Free France was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic.
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19 Facts About Free France
2.
Free France supported the resistance in Nazi-occupied France, known as the French Forces of the Interior, and gained strategic footholds in several French colonies in Africa.
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3.
Free France French fought both Axis and Vichy troops and served in almost every major campaign, from the Middle East to Indochina and North Africa.
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4.
On 13 July 1942, "Free France" was officially renamed Fighting France to mark the struggle against the Axis both externally and within occupied France.
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5.
In many sources, Free France French describes any French individual or unit that fought against Axis forces after the June 1940 armistice.
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6.
Free France was a long-time advocate of the modern armoured warfare ideas applied by the Wehrmacht, and commanded the 4th Armoured Division at the Battle of Montcornet.
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7.
Free France's surrender found her only aircraft carrier, Bearn, en route from the United States loaded with a precious cargo of American fighter and bomber aircraft.
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8.
In 2009, in his work on the Free French Forces, Jean-Francois Muracciole, a French historian specializing in Free France, reevaluated his count with that of Henri Ecochard, while considering that Ecochard's list had greatly underestimated the number of colonial combatants.
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9.
Free France therefore insisted that French warships either join the Allies or else adopt neutrality in a British, French, or neutral port.
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10.
We are determined to fight on until the end, and if we win, as we think we shall, we shall never forget that Free France was our Ally, that our interests are the same as hers, and that our common enemy is Germany.
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11.
In November 1940, around 1, 700 officers and men of the French Navy took advantage of the British offer of repatriation to Free France, and were transported home on a hospital ship travelling under the International Red Cross.
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13.
Support for Free France began to grow, though the Vichy French forces would continue to resist Allied armies—and the Free French—when attacked by them until the end of 1942.
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14.
Free France ordered them to cease resisting and co-operate with the Allies, which they did.
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15.
The latter wanted to pursue a political position in Free France and agreed to have Giraud as commander in chief, as the more qualified military person of the two.
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16.
Free France changed the name of his movement to "Fighting French Forces" and sent Jean Moulin back to France as his formal link to the irregulars throughout the occupied country to co-ordinate the eight major Resistance groups into one organisation.
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17.
Liberation of continental Free France began on D-Day, 6 June 1944, with the invasion of Normandy, the amphibious assault aimed at establishing a bridgehead for the forces of Operation Overlord.
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19.
We want to enter his territory as it should be, as victors", clearly showing his ambition that Free France be considered one of the World War II victors just like the Big Three.
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