Free France

Long ago, a war came to France.

A leader named Charles de Gaulle went to Britain. He spoke on the radio to his people. He told them to keep fighting.

Many people joined his group. They wanted to make France free again. They worked in many lands far away.

They fought hard to win. Soon, they helped free the land. This was a big change for the country.

During World War II, Nazi Germany invaded France. This caused the French government to fall apart.

A leader named Charles de Gaulle did not want to stop fighting. He fled to London in June 1940. He spoke on the radio to the French people. He told them to join the fight for freedom.

This group was called Free France. It was a government living in another country.

At first, only a few people joined him. By the end of July 1940, there were 7,000 soldiers. Over time, the group grew much larger. They gained control of many French lands in Africa.

In 1943, the group moved to Algiers. They joined with other forces to make a large army. By June 1944, this army had 500,000 soldiers. They helped win back France. By the end of the war, they had 1.3 million troops. This was a very big army in Europe.

Free France was a special government formed during World War II. It claimed to be the true leader of the French people. This happened after Nazi Germany invaded and defeated France in 1940.

While some leaders wanted to stop fighting, others wanted to keep going. This group acted as a government-in-exile. This means they lived in a different country to lead their people. They worked with the Allied nations to fight against the Axis powers.

To start this movement, General Charles de Gaulle made a big choice. He fled to London in June 1940 to escape the German occupation.

He used the BBC radio to speak to all French people. This was called the Appeal of 18 June. He told soldiers and sailors to join the fight for freedom.

He said France was not alone in this struggle. He believed the French Empire and the British Empire could work together. This radio speech became a very famous call for national honor.

Building a new government was a hard job that took time. At first, only about 7,000 soldiers joined de Gaulle in Britain.

Many French lands in Africa and Asia did not join him right away. Some stayed loyal to the Vichy government in France instead.

Slowly, the Free French forces gained more territory in Africa. By November 1942, they had secured most of the French colonies. In July 1942, the group was even renamed Fighting France to show their struggle.

As the war moved forward, the Free French grew into a huge force. They moved their headquarters from London to Algiers in North Africa. They joined with other groups to form the French Liberation Army. By June 1944, this army had more than 500,000 soldiers. They helped during the famous Normandy landings to win back France. By the end of the war, they had over 1.3 million troops. This made them the fourth-largest Allied army in Europe.

The work of Free France helped change the future of the country. They helped liberate the city of Paris in August 1944.

After the war, a provisional government took over to lead the nation. This government ruled until a new republic was set up in October 1946.

The Free French helped ensure France remained a major power in the world. Today, we remember them for their courage during a very dark time. Their story shows how people can unite to fight for their home.

Free France was a resistance government during World War II. It claimed to be the legitimate government of France. This group formed after the Third Republic fell to Nazi Germany in 1940.

It functioned as a government-in-exile based in London. This means its leaders lived outside of France to represent its people. Free France fought the Axis powers alongside the Allied nations. It also supported the French Forces of the Interior. These were resistance fighters working within Nazi-occupied France.

The movement began because of a major disagreement in leadership. After the defeat of the Third Republic, Marshal Philippe Pétain negotiated an armistice. He established Vichy France, which was a German client state. General Charles de Gaulle opposed this armistice. He believed the French government had fallen under enemy bondage. De Gaulle fled to Britain to continue the struggle.

On June 18, 1940, he delivered the Appeal of 18 June via BBC radio. He urged French soldiers and citizens to resist the Nazis. He argued that France could form a powerful bloc with the British Empire.

Building the Free French movement happened in several stages. Initially, the group was very small. By the end of July 1940, only about 7,000 soldiers had joined in Britain.

The movement also had to manage the French colonial empire. On October 27, 1940, the Empire Defense Council was formed. This group later became the French National Committee (CNF). It governed territories in central Africa, Asia, and Oceania that supported de Gaulle. Many territories initially remained loyal to the Vichy government. However, the Free French progressively took over more colonies. By November 1942, they secured most of the French possessions in Africa.

The military strength of the movement expanded through different branches. The Free French Forces (FFL) fought in many major campaigns. These included battles in North Africa and Indochina.

The Free French Navy served as an auxiliary to the British and Canadian navies.

Free French units also served in the Royal Air Force and the Soviet Air Force.

On July 13, 1942, the group was officially renamed Fighting France. This name change marked their struggle against the Axis both abroad and within France.

The government changed its location as the war progressed. Exile officially ended after the reconquest of North Africa. The headquarters moved from London to Algiers. Because French Algeria was considered part of Metropolitan France, the leaders felt they were physically in France. This led to the formation of the French Committee of National Liberation (CFLN). The CFLN acted as a provisional government for all French forces. On August 1, 1943, the Free French Forces merged with the Army of Africa. This merger created the French Liberation Army (AFL).

The size of the French military grew significantly during the later years. By June 1944, the AFL numbered more than 500,000 soldiers. The AFL participated in the Normandy landings and the invasion of southern France. They helped liberate Paris in August 1944.

By the end of the war, the total number of troops reached over 1.3 million. This made them the fourth-largest Allied army in Europe. The CFLN was eventually succeeded by the Provisional Government of the French Republic (GPRF). This new government was established to prepare for the liberation of the country.

The legacy of Free France shaped the modern French state. The provisional government ruled until the Fourth Republic was established in October 1946. By leading the liberation, they secured France's status as a major power.

After the war, the government even created a specific definition for the term "Free French." According to a 1953 instruction, the title applied to those who served with the Allies between the 1940 armistice and August 1, 1943. This distinction helped settle disputes over who belonged to this historical movement.