Casablanca

Casablanca

1942, French controlled Morocco, more specifically Casablanca. On the verge of World War II political refugees escaping Europe and Nazis in hope of reaching Lisbon fled their countries. For many Lisbon was out of reach and so they found themselves in Casablanca.

The opening credits of the film show the opposing sides of the war, the Allied forces, neutral nations and, the Axis powers. The setting for our story is Rick's CafÐ"©, the layover point for many refugees. The only way out of Casablanca to Lisbon or Portugal and then on to the U.S. are the letters of transit signed by Charles DeGaulle. Rick is informed that an arrest will be made for the murder of the two German couriers in order to obtain the priceless letters of transfer. Ugarte knowing he will be arrested asks Rick to hold on to them for an hour. The Gestapo commander Major Heinrich Strasser of the Third Reich has come to assist in the investigation. At this point Victor Laszlo, the head of the Czechoslovakian resistance movement and his wife Ilsa Lund enter Ricks CafÐ"©. The problem lies with deciding who will get the two exit visas Victor and Ilsa in support of the movement and the war effort or for Rick to take them and be reunited with his former lover Ilsa. Rick seems to take the U.S.'s stance on the War "I stick my neck out for nobody" and then in the end he changes his ways and decides to help out. Rick makes Ilsa get on the plane with Laszlo and then shoots Major Strasser, Renault says to "round up the usual suspects" and they decide to join Free French.

The film accurately depicts the situation with Vichy France, while France was no longer free but occupied by Nazi Germany. "It was essentially the Nazi Puppet State" that sided with Nazi Germany on most things including its racial policies. (Vichy France) On September 3, 1939, France formally declared war on Germany within days it became apparent that the French forces were being taken over and overwhelmed the collapse was impending. During this conflict the French Government was forced to relocate, settling on Boudreaux, to avoid capture by the German forces. Hitler finally agreed to an Armistice fearing France "would continue to fight from North Africa and he wanted reassurance that the French Navel Fleet was taken out of the war." (Vichy France) This divided France into occupied and unoccupied areas. Germany would continue control over northern and western France including the Atlantic Coast. Thus leaving the French Government control over the remaining two fifths of the country. "The French Army was reduced to a mere 100,000 men forming an Armistice Army" (Vichy France) The French prisoners of war would be kept captive and the French would have to foot the costs of occupation by the German Amy and prevent any French from leaving the country. France was ordered by Germany to turn over anyone to them that they so wished into German Custody. This was considered "dishonorable" since it would turn over individuals seeking refuge from Germany. (Vichy France) Arguments with Germany over this point were unsuccessful and the French signed the Armistice in hopes of fixing this issue in further negotiations with Germany.

The film is historically accurate on the majority of things that are brought up. The Letters of Transit that seem to play such a crucial role and the entire plot centralizes on them are non-existent. In the film they "were signed by General De Gaulle, but why would De Gaulle, the Free French leader, be signing Vichy documents? The script specified Nazi puppet Marshal Weygand, but it was felt no one would recognize the name" (Secrets and lies) "Weygand had been the Vichy French Delegate for