Decolonization with Free France

I was thinking maybe Germany. The shrinkage of the French colonial empire would mean more territory for the Reich. In this timeline, Germany presumably controls everything that they lost in 1918, except for the French Congo, with the Reich's own twisted version of Mittelafrika.




From Wikipedia: Approximate location of Mittelafrika in medium blue and dark blue, with pre-World War I colonies in dark blue. Light blue are possible additions, including Portuguese colonies.

The colonies you see in medium blue are the colonies they're going to take from their defeated enemies. This gives Germany a powerful foothold in African colonial affairs. Africa is bound to be a continent of proxy wars between Germany and Free France, with both sides supporting local factions fighting against each other. Free France is going to do whatever it takes to keep Germany from consuming any more territory which could put their government in exile at risk.
Not a chance while the Anglo American navies control the sea.
 
I'm no expert on Free France, but thing to note about it is that, while Free France may want to hold onto its colonies, it probably wouldn't have the means to. The head has basically been cut off the snake that is the French colonial empire, so what's stopping a native revolt? The one thing that could maybe keep Free France in power IMO is the creation of a "French Commonwealth" of sorts, where local nations all affiliate with what remains of Free France, which would probably completely control Algeria and a handful of small and nearby colonies.
 

BigBlueBox

Banned
I'm no expert on Free France, but thing to note about it is that, while Free France may want to hold onto its colonies, it probably wouldn't have the means to. The head has basically been cut off the snake that is the French colonial empire, so what's stopping a native revolt? The one thing that could maybe keep Free France in power IMO is the creation of a "French Commonwealth" of sorts, where local nations all affiliate with what remains of Free France, which would probably completely control Algeria and a handful of small and nearby colonies.
Such an entity would require large amounts of money to retain. The moment the colonies realize that their natural resources are going to Pied-Noirs and exiles in Algeria and they are getting nothing in return there will be some serious problems.
 
... and the Levant Confrontation in 1945 is also historical.
Well the British invaded due to Vichy France allowing Nazi German forces to use bases in the Levant and releasing supplies to them in relation to the Anglo-Iraq War so that made them a legitimate target, and they recognised De Gaulle's appointment of Georges Catroux as High Commissioner. They might gave sided with the Syrians during the Levant Crisis but France had signed previous agreements and Catroux had recognised Syria's independence, so siding with the nationalists can't really be described as trying 'to grab Syria and Lebanon'.


The only part hard to prove or disprove are the assassination attempts.
Well it's rather difficult to prove a negative, so I would argue the onus rests on those trying to argue it to prove it. Without evidence this really does seems to fall into the category of conspiracy theories.
 
Without evidence this really does seems to fall into the category of conspiracy theories.
Hence I left them out. The list still leaves De Gaulle in all of his utter arrogance and vainglory with plenty of legitimate reasons to mistrust the US and UK.
 

yeetboy

Banned
Why would there be ANY decolonisation in an Axis victory? I wouldn’t be surprised to see the US supporting France in maintaining it’s territory to combat the inevitable Cold War of this timeline.
 
Why would there be ANY decolonisation in an Axis victory? I wouldn’t be surprised to see the US supporting France in maintaining it’s territory to combat the inevitable Cold War of this timeline.

Well, till the B-36 comes on line.
 
Why would there be ANY decolonisation in an Axis victory? I wouldn’t be surprised to see the US supporting France in maintaining it’s territory to combat the inevitable Cold War of this timeline.
Given how small the French minority and how unnecessary the majority of the territory is. Why go through the effort on a loss cause with no gain.
 
A large proportion of the Free French Arny were Africans.
Nazis had a Darwinian complex about native Africans. Vichy France was viewed by many European but not all as the enemy. There was a Free v Vichy war going on, which the Free French we’re winning. It may be plausible that a French speaking United States of Africa be established eventually dominated by the ‘natives’ but those of Metropolitan French descent becoming fully absorbed into it.
 
This might be the only way the French could become a majority in Algeria. Couldn’t Nazi rule lead to massive emigration from France to Algeria? Could they even have population enclaves more inland? They probably try to assimilate Africans to French culture with a heavy emphasis on a more wide meaning French nationality but it would be mix. Muslims might come into conflict with the secular nature of France(this is why many Algerians didn’t get citizenship). They are also just a much larger and settled cultural force(they can resist assimilation better due to size and long history). Much of rest of French Africa that isn’t Islamic is divided up into hundreds of different ethnic groups that often do not have ties to each other or are even more hostile to each other then outsiders. That makes it easier for France to give them a unifying identity and assimilate them if they are truly willing(ease up on racial ideas much more then otl. Maybe Free France Africa develops similarly to Brazil on racially ideas). It could be a Russian situation with ethnic groups later on? Some support you while others don’t. They could keep on to a good bit of French North Africa but definitely loses anything not connected to them by land.
 
This might be the only way the French could become a majority in Algeria. Couldn’t Nazi rule lead to massive emigration from France to Algeria?
That would require Axis to allow emigration. Not to mention Axis rule over France wasn't harsh and to get majority would require something like a 1/3 of France to emigrate in 1945 which would still result in an Algerian majority due to birth rate difference.

That makes it easier for France to give them a unifying identity and assimilate them if they are truly willing(ease up on racial ideas much more then otl
That would require the French to willing to accept non-whites as equals and to give up control of the country.
 
First, I'm going to assume that Free France is based out of Algiers. Britain had driven the Italians out of Libya on their own and they can probably do the same in French North Africa. There'd likely be millions of transplants from the mainland to Algeria.

As for Africa, I don't see why doing anything other than what they did historically is preferable. They established independent countries ruled by pro-French elites whose currencies were managed by Paris. As part of the CFA Franc System, West African countries were required to put government reserves in French Bank accounts (thus bolstering France's finances) and would often receive loans from France backed by their own reserves. France would provide loans and aids to African nations conditionally, such as spending military aid on French Weapons and French Military Craft as well as agreeing to give French companies preferential treatment with regards to the resources under their control. If a leader tried to break away from Paris, expect French troops or a French-backed coup.


I can see Togo breaking away from France TTL just like Guinea did OTL. Togo tried to go on a pro-American and pro-British course OTL but the French nixed that. But on the whole I imagine the French system of dominance in Africa from OTL will still be the preferred route, as you get most of the advantages of colonialism with very little cost.
 
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