French Resistance

The French Resistance is the name used for resistance movements that fought military occupation of France by Nazi Germany and the Vichy France undemocratic regime during World War II after the government and the high command of France surrendered in 1940. Resistance groups included groups of armed men (usually referred to as the maquis), publishers of underground newspapers or even cinematography and escape networks that helped allied soldiers. French Resistance cooperated with Allied secret services (see Special Operations Executive), especially in providing intelligence on the Atlantic Wall and coordinating sabotages and other actions to contribute to the success of Operation Overlord.

Activities

The Special Operations Executive (SOE) began to help and supply the resistance from November 1940. Head of the French section was Colonel Maurice Buckmaster. They sent weapons, radios, radiomen and advisors. One of their agents was reputedly flamboyant Peter Churchill (no relation to Winston).

Related Topics:
Special Operations Executive - 1940 - Maurice Buckmaster - Peter Churchill

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Both the Secret Intelligence Service and Special Air Service also sent agents to France.

Related Topics:
Secret Intelligence Service - Special Air Service

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Because the US and British governments did not always agree with him, Charles De Gaulle organized his own intelligence organization Bureau Central de Renseignements et d'Action (BCRA). There was also the Direction Général des Services Spéciaux (DGSS or Special Services Executive), headed by Jacques Soustelle.

Related Topics:
Charles De Gaulle - Jacques Soustelle

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The Resistance was opposed by the German Abwehr, Gestapo, Sicherheitspolizei and Wehrmacht, as well as the Milice, the Vichy France police force led by Joseph Darnand. Its methods were as brutal as those of the Gestapo. One particularly zealous—and successful—adversary was Abwehr sergeant Hugo Bleicher. He dismantled Interallie intelligence network and personally arrested its leader, Major Roman Sziarnowski. His most famous coup was the capture of Peter Churchill and Odette Sansom.

Related Topics:
Abwehr - Gestapo - Sicherheitspolizei - Wehrmacht - Milice - Vichy France - Joseph Darnand - Hugo Bleicher - Interallie - Roman Sziarnowski - Peter Churchill - Odette Sansom

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On January 1 1942 Jean Moulin parachuted to Arles with two other men and radio equipment and continued to Marseille. De Gaulle had sent him to coordinate activities of different resistance groups. Many groups were not enthusiastic at first.

Related Topics:
January 1 - 1942 - Jean Moulin - Arles - Marseille

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When the Germans initiated a forced labor draft in France in the beginning of 1943, thousands of young men fled and joined the maquis. SOE helped with more supplies. The American organization Office of Strategic Services (OSS) also began to sends it own agents to France in cooperation with SOE.

Related Topics:
1943 - Office of Strategic Services

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In June 1943 SOE sent Edward Yeo-Thomas for the first time to liaise between Gaullist BCRA and SOE activities in Paris. In February 1944 he was betrayed and Gestapo arrested him.

Related Topics:
1943 - Edward Yeo-Thomas - 1944

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Eventually Jean Moulin convinced Armée Secrète, Comité d'Action Socialiste, Francs-Tireur, Front National, and Libération to unify their efforts to the Conseil National de la Resistance (CNR or National Council of the Resistance) under De Gaulle's direction. Their first common meeting was in Paris on May 27 1943. Moulin became a chairman.

Related Topics:
Jean Moulin - May 27 - 1943

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Initially the American government supported Henri Giraud. However, at the Casablanca conference in June 1943, De Gaulle and Giraud were forced to reconcile and became joint presidents of the CNR. Giraud was outmaneuvered by De Gaulle and left in October 1943.

Related Topics:
Henri Giraud - Casablanca conference - 1943

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On June 7 1943 the Gestapo captured resistance member René Hardy. Klaus Barbie tortured Moulin's whereabouts out of him and Moulin was arrested (alongside others) in Caluire on June 21. Moulin died after heavy torture on July 8 1943. After that, Georges Bidault became president of CNR.

Related Topics:
June 7 - 1943 - René Hardy - Klaus Barbie - Caluire - June 21 - July 8 - Georges Bidault

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The Gestapo apparently let Hardy go. He was accused of collaboration after the war but was acquitted.

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Operation Overlord was approaching. In the fall of 1943 COSSAC begun to direct SOE and OSS activities that were connected to the invasion plans. Eventually it took orders from Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). Resistance members concentrated on information collection and sabotage against transportation and communication lines. They destroyed tracks, bridges and trains.

Related Topics:
Operation Overlord - 1943 - Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force

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De Gaulle also organized a new London HQ for the Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur (FFI or French Forces for the Interior) under command of General Marie Pierre Koenig. It also became a part of the Allied armed forces. Allies sent three-men teams (codename Jedburgh)—one French, one US or British and one radioman—to organize sabotage before the D-day. There were about 87 Jedburgh teams.

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SOE also had its own F-section that was composed of non-Gaullist agents.

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On June 5 1944, the BBC broadcasted a group of unusual sentences. Abwehr and Wehrmacht knew they were code words—possibly for the invasion of Normandy. All over France resistance groups had been coordinated. Various groups throughout the country increased their sabotage. They derailed trains, blew up ammunition depots and attacked German garrisons. Some relayed info about German defensive positions on the beaches of Normandy to American and British commanders by radio, just prior to 6 June.

Related Topics:
June 5 - 1944 - Invasion of Normandy - 6 June

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Victory did not come easily. In June and July, in the Vercors plateau a newly reinforced maquis group fought 15,000 Waffen SS soldiers under General Karl Pflaum and was defeated with 600 casualties. On June 10 Major Otto Dickmann's troops wiped out the village of Oradour-sur-Glane in retaliation.

Related Topics:
Vercors plateau - Waffen SS - Karl Pflaum - June 10 - Otto Dickmann - Oradour-sur-Glane

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German intelligence did not give up either. Hugo Bleicher arrested Resistance organizer Major Henri Frager in 1944.

Related Topics:
Hugo Bleicher - Henri Frager

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The resistance also assisted later Allied invasions in south of France in Operations Dragoon and Anvil.

Related Topics:
Dragoon - Anvil

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When Allied forces began to approach Paris on August 19, its resistance cells also activated. They fought with grenades and sniper rifles and arrested and executed collaborators. Most of the Paris police force joined them. Roosevelt sent troops to help—the first Allied troops arrived on August 24. The last Germans surrendered on August 25.

Related Topics:
August 19 - Grenade - August 24 - August 25

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On August 28 De Gaulle gave an order to dismantle Free French Forces and the resistance organizations. Many of those who still wanted to fight joined the new French army.

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