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Invasion Syria, 1941: Churchill and de Gaulle's Forgotten War
At the height of World War II, while the Germans were setting their sights on Moscow, Free French, British and Australian forces launched an assault on the Vichy French army in the Middle East on 8th June 1941. This joint initiative of Churchill and de Gaulle - codename "Operation Exporter" - led to one of the most shocking conflicts of World War II. Was this an attempt by the Allied forces to cause mass desertions from the Vichy forces to the Free French? Or were Churchill and de Gaulle motivated to reassert their respective control of the Middle East? The fight caused the loss of 10,000 lives, numerous ships and an estimated 200 aircraft. The Australian forces, under the command of Lieutenant General John Lavarack, carried out the bulk of the fighting and suffered the most casualties. The Vichy Army was overcome, but even during the bitter campaign, the Free French airmen refused to fire on their Vichy compatriots. Henri de Wailly here presents the story of this extraordinary campaign by the British, Australian and Free French forces against Vichy French forces in Syria and Lebanon, the true extent of which has largely been forgotten.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 3, 2016
Fascinating account of a forgotten aspect of World War 2
Seen as a sideshow the battle for the control of Syria is a very interesting subject with The Nazis trying to weaken British military dominance, Vichy France's and de Gaulle’s attempts to control Syria to validate their legitimacy resulting in a French “civil war”. Further complicated by an Arab independence movement that is trying to remove both French and British dominance.
Whilst this appears to be a military study de Wailly has produced a readable account of a fascinating aspect of World War 2 that also covers the political intrigues and manoeuvring among the various participants.
Recommended for anyone who likes their history “off the beaten path”.
Seen as a sideshow the battle for the control of Syria is a very interesting subject with The Nazis trying to weaken British military dominance, Vichy France's and de Gaulle’s attempts to control Syria to validate their legitimacy resulting in a French “civil war”. Further complicated by an Arab independence movement that is trying to remove both French and British dominance.
Whilst this appears to be a military study de Wailly has produced a readable account of a fascinating aspect of World War 2 that also covers the political intrigues and manoeuvring among the various participants.
Recommended for anyone who likes their history “off the beaten path”.
August 6, 2019
Be it for the strategic importance of the Middle Eastern oil supplies to the British Empire or the savage tragedy of a civil war between the French, this is a well-written & deservedly translated account.
For some reason, the consequences of a 'sideshow' situation never hit as hard as when De Wailly tells what happens in the dust while the largest invasion in history crashes the Soviet Union :
"The 22nd of June is a key date in the Syrian campaign. De Gaulle's triumphant entry into Damascus symbolized the breach of the main line of defence in South Syria.
On the same day, flying columns from Baghdad opened a new front in the north. An oasis stronghold near Palmyra held up the advance until emanciation forced the surviving half of the garrison to surrender to its besiegers.
The laborously constituted Armoured Brigade of last year was sorely missed in this situation. It was an almost medieval episode save for the breakthrough attempts by the French Air Force, the only weapon at hand to strike this deep into the desert - something the British had already practiced during pacification operations in the inter-war period.
For its part, the RAF could only relieve pressure by bombing airfields, copying for the first time the German practice of straffing the tarmac with fighters whenever areal superiority permitted, instead of relying on bombers only.
Most importantly, the start of operation Barbarossa once and for all revealed the sideshow nature of the proxy war in Syria. As things stood, the fall of Damascus was sufficient intrusion to saveguard the Suez from French attacks. Moreover, not a single Stahlhelm had been spotted: the whole endeavour took on a Gallipoli air.
On the other side of the line, Vichy forces were nearing exhaustion. Reinforcements by land were blocked by Turkish neutrality (in spite of a friendship treaty with Germany on 10 july) and maritime transport was unreliable thanks to the lasting presence of the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean. Dalan made an incredulous attempt to secure Luftwaffe protection for a convoy, which would've ended the neutral shield that Vichy France provided for the Reich just when it got down to business. In the end, the convoy made it as far as Salonika before it was "politely" turned back by a British detachment.
Overall, the day carried an air of 'les jeux sont faites for both sides. It was time to open negotiations."
For some reason, the consequences of a 'sideshow' situation never hit as hard as when De Wailly tells what happens in the dust while the largest invasion in history crashes the Soviet Union :
"The 22nd of June is a key date in the Syrian campaign. De Gaulle's triumphant entry into Damascus symbolized the breach of the main line of defence in South Syria.
