On 29 September 1939 Michelier was promoted to Major General of the Navy. He then became the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Navy on 18 June 1940. During the Battle of France, Michelier along with most of the French Naval general staff were captured by the German Army in the town Rochefort.[2] The general staff were released shortly after their capture and Michelier became a member of the French delegation to the German Armistice Commission on 1 July 1940. Later in July 1941 he became the interim president of the comminison.[3] On 25 March 1941, Michelier was promoted to squadron vice-admiral. He was then made commander of the vichy naval forces station in Morocco and as commander and chief of the Atlantic theater of operations.[4] He arrived in Morocco on 20 October 1941. He was placed under the direct command of the Vichy French Ministry of the Navy for all naval operations. Michelier was also placed under the command of Residents-General of Morocco Charles Noguès and served as commander of the Casablanca-Rabat sector.[5]
Michelier was warned of the upcoming Allied landing in Morocco by General Antoine Béthouart. However, Michelier and Noguès gave no credibility to the information given. He informed Noguès (who also received information from Béthouart) of the lack of confirmation of this potential Allied operation, while nevertheless knowing that a convoy is passing Gibraltar towards the east. After the landing on the 8th, Michelier coordinated the defense and did not stop the fire until 11 November. He continued resisting even after receiving a telegram from the Commander-in-Chief of the French Armed Forces Admiral François Darlan to stop resisting. Michelier believed that Darlan was already captured thereby invalidating him from issuing orders.[5] Additionally, Michelier had received orders from Darlan two weeks earlier that he was to hold out until the end if the allies attacked. He also received information from Admiral Gabriel Auphan, the Secretary of the Navy, indicating that Vichy French leader Marshal Philippe Pétain wished for Michelier to resist an Allied invasion to the fullest extent, should one occur.[6]
After the ceasefire, Michelier was more cooperative with the Allies, even wishing to repair both Allied and French damaged ships to resume fighting against the Germans.[7] Under Darlan's orders, he retained the role commander in chief of the navy in the Atlantic.[8] However, after Darlan's assassination, he was dismissed from his position and placed on leave that June.[8] After clashes with Admiral Philippe Auboyneau in May, Free French leader Charles de Gaulle requested his replacement; Michelier was relieved of his duties on 7 July 1943 and was automatically retired in December of the same year.[9]
