Germany’s French Allies 1941–45
Germany’s French Allies 1941–45
Description
A fully illustrated study of the Wehrmacht's French volunteer units and their actions on the Eastern Front and in North Africa during World War II.
It is little known that, in late 1941, French volunteer units were among Wehrmacht troops defending Germany in the first bitter winter on the Eastern Front, and also among the last fighting for Berlin in April 1945. After Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, some 13,000 Frenchmen enlisted in the 'Légion des volontaires français contre le bolchévisme' (LVF), which was reformed as the Wehrmacht's Infanterie-Regiment 638 and posted to Russia.
This volume examines the involvement of French volunteers, not only on the Eastern Front, but also in the 'Phalange Africaine' in Tunisia and in the 'Légion Tricolore', a short-lived military organization under the control of the French Vichy government. Using archive photographs and specially commissioned artwork, it casts a new light on forces fighting for the Axis and studies the French personnel's equipment, insignia and uniforms while describing their involvement in some of the most gruelling battles of World War II.
Table of Contents
LA LÉGION DES VOLONTAIRES FRANÇAIS
Creation
– The Eastern Front
– November–December 1941: Operation 'Typhoon'
– Negative judgements
– January–February 1942: withdrawal, purge and re-formation
– May–June 1942: III Btl in the Volost valley
– July–December 1942: I Btl returns to the front
– September 1942–February 1943: III Btl at Krutojar, and on the Desna
– Ambushes, June–August 1943 THE LEGION REBORN
– September–November 1943: back to regimental status
– October 1943–February 1944: Solovitchy, the Somry forest, and Operation 'Marokko'
– June 1944: the Marty column
– Operation 'Bagration': the defence of Bobr
– July 1944: Minsk
LA LÉGION TRICOLORE
LA PHALANGE AFRICAINE
– Kompanie Frankonia
FRENCH VOLUNTEERS IN THE WAFFEN-SS
– Creation of the French brigade
– August 1944: the Galician front
THE 'CHARLEMAGNE' DIVISION
– August–October 1944: reorganization
– February–March 1945: the Pomeranian front
– March–April 1945: final reorganizations
– April–May 1945: Berlin
– The other remnants of the division
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PLATE COMMENTARIES
INDEX
Product details
| Published | 20 Jun 2024 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (PDF) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Extent | 48 |
| ISBN | 9781472863003 |
| Imprint | Osprey Publishing |
| Illustrations | 8 colour artwork plates; black & white photographs and illustrations. |
| Series | Men-at-Arms |
| Short code | MAA 556 |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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