00:00During the four years of occupation, Renault's factories produced more than 34,000 vehicles
00:06for the German army.
00:08He justified this by claiming that continued production kept his workers employed and prevented
00:13them from being deported to Germany.
00:16He reportedly told a friend, it is better to give them the butter, or they will take
00:22the cows.
00:23Whether this was an act of pragmatism, collaboration, or both, remains one of the most debated
00:29aspects of his legacy.
00:31Renault's empire became an essential link in the German supply chain.
00:36Trucks rolled off the lines and were dispatched to the Eastern Front, where they carried soldiers
00:41and supplies deep into the Soviet Union.
00:45To the Germans, Renault was useful.
00:47To the resistance, he was a symbol of betrayal.
00:51Underground pamphlets denounced him by name, calling him a profiteer who served the occupiers
00:56while others risked their lives in the fight.
01:01Discover the full story on worldhistory.tv
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