| Regarding the surrender of Paris, it was accepted by the Allied Powers through De Gaulle's insistence that the French as represented by Leclerc heading the French 2nd Armoured Division would take Choltitz's formal surrender of German forces in Paris. Henri Tanguy (Col Rol) the communist resistance leader who had other ideas, planned and executed the insurrection contrary to De Gaulles wishes, not that the communists took much notice of De Gaulle.Tanquy having driven the insurrection intended to take the surrender of Paris as the representative of the French people.De Gaulle, with an eye on the future of France's post war political balance was anxious to avoid the surrender of Paris falling to the communists.Hence there was a mad dash by Leclerc to get into Paris and take the formal surrender.As it was Tanguy got his name on the surrender document much to the disappointment of De Gaulle who later gave Lerclerc a dressing down.
De Gaulle had his own agenda for the future of France and the elimination of foreign influence was part of that policy.For instance, when south west France was liberated, he met British SOE personnel in Bordeaux and gave them days to leave the country.Their task was over and he would be directing the future of France.
Regarding the FFI,this organisation was part of De Gaulles interior forces forged when Moulin before his death at the hands of the Germans had structured the various facets of resistance to De Gaulle's overall unified plan under the Conseil National de la Resistance.The FTP, the Franc-Tireur Partisan, largely communist led and the communists themselves saw themselves and wished to be, for the future of French politics, of being outside any alliance to De Gaulle.It was the British SOE leadership in the field who strived to organise and co-ordinate the resistance activities of these irregular groups.Some success was achieved as SOE personnel leadership demonstated their clandestine skills in underground warfare with these irregular units. Some FTP were happy to don the FFI armband when the secret armies came out into open warfare, the others who had long standing communist views did not. |