Information about West Africa Campaign (world War Ii)

West Africa Campaign
Part of African Campaigns, World War II
Date July 10, 1940 – November 12, 1940 Location French West Africa, French Equatorial Africa Result • Vichy victory in French West Africa • Allied victory in French Equatorial Africa
Combatants
United Kingdom Australia Free France Netherlands	Vichy France
Commanders
Andrew Cunningham Charles De Gaulle	Pierre François Boisson Marcel Tetu

West Africa Campaign
Dakar - Gabon

The name West African campaign refers to two battles during World War II: the Battle of Dakar (also known as Operation Menace) and the Battle of Gabon, both of which were in late 1940. The actions involved Allied forces attacking Vichy French forces in French overseas territories in West Africa.

Following the capture of Gabon, Free French forces controlled French Equatorial Africa, while French West Africa remained under Vichy control, until the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch) in November 1942.

Course of the campaign

Anti-British sentiment in Africa had run high after the French battleship Richelieu had been hit in the port of Dakar, Senegal, in French West Africa. This event happened on July 10 1940. ^[1] In August, Free French General Charles de Gaulle suggested an overland campaign, landing at Conakry, French Guinea. He anticipated that popular support for the Free French movement would be built in a drive on Dakar. But de Gaulle's suggestion was overruled by British desires to move swiftly.

On 18 September, three French light cruisers, the Georges Leygues, the Gloire, and the Montcalm were intercepted by Allied ships en route to Libreville. The intercepting Allied ships included the heavy cruiser HMAS Australia. The three French light cruisers were forced to retreat.

Battle of Dakar

Main article: Battle of Dakar

Vichy resistance stiffened as a result of the attacks on the French ships. From 23 September to 25 September 1940, the Battle of Dakar was fought when the Allied forces failed to persuade the Vichy French defenders of Dakar to allow them to peacefully enter the city. The Allied forces first tried to persude the Vichy forces by means of propaganda. They then attempted to take Dakar by force of arms. Both attempts ended in defeat. Allied hopes to take French West Africa were put aside and strategic considerations shifted to French Equatorial Africa instead.

Battle of Gabon

Main article: Battle of Gabon

This battle, fought between 8 November and 12 November, resulted in the capture of Libreville and the liberation of French Equatorial Africa from Vichy control.

Outcome

Free French Forces consolidated their gains in French Equatorial Africa, and were able to assist in other campaigns, including the East African and North African Campaigns. However, French West Africa did not capitulate or join the Allied cause until the November 1942 landings of Operation Torch.

External links

• http://users.swing.be/baten/bat/910.html
• http://www.ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/OperationMenace.September.html
• http://history1900s.about.com/library/prm/blwaugh2.htm
• http://www.navy.gov.au/spc/history/ships/australia2.htm
• http://stonebooks.com/archives/960425.shtml

References

•  • [ e] World War II
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Major participants			Timeline		Aspects
To 1945 unless otherwise indicated. Principal co-belligerents in italics.			Prelude • Causes • in Asia • in Europe 1937 • Invasion of China 1939 • Invasion of Poland • Phoney War • Invasion of Finland • Battle of the Atlantic3 1940 • Denmark and Norway • Battle of France • Battle of Britain • Libya and Egypt • British Somaliland • Occupation of Baltic states • Bessarabia and Bukovina • Invasion of Indochina • Invasion of Greece 1941 • East Africa • Invasion of Yugoslavia • Invasion of the USSR • Middle East • Siege of Leningrad • Attack on Pearl Harbor 1942 • Battle of Midway • Battle of Stalingrad • 2nd Battle of El Alamein • Operation Torch • Guadalcanal campaign	1943 • End in Africa • Battle of Kursk • Solomon Islands campaign • Invasion of Sicily • Invasion of Italy5 1944 • Cassino and Anzio • Battle of Normandy • Belorussia and Ukraine • Battle of Romania • Liberation of Paris • Operation Market Garden • Battle of Leyte Gulf 1945 • Battle of Okinawa • Battle of Berlin • Germany surrenders • Hiroshima and Nagasaki • Japan surrenders • misc. military engagements Aftermath and Consequences • Effects • Casualties • Expulsion of Germans • Occupation of Germany • Morgenthau plan • Territorial changes • Occupation of Japan • Franco-Vietnamese War • Cold War • in contemporary culture • Possible World War III	• Attacks on North America • Blitzkrieg • Comparative military ranks • Cryptography • Home front • Military awards • Military equipment • Military production • Resistance • Technology • Total war Civilian impact and atrocities • Allied war crimes • Japanese war crimes • German war crimes • Soviet war crimes • The Holocaust • Bombing of civilians
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1 Anti-Soviet. 2 Anti-Soviet and anti-Nazi. 3 Anti-Nazi, anti-Polish, and anti-Soviet. 4 Anti-Magyar, anti-Nazi, and anti-Soviet. 5 Lasted to May 1945.		at Wiktionary   at Wikibooks       at Wikiquote   at Wikisource        at Commons   at Wikinews

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