During World War II, Morocco, which was then occupied by France, was controlled by Vichy France from 1940 to 1942 after the occupation of France by Nazi Germany. However, after the North African campaign (June 1940 – May 1943), Morocco was under Allied control and thus was active in Allied operations until the end of the war.
Background
Northern Morocco
During this period, Northern Morocco was controlled by Spain through a nominally independent, puppet regime headed by a viceroy. While it participated in the Spanish Civil War, like Spain itself, Northern Morocco was officially neutral during World War II.
Southern Morocco
In 1940, France surrendered to Nazi Germany and was divided into two regions, with northern and western France subject to direct occupation, by German forces, with their headquarters in Paris. In southern and central France, a nominally independent "free zone" was under the control of an unelected regime known as Vichy France, after its capital city (Vichy). Around the world, the various French colonial administrations and overseas departments gave their allegiance to either Vichy or the rival Free French government in exile (located in London) that had remained part of the Allied powers.
In Southern Morocco, the colonial administration was initially loyal to the Vichy regime. In 1940–42, Moroccan Jews faced significant restrictions, due to the introduction of Vichy anti-Jewish legislation.
Following Allied landings in November 1942, the colonial administration in Southern Morocco remained in place, although it switched its affiliation from Vichy to Free France. In January 1943, Allied control also made Southern Morocco an ideal location for the Casablanca Conference, where Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt met to discuss wartime operations. On the home front in Southern Morocco, daily life changed little, although the nationalist movement attempted to gain momentum, despite facing opposition from French forces. During this period, many indigenous Moroccan soldiers were recruited by Free French forces to fight with the Allies.
Life during World War II
Slavery existed in Morocco before and during the establishment of the French protectorate, with many wealthy Moroccans owning slaves, including the Moroccan royal family. Shanty towns arose near Moroccan cities in the 1930s which continued to grow during the war. European refugees fleeing to Morocco experienced poverty on their arrival, with many of them in Casablanca sleeping in converted dance halls with poor conditions. In terms of education, separate educational institutions were set up to teach the Muslim and the French population. Access to the baccalaureate was provided to the Moroccan Muslim population in 1930, but access to elite French schools (lycees) was not provided to the Muslim population until after the end of the war. Around ninety percent of the Muslim population of Morocco was illiterate during World War II.
Jewish discrimination
Before World War II, Jews in Morocco were in poverty. They lived in Jewish quarters named , and had little social status with Resident General Charles Nogues not allowing Jews who enlisted in 1939 and 1940 to fight, but only to work on the industrial side of the war effort. In 1940, laws were put in place by the Vichy administration which disallowed the majority of Jews from working as doctors, lawyers or teachers. All Jews living in other neighbourhoods of Morocco were required to leave their houses and re-inhabit the . Vichy anti-semitic propaganda was distributed throughout Morocco to encourage the boycotting of Jews. Pamphlets were pinned on the frontages of Jewish shops. Around 7,700 Jews, while attempting to flee Morocco in favour of America or Palestine, were moved to detention centres, with some refugees considered a threat to the Vichy regime being sent to Moroccan labour camps. The American landings in 1942 created hope that the Vichy laws would discontinue, but General Nogues persuaded the Allies to allow for the continuation of French rule and Vichy laws.