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The WWII Vichy French Come Charging Out Of Perry Miniatures
October 12, 2015 by brennon
Perry Miniatures have now released the Vichy French for their World War II range. These metal miniatures come in two flavours with both Advancing and Skirmishing. So, you have them on the move and getting stuck into the fighting...
I honestly don't know much about how the French did after the occupation of their country during World War II. It's a shame really as I should know more about them considering the scale of the conflict and how close they are as neighbours.
Maybe some of you kind folk can enlighten me in the comments below?
Get chatting!
"...you have them on the move and getting stuck into the fighting"
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Those are rather good.
For the French they either went and fought beside the British or Joined the Vichy French and fought with the Germans. The SS was the most culturally diverse military Organisation in the world and a lot of that was due to French, Belgium and other Europeans that joined to fight Communism (or so I’ve read). A lot of the guys defending the Reichstag were actually Frenchmen from the Charlemagne Unit. The Germans recruited from wherever they could even recruiting a Soviet Officer to form the Russian Liberation Army.
From my small understanding of it, after France was occupied, Germany basically made southern France a puppet state run by the Vichy government. They had troops in North Africa that fought the Allies (very reluctantly, and often didn’t fight or gave up).
Some also fought very hard for the Vichy sympathizers.
I’m no expert on the period or the Vichy French, but my understanding is that the Vichy French forces _did_ fight for the government, or at least defent ‘their’ territory, but didn’t go on the offensive. Some people did join the SS of course, but the French regime didn’t participate much in the fighting except when its colonies were attacked by the British, Americans, etc.
Hopefully someone else @oriskany perhaps? …Will be along soon to tell you something more helpful!
All right let’s talk about history! I’m no teacher so don’t hesitate to check everything i’m saying. Always check when people talk about history, betrayal and fascism.
On the 10th of July 1940, the Maréchal Pétain, leader of the French army is also the chief of the French governement for the time of the war (he’s also a former hero of the 1st WW, which is even more shameful considering what is to come from him). He betrayed the whole world big time by deciding of the capitulation and full collaboration of the French army and governement in favor of the Nazis.
France is then cut in half, the occupied zone (north and west to the cost) fully ruled by german forces, and the so called “free state of france” which is ruled by Pétain from Vichy. Up until the final liberation in 1944, what is left of France is now under the “régime de Vichy” and Maréchal Pétain.
The important point to note and remember is that this is a major treason. Pétain may be a former war hero, and claiming he is saving what could be saved, he is now an ally to the Nazis forces and will rule what is left of France by giving Hitler everything he asks and needs: men, money, weapons, politic prisoners, laws against the Jews, raids to catch Jews and send them to death camp and even a French Militia, auxiliary to the Gestapo (the Nazi State Police in charge of hunting down resistance and jews) whose mission is only to find the Resistance, the Jews, and whoever help them in the so-called “Free France”.
Fortunately, when Pétain decides to capitulate, the Général de Gaulle leaves to England with some forces. He joins the English army and will try to help the French Resistance and coordinate their efforts with the Allies, to the end we know.
That’s a very important history to remember. I’m French, and i’ll never forget my own kin decided to betray and help slaughter a huge lot of people, for almost no reason at all. And a few braves stood against that.
Anyway, i guess these miniatures are the armies of Maréchal Pétain. I don’t know if they fought fully or reluctantlu. My guess would be there was some of both, as in many wars.
France had one of the biggest empires in the world, access through French held Indochina, notably the port cities of Vietnam allowed the Japanese to roll into Thailand and from there, into Burma or south into Malaya and the attack on Singapore. In Syria and Lebanon, the Nazi’s tried to lure the Arabs into a wider liberation war (not that the French colonial authorities supported such a move) to threaten the British and American held oil fields of the Middle East (though back then, mostly British). Arabs rebelled in Iraq and it had to be put down, the French colonial forces in Syria would also be equipped with German equipment, including tanks which ended up under Arab control after the war. Last battle between a Sherman and a Panzer was on the Golan Heights if I remember correctly, upgunned Israeli Shermans using Belgian armaments if I remember right against predominantly Russian armour with a handful of old German tanks from the colonial era. Most notable resistance was in North Africa with the American landings, I think they only expected token resistance, not to take as many casualties as they did really… Soon after, American equipment would be used to equip CDG’s forces ready for the liberation of France. After the Normandy landings, the French 2nd Army? Here’s your cue @oriskany!! Landed in the south to liberate the country from Vichy rule. After the war, late 40’s at least, lot of American gear still being utilised along with every Panther tank the French could salvage. France’ arms industry had been decimated and cannibalised by the Germans, so until they could really get things up to speed again they focused on getting knocked out Panthers back into service to provide them with a stop gap until their own factories could pick up steam again. Never forget, lot of Arabs and Africans fought with the Free French, throughout North Africa, Italy and into France and Germany – lot to be said for the tenacity of the Free French. Then again, as a Brit sort of feel sorry for sinking your fleet (well, not for the sinking of the fleet but for the death of the sailors) but then what were we going to do? If those ships ended up back in Toulon and under Petain’s control the Bosh would have been one step closer to invading old blighty…