If Democracy Falls Into the Wrong Hands

So, picture this: It’s 1940, and France, the fashion icon of Europe, just got steamrolled by Nazi Germany. One day they’re sipping café au lait, the next they’re under occupation, with the Nazis calling the shots and the government either collaborating, fleeing, or quietly resisting. It was a masterclass in what happens when democracy collapses—and how people fight back.

Now, let’s be real. If the U.S. ever found itself in a situation where an invading force—or, say, a homegrown authoritarian regime—managed to get its hands on the government, what would we do? If every federal agency, every institution that keeps this country running, suddenly fell under hostile control, what would resistance look like?

France already gave us the playbook. Let’s take some notes.

Step 1: Accept That the Official Government is Probably Screwed

When the Germans took over, France split into two camps:

• The Vichy Regime, led by Marshal Pétain, bent over backward to please their new overlords. They outlawed free speech, sent Jews to concentration camps, and happily collaborated with the Nazis. If you’re looking for a historical parallel, think of politicians who suddenly find authoritarian rule very convenient and start handing over power like it’s a clearance sale.

• The Free French Government, led by Charles de Gaulle, noped out of there and set up shop in London, running the country from exile. Meanwhile, inside France, government workers had a choice: play along, resist in secret, or "accidentally" misplace a whole lot of Nazi paperwork.

Lesson for us? If democracy collapses, don't wait for the "official" government to save you. Alternative structures—exiled leadership, underground networks, and local governance—become the real seat of power.

Step 2: Know Which Institutions Will Get Hollowed Out First

The Nazis knew what they were doing. The first thing they did? Take control of the institutions that mattered.

• The Military – Disbanded or absorbed. No standing army, no organized resistance. (Think about that next time someone tells you that just owning a gun makes you a freedom fighter.)

• The Police & Courts – If you think law enforcement won’t switch sides when the paycheck comes from the new regime, think again. Some resisted, but many helped enforce fascist policies.

• The Media – Newspapers and radio became Nazi megaphones overnight. You either got propaganda or silence. The Resistance responded by printing underground papers and running secret radio stations.

• Industry & Economy – The Germans took over factories, food supplies, and transportation. Everyday people either starved or turned to the black market to survive.

Lesson for us? If a coup (soft or hard) takes over government agencies, expect rapid takeovers of law enforcement, the courts, media, and economic controls. If you don’t have alternative systems (independent news, community security, local food networks), you’re toast.

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Step 3: Resistance is a Full-Time Job

The French Resistance wasn’t just blowing up train tracks (though, let’s be honest, they were very good at that). They were doing everything possible to keep their country functioning without feeding the machine of fascism.

• Sabotage – Work slowdowns, “lost” Nazi paperwork, derailed supply chains. (Your printer mysteriously breaking at just the right time? A classic.)

• Information Warfare – Secret newspapers, illegal radio broadcasts, coded messages. Because when the government controls the media, whisper networks become lifelines.

• Underground Networks – Smuggling Jews, POWs, and political dissidents out of the country. Creating safe houses, fake IDs, and escape routes.

• Civil Disobedience – Non-compliance, fake cooperation, and good old-fashioned ghosting when the occupiers came knocking.

Lesson for us? If a bad-faith regime takes over, your job is not to comply. It’s to jam the gears. Play dumb, work slow, misfile everything, keep independent information flowing, and organize underground support networks.

Step 4: What This Means for the U.S. Right Now

Okay, let’s bring this home. The French example is not some cute history lesson—it’s a roadmap for what happens when a modern country loses control of its own government. And if you think it can’t happen here, congratulations, you haven’t been watching the news.

So, if (hypothetically, of course) the U.S. were to face a non-military invasion—where an authoritarian force legally and bureaucratically seizes the government—what do we do?

1. Parallel systems must be ready. If democratic institutions get hijacked, alternative governance must step up. This means cities, states, and underground networks taking the reins.

2. Government employees: you have a choice. Will you follow orders, or will you “accidentally” throw sand in the gears? Don’t underestimate the power of strategic incompetence.

3. Control of information is everything. Start backing up important knowledge offline. Independent press, encrypted networks, and person-to-person info sharing will be the new normal.

4. Decentralization is protection. The more we rely on one big system, the easier it is to capture. Local governments, small businesses, and independent supply chains keep power from being centralized.

5. Resist in every way possible. Every historical occupation has the same lesson: the people who resist—from the office workers “losing” paperwork to the underground radio hosts—are the ones who keep democracy alive.

Final Thought: Are You Ready?

If you woke up tomorrow and found that your government was now under the control of an anti-democratic force, what’s your plan? Who do you trust? Where do you get your news? How do you keep yourself and others safe?

Because France didn’t think it would happen to them, either. Until one day, it did.

History doesn’t ask if you’re ready. It just shows up.

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Thoughts? What’s in your survival plan? Drop a comment. Let’s talk.