Colonies

Vichy France and Pacific Colonies

Letter to the Editor MR. E. C. SNOW’S interesting descrip tion of how Tahiti reacted to the capitulation of France (your June issue) calls for certain basic corrections, as follows: — (1) General de Gaulle (then Under secretary for War) was not at Leopold ville (Belgian Congo) but in London at the time of the Armistice. It was there, on June 18, that he founded the Free French Movement by his historical broad cast to all Frenchmen to fight on. (2) The tragedy of June, 1940, did not have a disintegrating effect upon the French Empire. Quite the contrary. It was the natives’ very loyalty to the de facto French authorities which helped Vichy’s partial neutralisation of the Territories under its influence; and which also made it possible for rallied and liberated Territories to fall in readily with the Allies. (3) Volunteers from French Pacific Possessions were incorporated, not with the AIF, but with the Free French Forces, in the formation of a “Bataillon du Pacifique,” commanded by Colonel Broche.

I am, etc.,

Sydney, 28/6/1943.

Roger London.

Editorial Note: —Mr. Snow did not say that French Pacific volunteers generally joined the AlF—he said that one man did.