On the same day, flying columns from Baghdad opened a new front in the north. An oasis stronghold near Palmyra held up the advance until emanciation forced the surviving half of the garrison to surrender to its besiegers.
The laborously constituted Armoured Brigade of last year was sorely missed in this situation. It was an almost medieval episode save for the breakthrough attempts by the French Air Force, the only weapon at hand to strike this deep into the desert - something the British had already practiced during pacification operations in the inter-war period.
For its part, the RAF could only relieve pressure by bombing airfields, copying for the first time the German practice of straffing the tarmac with fighters whenever areal superiority permitted, instead of relying on bombers only.
Most importantly, the start of operation Barbarossa once and for all revealed the sideshow nature of the proxy war in Syria. As things stood, the fall of Damascus was sufficient intrusion to saveguard the Suez from French attacks. Moreover, not a single Stahlhelm had been spotted: the whole endeavour took on a Gallipoli air.
On the other side of the line, Vichy forces were nearing exhaustion. Reinforcements by land were blocked by Turkish neutrality (in spite of a friendship treaty with Germany on 10 july) and maritime transport was unreliable thanks to the lasting presence of the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean. Dalan made an incredulous attempt to secure Luftwaffe protection for a convoy, which would've ended the neutral shield that Vichy France provided for the Reich just when it got down to business. In the end, the convoy made it as far as Salonika before it was "politely" turned back by a British detachment.
Overall, the day carried an air of 'les jeux sont faites for both sides. It was time to open negotiations."
March 17, 2017
It's a little dry but a really moving account on a forgotten phase of the war and the tragedy of fratricide.
July 10, 2017
A very documented approach - although predominantly using strategy and warfare details - of a relatively less or almost unknown episode from the WWII. As in many cases when it comes to the more or less recent history of the Middle East, there are a lot of information we are missing and which can offer better insights for understanding the current situation. A recommended read to anyone with an interest in the Middle Eastern history and particularly the WWII evolutions in this part of the world.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
March 14, 2016
Review originally posted at Book of Bogan
An interesting look at a part of World War 2 which doesn't fit the convenient narrative, where the French were the good guys - even though there was a substantial number who patently were not. As an Australian, I am always interested to read about my country's involvement in the war, beyond the traditional "desert rats" narrative.
The book is a bit of a slow burner, giving a great deal of the historical and political backstory to the main events of the book. It helps the reader to understand that the war did not take place in a vacuum.
The version I read was translated from French, and perhaps it is a little wordier than it needed to be, but on the whole it was a genuinely entertaining and informative read, and I certainly came away better informed from having read it. It is a book for those who think they have read just about everything there is to read on the topic of World War 2.
I received a copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
An interesting look at a part of World War 2 which doesn't fit the convenient narrative, where the French were the good guys - even though there was a substantial number who patently were not. As an Australian, I am always interested to read about my country's involvement in the war, beyond the traditional "desert rats" narrative.
The book is a bit of a slow burner, giving a great deal of the historical and political backstory to the main events of the book. It helps the reader to understand that the war did not take place in a vacuum.
The version I read was translated from French, and perhaps it is a little wordier than it needed to be, but on the whole it was a genuinely entertaining and informative read, and I certainly came away better informed from having read it. It is a book for those who think they have read just about everything there is to read on the topic of World War 2.
I received a copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2016
Although de Wailly is a writer of military history and describes in detail the June - July 1941 military campaign, he puts the campaign into its strategic and political context, thus providing an important document on the political intrigues and maneuvering among the various participants. For Charles de Gaulle, the Syrian conflict was an opportunity to gain recognition for his claims that he represented a truly free and independent France. De Wailly also delves into the dynamics of Vichy France and its dependent status with Nazi Germany, while Vichy worked to assert its tenuous and illusionary independence. He also offers a rare French perspective on the role of both Vichy and Free France during the Syrian conflict. This brief but nasty military conflict put France in "a state of civil war" which is little known outside France. American readers will find this book a window into an aspect of WWII rarely described in most historical WWII studies.
For the full review by Richard Morelli, please visit MyShelf at: http://myshelf.com/history/14/invasio...
For the full review by Richard Morelli, please visit MyShelf at: http://myshelf.com/history/14/invasio...
July 22, 2016
Brilliantly researched, and extremely well told. As an Australian, the story of how so many more of our soldiers and airmen died fighting Frenchman (and killing them) than the Germans in 1941, has always appalled me. Good to have the other side of the story. General Dentz clearly tried to do the honourable thing; he didn't deserve his fate.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews