Would anyone happen to have any pictures of the FFI and French Army during WWII? Or better, Free French forces in the African/Middle Eastern theaters? The current pictures on the web aren't exactly promising and they're pretty common (that, or they're just models and such), so any actual pictures on the FFI, Free French, and French military would be greatly appreciated.
be my guest: check post 23 http://www.ww2f.com/battle-europe/26989-free-french-divisions.html more here: http://www.ww2f.com/militaria/28094-french-first-armoured-divison-memorabillia.html
Very impressive Skipper! I particularly liked the 1st French Armored Division ones Have any on the FFI or French Army, 1940?
Some here: Galerie photos : résistance Bear in mind SAS 3 and 4 were French, although 3 were Free French and 4 were Vichy (based in N.Africa) who had turned and I don't think folk from them ever spoke to the other, fair amount of distrust there. 5 were Belgians, not sure now closely you might consider them to be French though. SAS photo's here: Special Forces Roll Of Honour - Gallery - SAS What about Caneri of the PPA? Does he count as French? I know he used to pretend to be when it suited him. Also does F section SoE count? Maybe if you gave us an idea of why you're after photos, I could stop asking seemingly pointless questions. Vive La France!
The SOE certainly counts, regarless their nationality those people were heroes and many were murdered in Camp by the Nazis
WotNoChad, I'm requesting pictures for a few reasons. 1.For those office gasbags who sit behind their computers spurting about stereotypical French cowardice during WWII. I don't mean those who stereotype because they're joking and they know better, I mean those people who really think that France fell due to cowardice and didn't to squat until 1945. I know you might think "who cares what other people think?" well, arguing is my favorite thing against people like them (even if it is rather pointless on the internet) 2. In European History, we're doing a major project on a specific country during WWII. I chose France, and I needed pictures 3. A reference for my friends who might draw FFI Resistants for me, concept art for a story I'm writing about the French Resistance and zombies (yeah, stupid, I know). Although I do have an off-shoot question: is it accurate to say "FFI" and "French Resistance" synonymously, even if the FFI was only formed in June 1944?
FFI = Forced Françaises de l'intérieur. Officially created on December 29th 1943 and Federated all French Ressistance Forces in February 1944. French Forces of the Interior - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia F.F.I. (Forces françaises de l'intérieur) - Encyclopédie Universalis Résistance = those who never gave up, which means this movement started in June 1940. The Free French = those who refused to join Vichy and followed De GAULLE in London . Also De Lattre's North African troops and all colonial troops who joined the allied. The Maquis = the guerilla fighters in the Mountains (Vercors , Corsica etc...) Refractaires : those who refuses to work in Germany and evaded in farms or forests etc...
Ahh that makes it a lot clearer, and how decent of you to care. The French were effectively betrayed by their own in surrendering and co-operating so keenly. If one single volume might express this I believe it's Tickell, Jerrard (1949). Odette: The Story of a British Agent. London: Chapman & Hall. Far from sharing the lazy attitude behind "who cares what other people think?" I think when it comes to history it's vital for folk to have an understanding of the basics, minor details can be debated of course but the core information is pretty much undebatable because it's so well recorded. The French were not only incredibly brave in occupation but also in their resistance whatever form it took, and it took plenty. It's not accurate to refer to them as the same, "Free French" would be better. Skipper gives a good outline, although I'd debate that the Maquis were limited to the mountains. The key to understanding the FFI is that it was deliberately planned to become a popular uprising, once and only once the Allied invasion has begun, and for years Special Operations Executive (F section) and others made sure there was enough equipment hidden throughout France for this to happen, which it did and incredibly. It wasn't unusual for an area to only have around forty active resisters for most of the war suddenly having thousands once Allied troops had landed. Of course there were also Free French Forces, regular military units dotted all over the place, small units attached to Allied forces, such as French pilots in the RAF as well as Free French individuals in more irregular special force units such as the SAS, LRDG and PPA, the bravery of whom has long been cast in stone. It's also worth considering how the resistance went beyond straight forward attacks against German Forces, which were generally discouraged, sabotage played an important part, economic resistance and clandestine propaganda were also important but the most vital part played was in the gathering of intelligence and pssing that back to Allied forces in England. You will find a lot of info on the web will be in French, but c'est L'vie! A few links to help you on your way; http://www.ww2f.com/atlantic-naval-conflict/28429-free-french-submarine-rubis.html http://www.france-libre.net/unites_combats/Unites_combats.htm WW2 History Northwest Historical Association (NWHA) - WW2 Reenacting Society Order of the Liberation Axis History Factbook: French forces during WW2 (1941-1945) (France) Also although not always as accurate as we might like try Wikipedia, and follow every link you can find; French Resistance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia salut!
