page_title: Charles Platon
section_title: Colonial secretary
hierarchical_section_title: Charles Platon / World War II (1939–44) / Colonial secretary
caption_attribution_description: English: Article about the trip to French Somaliland by Admiral Platon, Secretary of States for the Colonies (top left), to reaffirm Vichy France's determination not to give in to the British blockade of Djibouti. The bottom picture shows Platon (left) being driven through Djibouti with Governor Nouailhetas (also shown top right). L'Illustration, 22 November 1941. Français&#160;: Article de L'Illustration du 22 novembre 1941 sur le voyage de l'admiral Platon, secrétaire d'État aux Colonies (à gauche), à la Côte francaise des Somalis, pour réaffirmer la volonté du gouvernement de Vichy de résister au blocus britannique de la colonie. La photo du bas montre l'amiral Platon (à gauche) en voiture en compagnie du gouverneur Nouailhetas.
context_page_description: René-Charles Platon was a French admiral who was responsible for the Colonial Ministry under the Vichy government.
  He was a passionate supporter of the Révolution nationale of Vichy France, which he wanted to export to the colonies.
  He was hostile to elected bodies, anti-Semitic, anti-Masonic and supported the back-to-the-soil movement.
  He saw Britain as the enemy of France. After the Allied invasion of Normandy in the summer of 1944 he was captured by French partisans, given a summary trial and executed.
context_section_description: The Colonial Secretary Henry Lémery was dismissed on 6 September 1940 during a cabinet reshuffle, and was succeeded by Platon.
  Platon was recommended by Fleet Admiral François Darlan, and Marshal Philippe Pétain soon came to respect him.
  According to the historian Eric T. Jennings, Platon was "fanatically Vichyite and rabidly Anglophobe".
  He was close to Charles Maurras, whom he often asked for advice on colonial matters.
  A violent opponent of General Charles de Gaulle, he described the Free French as "a bunch of renegades made up of volunteers of the Universal Jewish Empire."
  Platon wanted the colonies to be part of the National Revolution.
  Platon ensured that most of the anti-Semitic and anti-Masonic laws of Vichy France were implemented in the colonies. He also exported the Vichy regimentation of young people, cult of the soil, cult of the leader and hatred of parliamentary government. However, Platon was concerned that the colonies might adapt the ideas of the National Revolution to their own national rebirth and independence, which he strongly opposed.
  On 27 October 1940, on Platon's recommendation, a law was passed that suspended all elected assemblies in the colonies, and that gave the colonial governors full powers.
  In June 1941 Platon proposed a number of ways to eliminate obstacles to implementing the French anti-semitic laws in the colonies.
  In response to a suggestion that the Indochinese be allowed to fill high-level administrative positions he wrote on 20 October 1941, "[A]dmitting non-French citizens to management positions poses delicate questions, and simply cannot be undertaken."
  Platon was suspicious of Protestant missions in French West Africa due to their links with the Anglican missions in neighboring British colonies. He said the missions must limit themselves to religion and stay loyal to France, and told the colonial administrators to closely monitor missions that had ties to the British.
  In December 1941 Platon presented a ten-year plan in which he declared that France would continue her colonizing mission. He said the colonies should be industrialized. 
  The war had shown that decentralization of vital industries was prudent.
  This would not weaken industry in metropolitan France, but would give colonial subjects greater buying power.
  The main goal was to improve agriculture, roads and transportation so as to develop exports.
  Development of industry was secondary.
  Development of primary industries such as energy and building materials would ensure a basic level of economic autonomy, and in some cases more advanced industries could be introduced, while avoiding any revolutionary change.
  Platon was Colonial Secretary until 18 April 1942, when he was succeeded by Jules Brévié.
  This coincided with Pierre Laval's return to office as Prime Minister.
caption: Platon (top left) with the governor of French Somaliland, Pierre Nouailhetas (top right), in 1941
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