What did France do in WW2

[GtoRA2]

I am not trying to flame France, I would just like to know what they  did to help.

I know about the French resistance.


I know the Vichy French where the first people we fought in the our  European campaign and we lost over 2000 British and U.S soldiers and sailors.  In the same time period they did not kill a German.

They had troops that fought after D-day? Yes? how so?


Was there a French SS unit?

What about a French RAF? or Air unit after France fell?

Didn't French Indochina go over to the axis?

Where am I wrong and right here? Fill me in, I want to know the truth about France and WW2 instead of all the bashing.

[Raubvogel]

Read some books dude.

[Frogm4n]

if your looking for facts on these boards then i have some russian and chinese troops stationed in iraq for you.

[Creamo]

The French chicks boned all the German invaders, and ironically, in defeat, made via American victory, the locals shaved the skanks heads, not their armpits.

Now you tell me you can do without wine if that's all they could make of that fukup WWII stuff in a pinch.

[Hortlund]

Originally posted by Frogm4n
if your looking for facts on these boards then i have some russian and chinese troops stationed in iraq for you.

Well, you sure deserve that sig line of yours. Why the **** are you posting here at all if all you do is post deliberate lies?

[Frogm4n]

because we all post "facts" that support our viewpoints. and all of our viewpoints are wrong.

[midnight Target]

Originally posted by Frogm4n
because we all post "facts" that support our viewpoints. and all of our viewpoints are wrong.

Now that is sig material!

[GtoRA2]

Dude like I have lots of books and read lots to man, but like dude, you know this is a discussian forum, you know?

So I figured, maybe some  people here might like to talk about france instead of bashing it, hell I am sure all the people who post on stuff here have read books on it right dude?

Dude!  Or maybe you take issue with what I wrote? Like what dude?





Honestly, I would rather spend my time not reading about France though,  I like to read about winners!  

LOL ok, I just couldn't resist.

[Hangtime]

Vichy-French Indochina signed a deal with japan.. supported japanese efforts in indochina, provided port facilities, material support and most disgustingly, handed over british and american aircrews and escaped POWS outta burma to the japanese. most were executed after torture.

Vichy-French forces in north africa had to be subdued by force. Free French Forces in North Africa had a very undistingushed combat carreer. The Free French Generals were all angling for control of France after the war, result, nobody trusted them. I believe i read somewhere that Vichy French admirals scuttled their ships rather than let them fall into allied hands. seems the french have no more trouble betraying france than they do anybody else.

"i'd rather have 2 german divisions in front of me than one free french battalion behind me"  ...Patton

It's intresting to note that France was held by the germans with little effort, and co-operated with some enthusiasim when they came looking for concentration camp candidates... and then, after the germans were defeated, virtually every frenchman claimed to be 'in the resistance'.

Vie La France!

[Batz]

33rd Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS Charlemagne

Not a single unit but a series of succeeding French collaborationist volunteer units that fought in the German Army and later the Waffen-SS. The first unit was the LVF, or "Légion des Voluntaires Français," followed by La Legion Tricolore, which existed for just 6 months in 1942, both units participating in antipartisan sweeps in the occupied Soviet Union. By late 1943, the remaining French volunteers were inducted into the Waffen-SS Französische SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment, later upgraded to an Assault brigade.

Though upgraded to divisional status in February 1945, this unit of French volunteers was rather understrength. Charlemagne fought against the Soviets in Poland and some remnants of the division fought bravely in the April 1945 Battle of Berlin.

[Batz]

May - June 1940:  Germans invade & overrun France.
June 24: French sign Armistice & capitualte to Germany.
 
   
June 1941:  June 22: Germany invades th Soviet Union.
 
July 1941:  July 7: Leaders of various French right-wing parties meet at the Hotel Majestic in Paris to discuss the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The meeting participants support the German invasion, and form the organization Légion des Voluntaires Français contre les Bolchévisme (LVF). The LVF legion volunteers to serve in the German Army to fight in the Soviet Union; Germany gladly accepts the offer.
 
August 1941:  13,400 Frenchmen volunteer for the LVF, but only 5,800 are deemed acceptable. The volunteers can wear French Army uniform while stationed in France, but must wear German uniforms while outside France.
Aug 20: French Col. Roger Labonne is appointed CO (commanding officer) of the LVF.
Aug 27: LVF receives its first color standard in a ceremony at Versailles.  
September 1941:  Sept 4: First 828 LVF volunteers leave France for the German Army training camp in Debica, Poland. Meanwhile, a strange incident occurs back in France at the induction ceremony for French volunteers at the Borgnis-Desborde barracks at Versailles. During the inauguration ceremony, a French volunteer fires on the Vichy leaders in the reviewing stand; Pierre Laval wounded.
 
October 1941:  LVF strength: 2,271 men, 181 officers, plus a German staff of 35 for liason duties forming a 2 battalion unit. LVF renamed "Reinforced Infantry Regiment 638" (under CO Colonerl Roger Labonne?)
 
November 1941:  Reinforced Infantry Regiment 638 (LVF) is sent to the Moscow front to become part of the 7th Infantry Division. The Regiment is immediately battered both by the onset of Russian winter weather and Soviet counterattacks. The LVF loses half of its effective stength.
 
December 1941:  Regiment 638 receives another contingent of 1,400 volunteers, which is sent to training camp Debica to form a third battalion.
 
   
January 1942:  LVF's II Battalion wiped out in the Soviet winter counteroffensive.
 
March 1942:  LVF CO Labonne relieved of command; the unit is pulled off the front lines. I Battilion CO is a Major Lacroix; III Battalion Co is a Major Demessine.
 
May 1942:  The LVF participates in anti-partisan operations behild the Russian front possibly as subcomponents of several security battalions, and continues to do so for the following year.
 
June 1942:  LVF III Battalion suffers heavy casualties in anti-partisan operations, Volost.
LVF I Battalion serves as part of the 186th Security Division near Smolensk. June 28: French collaborationst leader Pierre Laval appoints Raymond Lachal as leader of the La Légion Tricolore, a unit designed to be a successor to the LVF. Legionairres would wear French uniforms, earn French decorations, and La Légion Tricolore would be financied by the Vichy French Ministry of War. Unlike the LVF, which was primarily an infantry formation, La Légion Tricolore will be a combined-arms unit. The Legion CO is General Galy.
 
July 1942:  July 12: Joseph Darnard, Vichy French Inspector General of Legionarirre troops, states in a ceremony that La Légion Tricolore will be allowed to serve "on the side of the Axis in Europe and Africa."
 
August 1942:  August 28: Ceremony to formally inaugurate La Légion Tricolore; dignitaries at the ceremony include Vichy French Admiral Darlan and Otto Abetz, the German Ambassador to France.
 
October 1942:  638th Infantry Regiment (LVF) participates in antipartisan sweeps, Beresino-Cerven.
 
December 1942:  Dec 28: Hitler, unimpressed with the French-sponsored La Légion Tricolore, orders the unit dissolved. RFSS Himmler suggests to Hitler the formation of a Waffen-SS French volunteer unit, to be titled "Gobineau" or "Charlemagne."
 
   
January 1943:  A Waffen-SS unit recruiting office set up in Paris.
 
March - May 1943:  anti-partisan operations as scattered battalions...(?)
 
June 1943:  LVF I & III Battalion brought together under the 286th Security Division; II Battalion reconstituted. LVF CO is now Col. Eduard Pruaud, a former French Foreign Legion officer.
 
July 1943:  July 23: Vichy France Prime Minister Laval authorized the enrollment of French volunteers into the SS, provided that they a) are not used on French territory b) are not used against French units c) are disarmed when demobilized. Vichy Propaganda Minister Paul Marion sets up the "Committee of Friends of the Waffen-SS" to promote enlistment.
 
August 1943:  French Volunteer Legion passes to Waffen-SS command as "Französische SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment." However, this date is confusing, for some sources state the LVF still existed as a separate unit until Sept. 1944. (see below)
Aug 27: Ceremony to honor the 2nd anniversary of the LVF at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris. The Vichy French Secretary of State, General Bridoux, presents the LVF with a new color standard.  
November 1943:  30 French officers; 100 NCO sent to Germany for officer training in Waffen-SS schools (Bad Tölz for the officers, Posen for the NCO's).
 
   
January 1944:  Französische SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment reformed; possibly front-line combat and anti-partisan operations, Soviet Union
 
February 1944:  LVF in anti-partisan operations?
 
June 1944:  June 22: Operation Bagration; the Soviet summer offensive in Byelorussia.Französische SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment in defensive actions; Russian front; Soviets site unit for valor  
July 1944:  Unit suffers heavy casualties; withdrawn to Bohemia-Moravia.
July 18th:becomes Französische SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade Charlemagne - the choice of honorary name was certainly unusual, for Himmler was known to have disliked the Emperor Charlemagne (he referred to him as "Charles the Frank") because he fought against the pagan Saxons, a tribe Himmler quite admired. Unit sent to report under 18.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Horst Wessel in Galicia.
 
