How did France respond when the French army was defeated by Nazi Germany in 1940?
The collaborators established a puppet state - known as Vichy France - which was ruled by Marshall Philippe Pétain.
The Free French refused to accept defeat. With General Charles de Gaulle as the leader, they began to organize a movement of resistance against Vichy France and the German occupation.
Where could the general find soldiers who were prepared to oppose the collaborators and to fight for France?
He had a plan. He wanted the French colonies to help him with his project to liberate France from Nazi occupation.
During World War II, the Free French not only allowed citizens of the colonies to fight in the war. They begged them to fight for France.
The Free French knew they needed help and they knew that only the French colonies could help them defeat Vichy France and end the Nazi occupation of France.
General Charles de Gaulle travelled to the French colonies in North Africa and asked for help.
How did he convince them to fight for France? The answer is he (almost) promised to give them independence when the war was over.
He did not promise independence, but he came very close.
He said:
** We will listen to your wishes more than we did before
** We will take you more seriously than we did before
** We will be grateful to you and we will show our gratitude when the war is over
It was a lie.
But it sounded good.
They believed him.
They volunteered to fight for France.
They fought many battles.
Many of them were wounded. Some of them lost their lives fighting for France.
What happened to those who survived? How were they rewarded? Did the Free French keep the solemn promise Charles de Gaulle made when he needed their help?
The answer to this question is no.
They did not.
This was a situation where the colonies of Africa had saved France. But when the war was over, France wanted to return to the old system of colonialism.
One case makes this fact painfully clear.
One case is extremely significant:
The massacre of colonial veterans at Camp Thiaroye in Senegal in December 1944.
It is a horrible episode.
I will not go into details here.
The main point is that France broke the promise that was made in 1940 at the beginning of the war.
The main point is that France did not show any gratitude at all.
The main point is that France betrayed the people who lived in the French colonies.
The movement for decolonization gained much inspiration and much power from the poor treatment offered by the French government when the war was over.
Africa had saved France. The African colonies had saved France. This amazing story is the subject of a documentary film which premiered in 2023.
Here is some basic information about this film:
** The title: Quand l’Afrique sauva la France
** Writer and director: Nicolas Glimois
** Historical consultant: Eric Jennings
** Available on the website TV5 monde plus
** Language: French
** Subtitles: English, French, German, and Spanish
** Run time: 52 minutes
FRANCE AND AFRICA
SOME USEFUL KEYWORDS
** The Setif and Guelma massacre
Algeria, May 1945
** The Malagasy uprising
Madagascar, March 1947-February 1949
REFERENCES
Thiaroye 44
This is a documentary film which premiered in 2022
** Production = Marie Thomas-Penette and François-Xavier Destors
** Run time = 56 minutes
Indigènes
This is a historical drama which premiered in 2007
The English title of this movie – Days of Glory – is highly misleading
** Director = Rachid Bouchareb
** Run time = 123 minutes
De Gaulle, l’éclat et le secret
This is a historical and biographical drama - divided into six episodes - which premiered in 2020
** Director = François Velle
** Writers = Patrice Duhamel and Jacques Santamaria
** Run time = 6 x ca. 50 minutes
** Total run time = ca. 300 minutes
*****
The French politician
Charles de Gaulle
(1890-1970)
Chairman of the French National Committee
June 1940-June 1944
Chairman of the Provisional Government
of the French Republic
June 1944-January 1946
Prime Minister of France
June 1958-January 1959
President of France
January 1959-April 1969
*****
Thiaroye 1944:
Histoire et memoire d'un massacre colonial
By Martin Mourre
(2017)
*****
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