Once the Germans entered France and began their move toward Paris, the French people began to evacuate the cities and move to the country. "La Grande Peur -the great fear- swept like a tidal wave through the boulevards of the capital" (Josephs, 1989). This fear caused a quarter of the population of Paris to flee the city in a mass exodus that resulted in

Despite the large numbers of women who participated

The large numbers of women that participated in the Résistance helped to make it success. Because of the large number of people involved, the resistance was able to do more than it could have ever done with only men leading the way. Women rose to meet the challenge of fighting for freedom from the Germans despite the high costs they would pay personally if captured.

The first activity carried out by women was the development and running of the underground railway for POW's. Women began opening their homes and organizing the escape routes they would take to safety. One such line called the Comet was made up of seventy-five percent women and was also started and run by Andree Dedee de Jongh. These escape organizations helped to save the lives of hundreds of downed airmen and soldiers.

Some topics in this essay:
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