French Resistance Fighter France's Secret Army

by Crowdy, Terry; Noon, Steve

• ISBN13: 9781846030765
• ISBN10: 1846030765
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-06-19
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Summary

Working as an underground force, the French Resistance was initially formed spontaneously from scattered groups of men and women, inspired by the leadership of men like Charles de Gaulle. As the war progressed the Resistance developed into a secret army, terrorizing the forces of occupation and would-be collaborators alike, despite being excluded from the protection of the Geneva Convention, which left them facing torture and execution if captured. Striking photographs, coupled with first-hand accounts of capture and its terrible consequences, depict an engaging and human history of the French Resistance fighter. Terry Crowdy details the military achievements, tactics, backgrounds, and motivations of the men and women of the Resistance, whose actions helped to ensure the success of the D-Day landings and the liberation of France.

Author Biography

Terry Crowdy has long been fascinated by many aspects of military history and takes great pleasure delving into forgotten historical sources and seeking information that has eluded others. The author of a number of articles and books, including the recent release The Enemy Within (Osprey 2006). Terry lives in Kent, UK. The author lives in Kent, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 4
Chronology	p. 6
Motivations for Resistance	p. 8
An Army in the Shadows	p. 15
The Secret Army
The FTP
The FFI command structure
Living Clandestinely	p. 22
Arrest and captivity
Life in the Maquis	p. 28
Supply Drops	p. 32
Training	p. 45
Resistance Tactics	p. 47
Missions for D-Day
Reprisals
A Final Reckoning	p. 58
Bibliography & Further Reading	p. 60
Colour Plate Commentary	p. 61
Index	p. 64
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