Free French Liberation Forces
The Free French Liberation Forces (French: Forces de libération françaises libres), more commonly known as Free France (French: France Libre) is a country in exile located in West Africa, that claims to be the rightful government of all of France. It borders the Republic of Liberia and the Socialist Republic of Guinea to the west, the Republic of Ghana to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south; and the Republic of Mossiland, the Sultanate of Sokoto and the Republic of Mali to the north.
National Spirits
Luftwaffe Terror Bombing
Launched from airfields in Südwestafrika, the German Luftwaffe regularly launch missions across western Africa, indiscriminately bombing both civilian and military targets as a demented form of 'pilot training'. Only along the coast do those few scattered cities with sufficient anti-air capabilities keep the Luftwaffe at bay, with none in the region capable of beating back this enemy permanently. This leaves the Germans with near impunity to strike the towns and farmlands further inland, crippling west African growth until this nightmare can finally end.
|
Military Administration
Our current situation has forced Charles de Gaulle to put under military control most of our territory. The generals are free to befriend the local chiefs and leaders, giving them access to their personal troops. While it is an efficient method. this prevents us from knowing what is happening in the rest of the nation, and is leaving a lot of power in the hands of our generals.
|
Precious Metals Exports
Our economy might be shattered, and our infrastructure destroyed, but we still can exploit our ore mines. While the steel is not exported, because of its crucial importance in maintaining our equipment, we can still export valuable gold and bauxite to the willing buyers.
|
Spirit of the French Republic
In the sole existence of Free France, the spirit of our long lasting democratic traditions still lives. While our armed hand on the continent is still the Résistence, even here in the deep lands of the Ivory Coast, we still fight for our ideals. Through the Comet Line, exiles were sent here from France and Belgium, believing in the all powerful nature of democracy and freedom, fighting for their country, even across oceans.
|
History
Second World War (1940-1945)
In 1940, mainland France fell to the German unstoppable advance, and the government chose humiliation and surrender over freedom. Not all Frenchmen, however, followed Paris: a cadre of officers of the army and the navy led by Charles de Gaulle, together with thousands of soldiers and refugees, escaped capture and managed to establish a government-in-exile in the southern African colonies which hadn't sworn their loyalty to the French State. Thus was Free France, "La France Libre", born.
For the duration of World War II, de Gaulle organised the efforts of what remained of the French armed forces, working closely with the other Allies, and, more importantly, the resistance in the mainland, always waiting for the right moment to strike, the moment when he and his fellow countrymen would finally be welcomed in Paris as heroes. But that moment never came.
Despite his best efforts, the war in Africa was lost: the combined Allied forces never managed to dislodge the Italians from Ethiopia, due the Viceroy Amadeo of Savoia-Aosta fighting a vicious guerrilla-style campaign, exploiting the hostile ground of Italian East Africa to inflict heavy losses upon the attackers, effectively stalling the offensive. Then, the British recalled their troops to defend the Home Islands, allowing the Germans to break the Allies' defences at El-Alamein, and the Italians to relieve the besieged Viceroy, who definitely shattered the dream of retaking Africa at Amba Alagi.
While de Gaulle rallied his forces to fight in the western African colonies against the advancing Italians, another disaster struck: with the fall of the Home Islands to Operation Sea Lion, the British were effectively eliminated from the war, and any hope of receiving help disappeared as the United States decided to relocate their forces to defend the Pacific and Australia. This had the secondary effect of halting the Italo-German advance, saving de Gaulle from total annihilation: since the war was almost won, and most of Africa's resources had been secured, there was no need to further overextend only to crush a rump government-in-exile.
Post-war (1945-1962)
With the final victory for the Axis, the Allies disgregated, and Free France was left alone, untouched by the victors, who saw no utility in a desertic land filled with warring tribes and bitter nationalists. However Germany, in a last act of spite, dealt the finishing blow to what remained of the French colonies, by designating the entire Sahel as "training ground" for the Luftwaffe, effectively turning Free France into a hellish realm of bomb craters and burning huts, and forcing the last remnants of de Gaulle's forces to abandon everything except the coastline, where the bombings were less frequent.
In 1962, Free France is a shadow, an agonising state which simply refuses to die, fuelled by hate towards the Germans and by the conviction that, one day, they will return to France as heroes, even if they have to walk through the desert, swim across the Mediterranean, and kill every single human being standing before them.
The state of Free France
Formally, Free France is the successor to the French Third Republic, following its constitution. In truth, however, de Gaulle has established a military dictatorship in order to keep the African natives under control with the few troops he possesses. The original plan was to restore republican rule and institutions after the liberation of France, but with the Allies' defeat, it turned permanent. While de Gaulle has managed to keep things under control until now, the natives are getting restless, the influx of Belgian refugees from Congo poses a great representation problem, and the new exiles who flee from mainland France every month to join the Free France are dismayed to see a government so closely similar to the one they just left.
The Free French economy is nonexistent: as soon as something bigger than a house is built, the Luftwaffe brings it down, preventing any actual, large-scale industry from being built. The only source of income for the state's ailing coffers is the export of precious minerals, and a little agriculture. Should the bombings stop, however, there is little doubt that the government will try to boost the economy by any means necessary.
The army and the navy are in an equally pitiful state, with the generals authorised to sell their soldiers to the various native chiefs to get paid and keep them in check, and the "fleet" only kept as a fancy name for a couple gunboats. The arms industry is equally in shambles, with backyard-laboratories and small underground factories able to provide only the bare minimum to keep the soldiers functional. Plans, however, are being drafted to capture as much of the no-man's-land up north, should the Luftwaffe stop its bombings.
Still, the Free French leadership keeps ample contacts within the resistance in the mainland, expanding operations the more the French State falls into economic and political disarray. The increasingly turbulent situation in Germania is also closely observed, hoping for a turn to the worse in the Reich in order to better their condition.
In short, Free France is in dire need of a change in pace, be it from the inside, or due to momentous events from outside. De Gaulle must choose wisely, especially since he is no longer a young general, and will need to act swiftly and effectively if he is to secure a legacy, and ensure that, one day, he or his successors will be finally able to walk through the Champs Elysees in triumph.
In-game
After the bombing of West Africa ceases, Free France will either annex peacefully or invade the Republic of Mossiland. Afterwards, it will participate in the West African War, fiercely opposing the Pan-African Liberation Front in all scenarios. Should it win, it will work to further consolidate West Africa before returning to Metropolitan France to overthrow the French State. If Antoine Pinay succeeds in his reforms and establishing democracy, the Free French movement will dissolve and return to France.
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
