Figure 1.-- |
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Vichy after the armistace with Germany adopted an official policy of neutrality. Even so, Vichy supported the NAZI war effot. The French industry supplied the Germans and French workers were consprited to work in Germany. There was a level of cooperation with the Germans beyound economic support. Vichy was allowing German U-boats in the Indian Ocean to resupply at Diego Suarez. Admiral Darlan provided logistical support to the German military in Tunisia and Syria (May 27-28, 1941). Vichy officials after the Totch invasion of North Africa offered to create a Légion tricolore in which French soldiers would fight with the Germans in Tunisia (November 1942). The Germans rejected the Vichy offer. The rejection was consistent with NAZI failure to consider Vichy an ally. Doubtless the possibility of such units defecting to the allies must have been another consideration. Vichy's primary concern was to avoid combat in France and the inevitable destruction of French cities and civilian casualties. For this reason, Vichy was willing to resist by force the Allied Torch invasion of its North African colonies. This meant open conflict with the Allies. Germany's reversals in Russia and North Africa led to an adoption of "Total War". The German economy was finally put on a total war footing. More French workers were demanded from Vichy. Frenchmen were permitted to join the Waffen-SS (July 22, 1943). Few did so, but more importantly Laval was granted permission to create aprar-military Fascist force--the Milice. The Milice proved vital to the Wehrmacht in confronting the increasingly effective Resistance. A small number of Frenchmen joined the NAZI war effort. A Légion des volontaires français contre le bolchevisme (LVF) was formed in the Occupied Zone. About 10,000 men volunteered and were deployed on the Eastern Front in Grman uniforms against the Red Army. This was common practice by the NAZIS who consistently deployedmen recruited in the West to the Eastern Front, not trusting them to fight against the Western Allies. The small numbers of men involved testify to the declining popularity of Vichy and the growing hatred of the Germans. The LVF eventually became a Wehrmacht infantry regiment. After the Allies liberated France, the LVF fought in Germany as part of the SS Charlemagne division.
Vichy after the armistace with Germany adopted an official policy of neutrality. Despite the declared neutrality, Vichy supported the NAZI war effot.
The French industry supplied the Germans and French workers were consprited to work in Germany. There was a level of cooperation with the Germans beyound economic support.
Vichy was allowing German U-boats and Japanese submarines in the Indian Ocean to resupply at Diego Suarez. This was a strategically located base at the tip of Madagassar. The western Indian Ocean was extremely distant from German ports or even Japanese ports in the eastern Indian Ocean and Singapore. Having a supply base at Diego Suarez greatly faciltated operations and threatened the supply lines of British forces in Europe, In addition American supplies to the British 8th Army in Egypt flowed around South Africa. This threat was ended when a British force seized Madaggascar.
Hitler attempted to gain support from both Spain and Vichy for his invasion of the Siviet Union. Pétain in a rare show of defiance refused to particioate. Hitler conducted intense negotiations in Fall 1940 while the Battle of Britain was waging. He wanted to obtain Spanish and Vichy support for the upcoming invasion of the Soviet Union. He may have had more success had the Luftwaffe succeeded over Britain. He had extensive meetings with the Spanish Foreign Minister and then met with Franco at Hendaye (October 1940). Faiklibng with Franco, he went on to Montoire to meet with Pétain and Laval. [Fest, p. 640.] Neiter Franco or Pétain would join the Führer in Russia.
Admiral Darlan provided logistical support to the German military in Tunisia (May 27-28, 1941).
After the fall of France. French authorities in Syria, recognized the authority of Vichy Government. This included a military
force totling about 40,000 Legioneers and Muslim soldiers backed by 90 tanks and prepared fortifications. Admiral Darlan
provided logistical support to the Germans and Italians in efforts to support the Rashid Ali revolt in Iraq. This was a clear
violation of Vichy's neutrality. Syria located in the Eastern Mediterranean was of some strastegic importance. The British
feared that Vichy would allow the Luftwaffe to establish air bases in the country. This would have threatened the British
position in Egypt as well as provided a jumping off point to seize the oil fields in Iraq. Churchill thus ordered Wavell after
putting down the Iraqii Revolt to seize Syria. Degualle assured Wavell that the Vichy garison would come over to the Free
French with little resistance. They did not.
Vichy officials after the Torch invasion of North Africa offered to create a Légion tricolore in which French soldiers would fight with the Germans in Tunisia (November 1942). The Germans rejected the Vichy offer. The rejection was consistent with NAZI failure to consider Vichy an ally. Doubtless the possibility of such units defecting to the allies must have been another consideration.
Vichy's primary concern was to avoid combat in France and the inevitable destruction of French cities and civilian casualties. For this reason, Vichy was willing to resist by force the Allied Torch invasion of its North African colonies. This meant open conflict with the Allies.
Germany's reversals in Russia and North Africa led to an adoption of "Total War". The German economy was finally put on a total war footing. More French workers were demanded from Vichy.
Frenchmen were permitted to join the Waffen-SS (July 22, 1943). Few did so.
More importantly Laval was granted permission to create a para-military Fascist force--the Milice. The Milice proved vital to the Wehrmacht in confronting the increasingly effective Resistance.
A small number of Frenchmen joined the NAZI war effort. A Légion des volontaires français contre le bolchevisme (LVF) was formed in the Occupied Zone. About 10,000 men volunteered and were deployed on the Eastern Front in Grman uniforms against the Red Army. This was common practice by the NAZIS who consistently deployedmen recruited in the West to the Eastern Front, not trusting them to fight against the Western Allies. The small numbers of men involved testify to the declining popularity of Vichy and the growing hatred of the Germans. The LVF eventually became a Wehrmacht infantry regiment. After the Allies liberated France, the LVF fought in Germany as part of the SS Charlemagne division.
Fest, Joachim C. Hitler (Vintage, 1974), 845p.
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