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Évadé
''Évadés'' (French; or 'the escaped', sometimes nl, ontsnapten), often referred to in France as the évadés de France () to distinguish them from escaped prisoners of war, were French and Belgian nationals who attempted to escape from German-occupied Europe to reach the United Kingdom or other Allied territories in World War II. Many attempted to cross the French border into Spain with the help of paid intermediaries (''passeurs'') or local sympathisers in an attempt to reach Portugal or Gibraltar Colony where it was possible to arrange transport to the United Kingdom with Allied help. A smaller number instead travelled to Sweden or Switzerland, and a small number of French ''évadés'' instead sought to travel through the Soviet Union. Many were detained by local police as they crossed illegally through the ''zone libre'' in Vichy France and were sometimes forced to enlist with Vichy's Foreign Legion in French North Africa or the work camps run by the '' Chantiers de la J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Prisoners Of War In World War II
During World War II, the French prisoners of war were primarily soldiers from France and its colonial empire captured by Nazi Germany. Although no precise estimates exist, the number of French soldiers captured during the Battle of France between May and June 1940 is generally recognised around 1.8 million, equivalent to around 10 percent of the total adult male population of France at the time. After a brief period of captivity in France, most of the prisoners were deported to Germany. In Germany, prisoners were incarcerated in '' Stalag'' or ''Oflag'' prison camps, according to rank, but the vast majority were soon transferred to work details (''Kommandos'') working in German agriculture or industry. Colonial prisoners, however, remained in camps in France with poor living conditions as a result of Nazi racial ideologies. During negotiations for the Armistice of 22 June 1940, the Vichy French government adopted a policy of collaboration in hopes for German concessions ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Language
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Northern Gaul. Its closest relatives are the other langues d'oïl—languages historically spoken in northern France and in southern Belgium, which French ( Francien) largely supplanted. French was also influenced by native Celtic languages of Northern Roman Gaul like Gallia Belgica and by the ( Germanic) Frankish language of the post-Roman Frankish invaders. Today, owing to France's past overseas expansion, there are numerous French-based creole languages, most notably Haitian Creole. A French-speaking person or nation may be referred to as Francophone in both English and French. French is an official language in 29 countries across multiple continents, most of which are members of the ''Organisation internationale de la Francophonie'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
France–Spain Relations
France–Spain relations are bilateral relations between France and Spain, in which both share a long France–Spain_border, border across the Pyrenees, other than one point which is cut off by Andorra. As two of the most powerful kingdoms of the Early modern period, early modern era, France and Spain fought a 24-year war (the Franco-Spanish War (1635–59), Franco-Spanish War) until the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. The treaty was signed on the Pheasant Island between the two nations, which has since been a Condominium (international law), condominium, changing its allegiances each six months. Both nations are member states of the European Union (and both nations utilize the euro as currency) and are both members of the Council of Europe, OECD, NATO, Union for the Mediterranean, and the United Nations. History Medieval The entire mainlands of both ''Gaul'' and ''Hispania'' were possessions of the Roman Empire. While the term "Spain" may be improper when used t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Military History Of Belgium During World War II
Despite being neutral at the start of World War II, Belgium and its colonial possessions found themselves at war after the country was invaded by German forces on 10 May 1940. After 18 days of fighting in which Belgian forces were pushed back into a small pocket in the north-west of the country, the Belgian military surrendered to the Germans, beginning an occupation that would endure until 1944. The surrender of 28 May was ordered by King Leopold III without the consultation of his government and sparked a political crisis after the war. Despite the capitulation, many Belgians managed to escape to the United Kingdom where they formed a government and army-in-exile on the Allied side. The Belgian Congo remained loyal to the Belgian government in London and contributed significant material and human resources to the Allied cause. Many Belgians were involved in both armed and passive resistance to German forces, although some chose to collaborate with the German forces. Suppo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Military History Of France During World War II
From 1939 to 1940, the French Third Republic was at war with Nazi Germany. In 1940, the German forces defeated the French in the Battle of France. The German occupied the north and west of French territory and a collaborationist régime under Phillipe Pétain established itself in Vichy. General Charles de Gaulle established a government in exile in London and competed with Vichy France to position himself as the legitimate French government, for control of the French overseas empire and receiving help from French allies. He eventually managed to enlist the support of some French African colonies and later succeeded in bringing together the disparate ''maquis'', colonial regiments, legionnaires, expatriate fighters and Communist snipers under the Free French Forces in the Allied chain of command. In 1944, after the Allies had landed in Normandy and the southern front moved from North Africa across the Mediterranean into Italy and Provence, these forces routed the German Army, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Words And Phrases
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Northern Gaul. Its closest relatives are the other langues d'oïl—languages historically spoken in northern France and in southern Belgium, which French (Francien) largely supplanted. French was also influenced by native Celtic languages of Northern Roman Gaul like Gallia Belgica and by the ( Germanic) Frankish language of the post-Roman Frankish invaders. Today, owing to France's past overseas expansion, there are numerous French-based creole languages, most notably Haitian Creole. A French-speaking person or nation may be referred to as Francophone in both English and French. French is an official language in 29 countries across multiple continents, most of which are members of the ''Organisation internationale de la Francophonie'' (OI ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spain And World War II
During World War II, the Spanish State under Francisco Franco espoused neutrality as its official wartime policy. This neutrality wavered at times and "strict neutrality" gave way to "non-belligerence" after the Fall of France in June 1940. Franco wrote to Adolf Hitler offering to join the war on 19 June 1940 in exchange for help building Spain's colonial empire. Later the same year Franco met with Hitler in Hendaye to discuss Spain's possible accession to the Axis Powers. The only result of the meeting was the signing of a secret agreement under which Franco was committed to entering the war at a date of his own choosing, while Hitler gave only vague guarantees that Spain would receive "territories in Africa". Franco did help the Axis—whose members Italy and Germany had supported him during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939)—in various ways. Despite ideological sympathy, Franco later stationed field armies in the Pyrenees to deter Axis occupation of the Iberian Pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
