I don’t remember ever learning about this in school, but did the famed French Underground/Resistance ever REALLY accomplish anything strategically during WWII? Or was the IDEA of a French ‘Resistance’ sort of an after-the-fact mythology which developed in order to save some national pride?
Thanks for any info!
I think the main effect of any guerrilla activity is tactical. I.e. bomb this bridge to further a particular aim, assassinate this official, misdirect this enemy combat unit, rescue this particular aircrew, etc. The main object is to tie up enemy forces that could be used elsewhere.
I don’t know how effective they were in their efforts. You would have to research how many German troops were tied down in France that were not needed for defense against outside attackers to answer the question and this is pretty subjective.
I do know that every day the BBC broadcast coded information to the underground. An announcer would drone on and on, “Mary’s cow is due to have a calf soon”, “The wind has been strong the past few days,” and so on and so on. Most of it was padding to make the enemy’s job of finding the real information harder but buried in there were instructions and information for the underground. Hey, it didn’t take much of our resources to support them and every little bit helps.
I know for a fact that they helped a lot of people to escape to London and other safe places, also placed children in the non-occupied South of France.
They had various “spies” that would gather ennemy’s info and get them back to the French people.
I don’t know exactly if the French higher ups (politics) had info from the Resistance… but I am guessing they had something going on.
They also had underground newspapers related all those info.