Table of Contents
How effective was the French Resistance in WWII?
The French Resistance played a vital part in aiding the Allies to success in Western Europe – especially leading up to D-Day in June 1944. The French Resistance supplied the Allies with vital intelligence reports as well as doing a huge amount of work to disrupt the German supply and communication lines within France.
How many French Resistance died?
The risks were great. More than 90,000 resisters were killed, tortured or deported by the Germans. They also gathered intelligence and helped Allied airmen and prisoners of war escape the country, risking their lives to save the young strangers. New Zealanders were among those helped to safety by the Resistance.
What happened in France during ww2?
France and Britain declared war on Germany when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939. After the Phoney War from 1939 to 1940, within seven weeks, the Germans invaded and defeated France and forced the British off the continent. France formally surrendered to Germany.
When did the French resistance take place?
| French Resistance | |
|---|---|
| Date June 1940 – October 1944 Location Occupied France | |
| Belligerents | |
| Germany Vichy France Supported by: Italy | Resistance Groups (formalised as French Forces of the Interior after June 1944) Supported by: United Kingdom United States |
| Units involved |
How many French soldiers were killed in ww2?
Deaths by Country
| Country | Military Deaths | Total Civilian and Military Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| France | 217,600 | 567,600 |
| French Indochina | — | 1-1,500,000 |
| Germany | 5,533,000 | 6,600,000-8,800,000 |
| Greece | 20,000-35,000 | 300,000-800,000 |
Was there a French Resistance in ww1?
In occupied Belgium and France, citizens opposed the German army with organized but non-violent resistance. They created networks dedicated to military intelligence gathering, escape lines, clandestine postal networks and underground newspapers.
How did the French Resistance fight against the Germans in 1941?
In May 1941, the first SOE agent was dropped into northern France to assist the work of the resistance. Because of the peculiar political complexities of France, the resistance movement got off to a difficult start. However, by June 1941, the resistance movement had become more organised and its work against the Germans increased accordingly.
Why was there no resistance movement in central and southern France?
Therefore, there was no immediate drive to create a resistance movement en masse in central and southern France. On June 18th, 1940, Charles de Gaulle addressed the people of France from London. He called on the French people to continue the fight against the Germans.
What was the relationship between Vichy France and the French Resistance?
However, when the Vichy government began to openly collaborate with the Germans, attitudes hardened. The French Resistance movement is an umbrella term which covered numerous anti-German resistance movements that were based within France.
What is the symbol of the French Resistance?
The Cross of Lorraine, chosen by General Charles de Gaulle as the symbol of the Resistance The French Resistance (French: La Résistance) was the collection of French movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and the collaborationist Vichy régime during the Second World War.