Resist: A Story of D-Day

The historical backdrop of Resist is one of the most pivotal periods of the 20th century: World War II, and, more specifically, the events surrounding the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, known as D-Day. On June 6, 1944, Allied forces from the US, the United Kingdom, and Canada launched a massive assault on the beaches of Normandy to liberate Nazi-occupied France. This invasion marked a turning point in the war, leading to Germany’s eventual defeat in Western Europe.

France had been under German occupation since 1940, with the north (including Normandy) under direct Nazi control and the south governed by the Vichy regime, which collaborated with the Nazis. In response to the occupation, many French citizens joined the French Resistance, an underground network that engaged in sabotage (destroying or interfering with Nazi plans, property, etc.), espionage (relaying of secret information), and the rescue of Allied soldiers. Gratz’s protagonist, Samira Zidane, and her mother are fictionalized examples of Resistance members who risked their lives daily to weaken the Nazi regime.

Samira’s identity as a French-Algerian adds another layer of historical significance. Algeria, a French colony from 1830, was legally considered part of France, yet Algerians were denied full citizenship unless they renounced their Muslim identity. Many Algerians, facing discrimination and poverty, migrated to France during the early 20th century, particularly during and after both world wars, often working in difficult or dangerous conditions. Despite their contributions, French-Algerians faced systemic racism and exclusion.

The Allied victory in Normandy, aided by the French Resistance, eventually helped liberate France; however, for colonized groups like Samira and her mother, liberation from Nazi Germany did not equate to freedom from colonial oppression. The legacy of France’s colonization of Algeria culminated in the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962).