The French National Committee (, CNF) was the coordinating body created by
General Charles de Gaulle which acted as the
government in exile of
Free France from 1941 to 1943. The committee was the successor of the smaller
Empire Defense Council.
It was
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
who suggested that de Gaulle create a committee, in order to lend an appearance of more constitutionally based and less dictatorial authority. According to historian , De Gaulle went on to accept his proposal, but took care to exclude all his adversaries within the Free France movement, such as
Émile Muselier,
André Labarthe and others, retaining only "yes men" in the group.
The CNF was founded 24 September 1941 by an edict signed by General de Gaulle in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. The committee remained active until 3 June 1943, when it merged with the
French Civil and Military High Command headed by
Henri Giraud, becoming the new
French Committee of National Liberation
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band) ...
.
Composition
The French National Committee comprised six civilian and six military personnel:
* Brigadier General Charles de Gaulle, President;
*
René Pleven, Commissioner of Economy, Finance and the Colonies. In charge of the coordination of civilian administrative departments ;
* Major General
Paul Legentilhomme, Commissioner of War;
* , Commissioner of Foreign Affairs until October 18, 1942 (dismissal), interim replacement by Pleven and then by René Massigli;
*
René Cassin, Commissioner of Justice and Public Instruction;
*
André Diethelm, Commissioner for Action in the Metropolis, Work, and Information;
*
André Philip, Commissioner of the Interior from 27;
*
Jacques Soustelle, Commissioner of Information from July 27, 1942;
* Air Brigade General
Martial Valin, Commissioner of the Air Force;
* Vice-Admiral
Émile Muselier, Commissioner of the Navy and the Merchant Navy, until March 3, 1942 (resignation); replaced by Rear Admiral
Philippe Auboyneau from 4;
* Lieutenant General
Georges Catroux, commissioner at large from March 4, 1942;
* Rear Admiral
Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu, commissioner at large from March 4, 1942.
On 20 March 1943, the committee secretly appointed
Jean Moulin, then in London, as representative of the French National Committee in Metropolitan France and "national commissioner on active duty" and put him in charge of creating a single coordinating body for the
French Resistance
The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...
. According to
Daniel Cordier, "Jean Moulin was then becoming one of the main characters of the French internal Resistance.
See also
*
Brazzaville Conference
*
Allies of World War II
The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international Coalition#Military, military coalition formed during World War II (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers. Its principal members were the "Four Policeme ...
*
Collaboration with the Axis Powers during World War II
*
Foreign policy of Charles de Gaulle
*
Foreign relations of Vichy France
*
Free French Africa
*
French Resistance
The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...
*
French Colonial Empire
The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas Colony, colonies, protectorates, and League of Nations mandate, mandate territories that came under French rule from the 16th century onward. A distinction is generally made between the "Firs ...
*
French Fourth Republic
*
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic (, sometimes written as ) was the system of government adopted in France from 4 September 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed during the Franco-Prussian War, until 10 July 1940, after the Fall of France durin ...
*
Liberation of France
*
Liberation of Paris
*
List of French possessions and colonies
*
List of governors-general of French Equatorial Africa
*
Military history of France during World War II
*
Philippe Pétain
*
Provisional Government of the French Republic
*
Vichy France
Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the Battle of France, ...
*
Vichy French Air Force
*
Zone libre
References
;Notes
;Citations
Works cited
*
*
*
*
External links
Free France Foundation
1941 in France
1942 in France
1943 in France
French people of World War II
Free France
World War II political leaders
{{France-poli-stub