Quote:
Originally posted by harribobs@Feb 9 2005, 11:34 AM
Quote: De Gaulle wasn't the only one to brush the Vichy regime under the table. Remember that at the time of Operation Torch, the US did not want to have anything to do with the imperious De Gaulle, so they negotiated with Vichy leaders like Admiral Darlan to bring the French North African forces over to the Allied side. A lot of the French forces that fought in the war after that were former Vichy troops and assets, including the battleship Richelieu and Marshal Juin and his French Expeditionary Corps in Italy. Ironically, that was one of the best Allied forces in Italy.
| Kiwi
Was it Darlan who was assassinated by the free french guy?
On a similiar thread, didn't two battalions of the foriegn legion end up fighting each other in the middle east? ( but the vichy side 'come' over to the allies afterwards)
|
Yes, and yes. However, the book I have on Darlan indicates he was whacked by a French monarchist, believe it or not. Vichy and Free French Foreign Legionnaires did fight it out in Syria. Many of the French other ranks and NCOs in Syria joined up with De Gaulle after Damscus and Beirut fell. However, the officers generally refused, and were shipped back to Vichy. At the surrender ceremony, General Catroux signed for the De Gaullists. An Australian cameraman tripped over the big cable, and knocked out the power. When the lights came back on, Catroux found that someone had stolen his gold-encrusted kepi.
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