What was the french contribution in World War 2?

Answer 1

The French arguably made the fifth most Allied important contribution to WW2 (after the Russians, Americans, British, and the Dominions, in order of highest to lowest). Incidentally, I don't want to offend anyone by ranking the above four countries as I did. It was just a matter of expediency.

1. First, while they were thoroughly defeated in the Battle of France, the French's tenacious resistance (no less than 290,000 killed and wounded) significantly weakened the German Air Force, which was then forced to delay its attack on Great Britain for a month as it rested and refitted. This gave the RAF, which had also greatly suffered in May and June 1940, a critical breathing space.

2. In the spring of 1941, Allied forces, of which the French made up a third, successfully invaded Vichy Syria and Lebanon. This conquest eliminated the potential threat of an encirclement on British/Imperial forces in Palestine and Egypt, and it meant German factions in Iraq were now cut off from Axis support.

3. In 1942-3, two Free French divisions (eventually joined by a mobile force from Chad) fought as part of the British 8th Army, on the Lybian/Egyptian front. One of these units, the 1st Division, fought a renowned, 16-day holding action at Bir Hakeim, which saved the 8th Army from an Axis encircling maneuver.

4. From late November 1942 to May 1943, the French Army of Africa constituted an appreciable part of the Allied battle order on the Tunisian Front. Additionally, the Army of Africa fought the German forces in Tunisia on its own for nearly a month until Anglo-American support arrived. This delaying action preserved Western Tunisia for the Allied cause.

5. Between November 1943 and June 1944, a Free French expeditionary corps participated in the Italian Campaign, earning particular distinction at the Battle of Monte Cassino and the breaking of the Gustav Line, the latter which led directly to the capture of Rome.

6. The French Resistance played an active role in facilitating the D-day landings, cutting Germany supply lines to the front (namely railways) and providing intelligence on German movements. According to General Eisenhower: "Throughout France, the Free French had been of inestimable value in the campaign. They were particularly active in Brittany, but on every portion of the front we secured help from them in a multitude of ways. Without their great assistance the liberation of France and the defeat of the enemy in Western Europe would have consumed a much longer time and meant greater losses to ourselves."Though of course, there is room for debate on this point.

7. The 1944-1945 Western Campaign was not solely an Anglo-American effort, as is too often implied. Here too, the French fielded an army that landed in Provence, the 1st French Army. Since General Eisenhower commanded 7 Armies on the Western Front, the French formed approximately 15 % of the total Allied forces. For the record, the combat performance of the 1st Army is generally considered to be very good.

8. French soldiers, both regular and irregular, were also active on the Alpine and Atlantic Fronts in 1944-1945-although to be fair, these scenarios were mere sideshows compared to what was happening in Poland or the Siegfried Line.

So there. I hope these points prove of interest to all readers, particularly those who might have a poor opinion of the French army.