August 1944:  August 10: heavy combat Sanok/Visloka in Carpathians Mts. of Hungary. 15 of 18 officers KIA, 130 men KIA, 660 WIA. Unit transfered to Schwarnegast, East Prussia.; 800 French volunteers sent to Alsace, France as SS-Freiwilligen Strumbrigade
 
September 1944:  Franz.Gren.Inf.Reg.638 (LVF) offically disbanded and members are transferred into the SS Sturmbrigade. Unit rebuilt at Wildflecken, near Frankfurt-am-Main. More units amalgameted, including elements former brigade members, Milice Francaise policemen (2,500), Kriegsmarine volunteers (1,000), NSKK and 2,000 Org.Todt members. Total unit strength is less than 7,500 men. Unit renamed Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS Charlemagne (französische Nr.1)
Vichy French & other collaborators join the German retreat from France and set up a government-in-exile at Württemberg.  
October - November 1944:  training, Wildflecken, Germany
 
   
February 1945:  Feb 2: Division formed in Wildflecken?, West Prussia? (accounts vary) from Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS Charlemagne Takes divisional #33 from recently destroyed 33rd Waffen-Kavallerie-Division der SS (ungarische Nr 3) . Unit's flak company deployed for air defense near Fulda; divisional strength 7,500, under "Division-Inspektor" Krukenberg.
Feb 17: Division leaves Wildflecken by rail for Pomerania
Feb 22: SS-Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment 57 deparks Settin; attacked by Soviet planes.
Feb 25th: transferrred to Hammerstein, Pomerania into midst of massive Soviet attack (2 tank corps and 10 divisions - eek!). Division split into three groups: The first with CO Krukenberg, fights to the Baltic coast and is evacuated to Denmark; eventually sent to refit at Neustrelitz in Mecklenberg. The second and third groups, one under Edgar Puaud with the new rank of Waffen-Oberführer, are annihiliated.
Feb 26: Division's Honor Guard company supposedly destroys 18 Soviet tanks at Elsenau; Soviet troops occupy Hammerstein
Feb 28: Division remmnants retreat 50 miles to Belgard
 
March 1945:  Division reforming at Mecklenberg; only 1,100 men of division remain.
March 3: Defensive positions Körlin
March 4: Soviets occupy Körlin, encircle division
March 6: French survivors break out of Soviet ring
March 25: circa 2,000 Charlemagne survivors (plus possibly some barrel-bottom replacements) regroup at Neusterlitz to reform division
March 29: 1,200 Charlemagne troops under Swiss Obersturmbannführer Hersche sent to Wildflecken in southern Germany to reform division
 
April 1945:  Divisions-Inspektor SS-Brif.Dr.Krukenberg releases 400 French volunteers from service. An additional 400 men are not willing to fight and are assigned to a construction batallion (baubattalion) under SS-Sturmbannführer Boudet-Gheusi. Division's regiments are downgraded as "Sturmbattalions." Remmnants of Regt. 58 (300 men) becomes "Kampfbattalion 58"
April 23: Remainder of division sent to fight in the Battle of Berlin as "Sturmbattalion Charlemagne" or "Kampfgruppe Charlemagne" under 57th Regt. CO Fenet (a.k.a. Fernet); they earn a renowned reputation as tank killers and launch multiple counterattacks on Soviet forces at Tempelhof and Hasenheide, possibly supported by Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 503.
April 25: Kampfbattalion 58 sent to Oder front, attached to 7th Luftland division? quickly withdraws west and surrenders to the British.  
May 1945:  May 2nd: 30 French survivors of division surrender to Soviets near the Potsdamer railway station; contruction battalion survivors manage to surrender to British forces. several unit members executed by French after the war

[SOB]

 


SOB

[GtoRA2]

So far some of this is interesting.

[Raubvogel]

Originally posted by GtoRA2

Honestly, I would rather spend my time not reading about France though,  I like to read about winners!  

So basically you're just too lazy to do some research and form your own opinion, so you'd like someone to spoon-feed you theirs? Why didn't you just come right out and say so?

[-tronski-]

Originally posted by Batz
33rd Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS Charlemagne

Not a single unit but a series of succeeding French collaborationist volunteer units that fought in the German Army and later the Waffen-SS. The first unit was the LVF, or "Légion des Voluntaires Français," followed by La Legion Tricolore, which existed for just 6 months in 1942, both units participating in antipartisan sweeps in the occupied Soviet Union. By late 1943, the remaining French volunteers were inducted into the Waffen-SS Französische SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment, later upgraded to an Assault brigade.

Though upgraded to divisional status in February 1945, this unit of French volunteers was rather understrength. Charlemagne fought against the Soviets in Poland and some remnants of the division fought bravely in the April 1945 Battle of Berlin.

An interesting footnote is that after the  Legion was sent to Russia in '44, the unit obtained an excellent combat record. Often the Russians thought they were fighting two French divisions instead of half a battalion.
In Berlin the 500 who were left fought extremely well, 3 soldiers winning the Knight's Cross.

 Tronsky