French Indochina "Odd Couple"

[Za Zjurman]

This is quite a fascinating topic and one I had never given much thought about - I had known about the Panther tanks in French service up to the 1950s, but I had assumed (from what pictures I knew) that the kit sent to Indochina was predominantly from the US on lend-lease during WW2. Gives a lot more variation, though.

Did France receive material from the Lend-Lease act? The law was signed on march 11th 1941 and France was already under command/cooperating by/with the German forces. IIRC the aim was lending Great-Britain, The USSR and China weapons with which they could fight the fascist enemies. Maybe France got material after D-day though. Very interesting thread.

Very nice stuff you have got there Viper.

Regards,
Za

[Westfalia Chris]

Did France receive material from the Lend-Lease act? The law was signed on march 11th 1941 and France was already under command/cooperating by/with the German forces. IIRC the aim was lending Great-Britain, The USSR and China weapons with which they could fight the fascist enemies. Maybe France got material after D-day though. Very interesting thread.

Very nice stuff you have got there Viper.

Regards,
Za

IIRC, Lend-lease ab initio applied to all Allied nations, including China and Free France. The Free French forces during the invasion of France (in particular Leclerc's 2nd Armoured which entered Paris in August 1944) where equipped using US Equipment, I particularly recall M8 armoured cars and M10 tank destroyers.

[Za Zjurman]

Ahhh I forgot Free France  . You are correct  .

Regards,
Za

[Arrigo]

Well technically there was not a single allied France. But two. De Gaulle free French did not receive Lend and Lease stuff (thus the 1st Division Motorisee was equipped with UK material until late in the war) because the US government did not recognize him (well technically he was a mutineer). When the US and the UK invaded North Africa and the bulk of the french colonial troops switched sides they benefitted from US L&L (slowly). The 2nd Division Blindee was formed at the time but was initially separated from the the Free French (even if a known gaullist took command). when Vichy france was 'closed down' by the Germans the French colonial government became defacto the only Frech authority recognized by the US (and De Gaulle sneaked in). Still De Gaulle was not in control of everything and everyone. De Lattre was not really keen on him for example. After the liberation of Paris a provisional government was set up and the mutineer took more charge... The new french army was thus equipped with L&L material.

But until 1949-50 L&L material (or what was left after the end of the leases) was not allowed in Indochina (so instead of seeing M4A2/3/4 you see scrounged up M4A1). The French were begging the British for equipment, scrounging their own stuff, and the Japanese leftover. The Mao took over and the US started to see Asian communists everywhere... so US supplies started to arrive.