WEST AFRICA

In 1940 France was taken over by the Germans and Italians. The Free French government in exile, led by General Charles de Gaulle, fought against them. But there were other French people who joined the Germans and fought with them. They formed the Vichy government led by Marshal Philippe Pétain. This posed a problem for French African colonies who had to choose which side to support, and also for the British who feared invasion of their West African colonies by Vichy forces. Many French Equatorial territories’ governors declared their loyalty to the Free French forces and Congo-Brazzaville became a temporary capital for Free France.  French North Africa and French West Africa chose to support the Vichy regime. However, when the Allies regained control of North Africa,

French West African colonies switched sides and supported the Free French government. 

Aside from protecting Great Britain’s African colonies. the British needed more soldiers to fight in the Middle East and Asia. Initially they recruited policemen and government workers such as drivers. Many Africans volunteered but some were forced to join the army by their chiefs who worked with the British.

Some 90,000 troops from West and East Africa fought in Burma against the Japanese as part of the Chindits. They were dropped into jungle airstrips in the Kaladan peninsula by glider to attack the Japanese deep behind enemy lines.  The Kaladan peninsula was covered in jungle and criss-crossed by high mountain ridges and fast rivers called chaungs. There were no roads, so the soldiers received all their supplies by air.