What happened to the French colonies during ww2?

During World War II, allied Free France, often with British support, and Axis-aligned Vichy France struggled for control of the colonies, sometimes with outright military combat. By 1943, all of the colonies, except for Indochina under Japanese control, had joined the Free French cause.

What happened to captured French soldiers?

Colonial troops massacred There were 120,000 colonial prisoners of war captured during the Battle of France. French POWs were sent to camps in Germany where they were quickly set to work on farms, in industry, mines and on the railways, to replace German men away fighting.

What happened to the French after ww2?

After WWII, many of the leaders of the French government that had collaborated with the Nazis, nicknamed Vichy France, were imprisoned for treason. In its place, the provisional government first instituted by French statesman and commander Charles de Gaulle in North Africa took control of French affairs.

How many French soldiers were captured in ww2?

Prisoners of war of Germany. By the time of the armistice on 22 June, approximately 1.8 million French soldiers were in captivity; a figure representing roughly 10 percent of the total adult male population of France at the time.

How were French civilians affected by ww2?

Thousands of civilians from northern and eastern France fled in the face of invasion, inundating the southern provinces with refugees and beginning the war years with a significant stress on resources, including food, petrol, and even impacting the Page 6 3 conditions of the roads.

What happened to Pierre Laval?

On trial for treason he found himself in a hostile court, faced by a heckling jury, his defense constantly cut off. He was executed, after attempting to poison himself, on Oct. 15, 1945. Pierre Laval on trial for treason, 1945.

What happened to prisoners who returned to France after WW2?

Prisoners who returned to France, either by repatriation or through escaping, generally found themselves stigmatised by the French civilian population and received little official recognition. In September 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany following the German invasion of Poland.

Who was in charge of the French colonies in France during WW2?

During World War II (1939–1945), the French colonies were administered by the Minister of the Navy and Colonies. On 16 June 1940 Minister César Campinchi resigned and was replaced by Admiral François Darlan who became the colonies’ authority.

What countries did Vichy France take over in WW2?

Vichy France fought for control over the French overseas empire with the Free French forces, which were helped by Britain and the U.S. By 1943, all of the colonies, except for Indochina, had joined the Free French cause.

What happened to Germany’s overseas colonies during WW1?

Germany’s overseas colonies, virtually without hope of reinforcement from Europe, defended themselves with varying degrees of success against Allied attack. Togoland was conquered by British forces from the Gold Coast (now Ghana) and by French forces from Dahomey (now Benin) in the first month of the war.