The French Ministry of Defence presented a report to memorialise, acknowledge, and celebrate the contribution of the African soldiers who were “essential actors” in France’s freedom struggle during World War II. The report enlists one hundred such soldiers, who were citizens of 18 African countries, including Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Niger, Senegal, Chad, Sudan, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Gabon and Madagascar.
The report suggests that around 100,000 soldiers from North Africa, and approximately 70,000 soldiers from sub-Saharan Africa participated in the “most violent battles” prior to France being captured by Nazi forces. Moreover, 400,000 soldiers from Africa also fought to free Toulon and Marseille. In the preface of the report, France’s junior minister of defence, Genevieve Darrieussecq, said, “By mixing their blood with our land, they paid a heavy price in the fight against Nazism”. Further, she said that the African soldiers “died for France, died for our ideals, these fighters deserve the full recognition of the nation.”
The report was then submitted to several French Mayors, urging them to use the names of the African veterans while re-naming roads and other public areas. In the release, Darrieussecq said, “Naming streets, squares and schools named after African fighters will ensure that these unrecognised soldiers do not remain unknown soldiers.” This comes after the destruction of the statute of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who “helped write the Code Noir or Black Code in the 17th Century, which defined slavery and race in France’s colonial empire”. Similar acts of vandalism were seen across Europe and the US, too. Consequently, Darrieussecq said, “Rather than knocking down, I ask you to build… Rather than erasing, I ask you to consider turning our public spaces into places to teach.”
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The report comes amidst a series of acts by French authorities to recognise the contribution of African soldiers in its freedom struggle during the Second World War. Last year, at the event for the 75th Anniversary of the invasion by the Allied forces into Southern France, President Macron, speaking on the role of African veterans in securing France’s freedom, said: “the glory of all these soldiers of the Liberation is immense, and our gratitude must never fade.” This was merely a month following a petition before the French government, which called for a “dignified tribute” to the contribution of France's former colonies in France’s freedom struggle that is believed to be “forgotten” and “whitewashed.” Moreover, in 2017, erstwhile President Hollande granted French citizenship to all African veterans who had participated in World War II for France. In 2010, French President Sarkozy, too, announced equal pension for all soldiers who fought for France, regardless of their “nationality or place of residence.”
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Image Source: RFI