[DEBATE] : Whitey uber alles

[Hein Marais]

Paris liberation made 'whites only'
By Mike Thomson
Presenter, Document, BBC Radio 4

Papers unearthed by the BBC reveal that British and American  
commanders ensured that the liberation of Paris on 25 August 1944 was  
seen as a "whites only" victory.

Many who fought Nazi Germany during World War II did so to defeat the  
vicious racism that left millions of Jews dead.

Yet the BBC's Document programme has seen evidence that black colonial  
soldiers - who made up around two-thirds of Free French forces - were  
deliberately removed from the unit that led the Allied advance into  
the French capital.

By the time France fell in June 1940, 17,000 of its black, mainly West  
African colonial troops, known as the Tirailleurs Senegalais, lay dead.

Many of them were simply shot where they stood soon after surrendering  
to German troops who often regarded them as sub-human savages.

Their chance for revenge came in August 1944 as Allied troops prepared  
to retake Paris. But despite their overwhelming numbers, they were not  
to get it.

'More desirable'

The leader of the Free French forces, Charles de Gaulle, made it clear  
that he wanted his Frenchmen to lead the liberation of Paris.
“ I have told Colonel de Chevene that his chances of getting what he  
wants will be vastly improved if he can produce a white infantry  
division ”
General Frederick Morgan

Allied High Command agreed, but only on one condition: De Gaulle's  
division must not contain any black soldiers.

In January 1944 Eisenhower's Chief of Staff, Major General Walter  
Bedell Smith, was to write in a memo stamped, "confidential": "It is  
more desirable that the division mentioned above consist of white  
personnel.

"This would indicate the Second Armoured Division, which with only one  
fourth native personnel, is the only French division operationally  
available that could be made one hundred percent white."

At the time America segregated its own troops along racial lines and  
did not allow black GIs to fight alongside their white comrades until  
the late stages of the war.

Morocco division

Given the fact that Britain did not segregate its forces and had a  
large and valued Indian army, one might have expected London to object  
to such a racist policy.

Yet this does not appear to have been the case.

A document written by the British General, Frederick Morgan, to Allied  
Supreme Command stated: "It is unfortunate that the only French  
formation that is 100% white is an armoured division in Morocco.

"Every other French division is only about 40% white. I have told  
Colonel de Chevene that his chances of getting what he wants will be  
vastly improved if he can produce a white infantry division."

Finding an all-white division that was available proved to be  
impossible due to the enormous contribution made to the French Army by  
West African conscripts.

So, Allied Command insisted that all black soldiers be taken out and  
replaced by white ones from other units.

When it became clear that there were not enough white soldiers to fill  
the gaps, soldiers from parts of North Africa and the Middle East were  
used instead.

Pensions cut

In the end, nearly everyone was happy. De Gaulle got his wish to have  
a French division lead the liberation of Paris, even though the  
shortage of white troops meant that many of his men were actually  
Spanish.
“ We were colonised by the French. We were forced to go to war...  
France has not been grateful. Not at all. ”
Issa Cisse Former French colonial soldier

The British and Americans got their "Whites Only" Liberation even  
though many of the troops involved were North African or Syrian.

For France's West African Tirailleurs Senegalais, however, there was  
little to celebrate.

Despite forming 65% of Free French Forces and dying in large numbers  
for France, they were to have no heroes' welcome in Paris.

After the liberation of the French capital many were simply stripped  
of their uniforms and sent home. To make matters even worse, in 1959  
their pensions were frozen.

Former French colonial soldier, Issa Cisse from Senegal, who is now 87  
years-old, looks back on it all with sadness and evident resentment.

"We, the Senegalese, were commanded by the white French chiefs," he  
said.

"We were colonised by the French. We were forced to go to war. Forced  
to follow the orders that said, do this, do that, and we did. France  
has not been grateful. Not at all."

Mike Thomson presents Radio 4's Document at 2000BST on Monday 6 April

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/7984436.stm

Published: 2009/04/06 10:48:15 GMT

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