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France Forever (french: France Quand Même) was an organization founded on June 29, 1940 as an association of French men and women living in the United States, as well as American friends of France, acting to preserve comradeship between these countries in the cause of freedom and democracy. The organisation was created to support Général de Gaulle fight the Nazi occupation, and Vichy France. It aimed to represent de Gaulle in the United States and to acquire embassy status. It also declared to: "Assist the United States in all measures of preparedness to meet the menace to democratic institutions." In 1941, the France Forever association had forty-six sections. Its headquarters was located on
Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major and prominent thoroughfare in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It stretches north from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village to West 143rd Street in Harlem. It is one of the most expensive shopping stre ...
in Manhattan, NYC.


Founders & action

Founders:
/ref>A Nation-Wide Organization, ''Maison Francaise''

(PDF)
*Major General
William G. Price Jr. William G. Price Jr. (May 23, 1869 – February 24, 1960) was a businessman and Pennsylvania National Guard officer. He commanded the 28th Infantry Division for 13 years between World War I and World War II. Early life William Gray Price Jr. wa ...
- commandeur de la Légion d'honneur *
Oswald Chew Oswald Chew (March 24, 1880 — December 6, 1949) was a noted author decorated Legion of honor and active in the US for de Gaulle against Vichy. Oswald Chew was born on 24 May 1880, in Pennsylvania, to his father, Samuel Chew, aged 48 and his moth ...
- Officier de la Légion d'honneur *Emile C. Geyelin - Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur * Roger E. Brunschwig
/ref> - Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur. A much‐decorated French hero of the two world wars.Col. Roger E. Brunschwig Dies; French Hero in 2 Wars Was 81
'' The New York Times'', Dec 10, 1972.
* Eugene J. Houdry - Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur. Vocal in opposing the government of Vichy France under Marshall Philippe Pétain and its collaboration with Germany and vocally and publicly criticized Petain, stating that he did not speak for the French people. Houdry was its first President. *
Fred G. Hoffherr Frédéric Georges Hoffherr (ca. 1888 — October 11, 1956) was a French-American professor, author and anti-Vichy activist. Hoffherr was a professor emeritus and led the French department at Barnard College. He joined the Columbia faculty in 19 ...
- Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, becoming its publicity director and later its executive vice-president. *Emile G. Henno - Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur *Henri L. Laussucq *Pierre Quilleret - industrialist, Eugene Houdry's brother-in-law *
Jacques de Sieyes Jacques Edouard de Plan de Sieyes de Veynes (21 July 1891 — 25 June 1949) was a Legion of honor decorated captain who acted for de Gaulle against Vichy. His parents were Raoul de Plan de Sieyès de Veynes (1848 - 1944), lawyer, Joan of Indy ( ...
- Officer de la Légion d'honneur *Docteur Albert Simard - Chavalier de la Légion d'honneur. Founded in his apartment. *Maurice Garreau-Dombasle, was the Chairman Executive Committee. From the New York Times in September 1940:
Declaring that he would "never accept any task under German control," Maurice Garreau-Dombasle, for thirteen years commercial counselor of the French Embassy in the United States, declined yesterday to obey the order of the Petain government to return to France. The organisation became affiliated with the French Committee of National Liberation and published a monthly bulletin promoting its ideas, fighting against Nazi propaganda and having the voice of France to be heard in the United States as well as encouraging those in France to resist and play their part in bringing about ultimate victory. Michel Wibault, De Gaulle appointed him as technical director of France Forever. On 17 June 1940 Wibault escaped with his wife Marie-Rose from Paris to London.
From there Michel and Marie-Rose travelled to England, where they made contact with General de Gaulle. Michel Wibault joined France Forever, within which he was appointed technical director by de Gaulle.
Wibault was one of its "most active men." Fred G. Hoffherr cabledHoffherr, Fred G.
Columbia Profs Support de Gaulle and "France Quand Meme"
March 7, 1941, ''Columbia Alumni News''.
de Gaulle, "Command, we shall obey . ... Vive la France!" Next day, Eugene Houdry cabled him (referring to the French people): "They are entirely at your orders." Following Charles de Gaulle's appeal on 18 June 1940, on 29 June, Dr Albert Simard, who was president of the French Veterans of the Great War, and also of the Associated French Societies of New York, had called a public meeting to launch a support movement.Nettlebeck, Colin. Forever French: Exile in the United States, 1939-1945. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Academic, 1991.
6
Simard stated:
We are convinced that France and all enslaved European democracies can be freed only by British victory and that a German victory over Britain will be the signal for an attack on all of the Americas.
In 1943, Richard de Rochemont became the president of France Forever and continued his action until after the Liberation, giving way to Dr. Simard serving as president, Chairman of the executive committee,Year Book. United States: France Forever, Inc., 1946
p. 137
of sessions. (After being vice president.). Simard would later become involved with the Society for the Prevention of World War III,Murray, James Edward. Importance of United Public Opinion on Public Issues: Remarks of Hon. James E. Murray, of Montana, in the Senate of the United States, Wednesday, May 16, 1951 .... United States: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1951
4
serving as its Secretary.Hearings. United States. Congress. House. Committee on Foreign Affairs. 1958
p. 197


References

{{Reflist French Resistance, World War II resistance movements World War II Political movements