Free French Africa
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Afrique française libre Free French Africa | |
|---|---|
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 Free French Africa in November 1940, including Chad, French Cameroon, Ubangi-Shari, Gabon, French Congo. | |
| Capital | Brazzaville (1940–1944) Algiers (1943–1944) |
| Official language | French |
| Type | Federation |
| Membership | |
| Leaders | |
• High Commissioner | Edgar de Larminat (1940–41) Adolphe Sicé (1941–42) |
| Establishment | August 1940 |
Free French Africa (French: Afrique française libre, sometimes abbreviated to AFL) was the political entity which collectively represented the colonial territories of French Equatorial Africa and Cameroon under the control of Free France in World War II.
It provided a political and territorial base for Free France and strengthened General Charles de Gaulle's international position. It made a major contribution to the war effort by financing the French Resistance, by the contribution of its many soldiers to the Free French Forces, and by the military exploitation of its installations and territories.
Because of its geographical location, Free French Africa offered a considerable asset to the Allies, favouring military operations from Chad in the Western Desert Campaign in Egypt and Libya, as well as facilitating communications across the continent, thus giving British colonies the ability to communicate with each other.
During the Second World War, following the Appeal of 18 June, 1940, general Charles de Gaulle called for the continuation of the fight with the hopes of relying on the vast size of the French empire and its many colonies in Africa.
The commander-in-chief of the French forces in North Africa, Charles Noguès, eventually gave up the fight after previously giving speeches showing his desire to continue. After giving in to the Vichy regime, and supporting Pétain, French West Africa also gave in after losing the Battle of Dakar.
French Equatorial Africa, on the other hand, progressively rallied towards Free France[1] under the leadership of Félix Éboué, the governor of the French colony of Chad. On 3 July 1940 he wrote to de Gaulle expressing his desire to continue the fight. And on 26 August 1940 with the support of Colonel Marchand and Henri Laurentie, he officially proclaimed that Chad was a part of Free France.[2] This provided Free France with territory where it could exercise sovereignty and raise troops.[3]
On the same day of the official regrouping of Chad to Free France, Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque landed in Douala, taking control of the territory on the following day, effectively making Cameroon a part of Free France. After the addition of Cameroon, the French Congo, led by colonel de Larminat, on August 28, and Ubangi-Shari (present day Central African Republic) followed suit[1] On 29 August 1940, the government of Free French Africa was created by colonel de Larminat.
Gabon did not initially join Free France, and remained loyal to Vichy. But, in November 1940, under Leclerc, Free France led an offensive attack in Gabon, and after fighting from the 9th to the 10th, Gabon was forced to join Free France.[1]
Political base of Free France
In the vast territory of Free French Africa, including French Equatorial Africa and French Cameroon, Charles de Gaulle was able to exercise full powers as head of Free France, on an equal footing with a head of state. After passing through Douala in Cameroon, and Chad, he arrived in Brazzaville on 24 October 1940, which was already the seat of government both of French Congo, as well as of the government of the federation of French Equatorial Africa.
Brazzaville became the capital of Free French Africa and of all of Free France and it was there that de Gaulle signed the first decrees and orders that would govern the Free French territory. Brazzaville remained the capital until 1943, when Algiers took over.[4]
While Brazzaville was the capital of Free French Africa, Charles De Gaulle created the Empire Defense Council on 27 October 1940, with the goal of dealing with “the general conduct of war for the liberation of the country”. It was also in Brazzaville that De Gaulle instituted the Order of Liberation on 16 November 1940, and gave secret instructions to the colonel Leclerc of the 2nd Armed division. Radio-Brazzaville became the official radio of Free France.
The new governor general of Brazzaville was Félix Éboué, the first to join Free France. Initially, the administration of the territories retained the previous functions before engaging in a series of fundamental reforms which sought for policies based on association instead of assimilation. This new policy wanted to respect “Natural Institutions”. Éboué regularly brought together leaders from French colonies. In particular, he hosted these leaders on January 30, 1944 to discuss the “French Union” and to rethink the relationship of French territories to the metropole.
Trade unions were reauthorized in Free French Africa in 1943, and this allowed victims of administrative injustices to have their voices heard. Free French Africa lost its status at the arrival of the Americans in North Africa in 1942. And in 1943 Algiers became the new capital of Free French Africa, and the territory was reunited with North Africa, French West Africa, and French Equatorial Africa.
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