As the Allies were making gains in North Africa, the Nazis, feeling threatened, launched Operation Anton, a massive invasion of Vichy France, which had been left relatively autonomous since the French defeat in 1940. German forces poured in, occupying key cities and ports, and dissolving the French government's autonomy. The swift takeover caught the French military off guard, and they offered little resistance. The occupation marked a significant shift in the balance of power, giving the Germans control over the entire French coastline, and placing additional pressure on the Allies. The Vichy government, now a puppet regime, would continue to collaborate with the Nazis, further dividing a French population already torn between resistance and collaboration.