German occupation of north-east France during World War I.
German military administration in occupied France during World War II.
Are you referring to?: Military battles of Vichy France.
Okay, wasn't including partial occupation as opposed to a total defeat, seems a bit unfair to treat that as a point of ridicule as they were still fighting the invaders. Rather than defeat and then collaboration (which probably is the root of the derision, though maybe it mutated) And no, did not mean Vichy's military actions, was a joke on people not knowing things like that.