On paper at least the French army in 1939 was the most powerful land army in the world. Sheltered behind the fortifications of the Maginot line was an army which drew its troops from colonies and territories all over the world. It included spahis from algeria, calvary from Morocco, Chasseur Alpin from the high Vosges and some of the world's most modern and powerful tanks. The horrendous losses of the Great War had developed a psychological dependence on fortifications and a lack of flexibility in both tactics and strategy. It's officers were prepared to fight the positional warfare of 1914-18 not the 'Blitzkrieg' of 1940. This book, the first of a five volume set, looks at the uniforms, equipment and organisation of France's military forces during WW2. It details the French army on the eve of war and the troops which fought the "Phoney War", the campaign in Norway and the lightning invasion of France in May-June 1940. Also detailed are the forces of "Greater France" in North Africa, the Middle East and Indochina. Finally, it examines the army and armistice and Vichy France.
The French Army 1939-45 (2): 318 (Men-at-Arms)
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About the Author
Ian Sumner was born in 1953 in Eccles, near Manchester, UK. He originally trained as a librarian in Newcastle-upon-Tyne but now devotes himself to full-time writing. He has written numerous titles for Osprey, and also several books on the history of the East Riding of Yorkshire, where he now lives with his wife. Francois Vauvillier is the greatly respected editorial director of the French Military publishers Histoire & Collections is the former editor of Gazette des Uniformes and of Militaria magazine. His special personal interests include French uniforms of both World War I and World War II.
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The French Army of 1939 was considered by contemporaries to be the strongest army in the world at that time. Read the first page
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The French Army of 1939 was considered by contemporaries to be the strongest army in the world at that time. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Mulwharchar
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The French Army in WW2 has never had a very good press and many people assume it simply disappeared after June 1940. This book, the first of two volumes, covers the army up to the Fall of France but also sheds light on some darker corners such as the 100,000 strong post-armistice army, which was systematically humiliated by the Germans until its suppression in 1942, and on the Vichy colonial forces, who controversially fought the Allies in Syria in 1941 and Morocco and Algeria in 1942. It follows the usual Osprey format of a general historical overview, followed by details of arms of service, equipment, insignia etc with a good selection of photos and, of course, their trademark colour plates for the uniforms, and is a valuable contribution to a neglected area of military history. Volume 2 covers the Free French, the Army of Africa's belated conversion and the reborn 'army of liberation' in Italy and France in 1944-5 and is warmly recommended too.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.8 out of 5 stars
5 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Highly Detailed and Technical
3 Jun 2011
By Guy B.
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm no authority on this subject. I bought this book to use as a reference for painting 20mm wargames miniatures. The technical details about the French Army and its uniforms are impressive. I found the number of tables with information a bit too much to digest. The authors use French uniform terms without providing a glossary to explain their meaning. The color plates are well done, but I have a problem with the basic uniform colors, which conflict somewhat with other references I found. To resolve the problem, I bought another book, "1940 Le Soldat Francais", which pictures men dressed in actual period uniforms. Their colors are truer than those featured in the Osprey book. However, as the title suggests, "Le Soldat" was published in French.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't bother unless you are a fan of uniforms.
8 Feb 2013
By Al Girardot
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I wanted to buy a book that would show what the French Army did after the defeat in 1940. I reviewed titles, content, etc. I feel that I was totally misled as to the contents of this book. What a waste of money. A paperback with not many pages and a concentration on the different uniforms worn by different French units.
4 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fine Overview of the Period
24 Jan 2002
By El Cutachero
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
This work is a splendid example of the new emphasis of the publisher on producing comprehensive works in a handy cheap format compared with the earlier broad brush treatments which covered too much in too little detail.
The new emphasis is on sets and volumes covering various national armed forces in as much detail as is available, consistent with the current purpose of the works in the series, which have evolved from an original emphasis on serving the military miniature maker market into works intended to enlighten the general reader in enough detail to satisfy the merely curious and to point the way to further reading.
Most of us, including myself, have little need for, or the patience to read, voluminous studies, often in foreign languages, covering many eras and nations. My main interest is in the US forces, their allies and their enemies in the twentieth century.
That said, these works should be purchased as presented, in sets within the series. Since they are produced as a set, the volumes cover only relevent parts of the general history and the clothing and individual equipment is covered as it appears in each period. The French Army, US Army, British Army, and Italian Army series all have three volumes, covering the major theatres and time periods of the war. The German set has five.
This should be read along with the volume on the French Foreign Legion.
If you want an introduction to the fascinating variety of clothing and equipment of the forces covered, this set is for you.
The new emphasis is on sets and volumes covering various national armed forces in as much detail as is available, consistent with the current purpose of the works in the series, which have evolved from an original emphasis on serving the military miniature maker market into works intended to enlighten the general reader in enough detail to satisfy the merely curious and to point the way to further reading.
Most of us, including myself, have little need for, or the patience to read, voluminous studies, often in foreign languages, covering many eras and nations. My main interest is in the US forces, their allies and their enemies in the twentieth century.
That said, these works should be purchased as presented, in sets within the series. Since they are produced as a set, the volumes cover only relevent parts of the general history and the clothing and individual equipment is covered as it appears in each period. The French Army, US Army, British Army, and Italian Army series all have three volumes, covering the major theatres and time periods of the war. The German set has five.
This should be read along with the volume on the French Foreign Legion.
If you want an introduction to the fascinating variety of clothing and equipment of the forces covered, this set is for you.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
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