1939-1940 fighting (split from: French books on the 1939-1940 fighting)

[Jim Oxley]

It is sad that there are almost no books in English that deal in detail with role that the Armee d'la Air played in the defence of France. Thanks for the heads up on Jackson's book, I'll try and obtain a copy.

Mind you it isn't the just the British who tend to concentrate on, and write about, their own achievements in war. Nor to build up their own impact and downplay their Allies. Both the Americans and Germans are as guilty.

For example according to most popular books dealing with the war in the Mediterranean (german and english) it was only the Germans that fought in the desert, over the convoys or over Malta. Rarely is there a mention of the role played by Italy - other than to denigrate. Yet the Regia Marina kept the Royal Navy fully occupied for almost three years. And the Regia Esercito had more men on the ground in the Desert than Germany did. The Regia Aeronautica was active from June 10 1940, and fought in teh Desert, Malta, the convoys, Gibraltar, France, BoB and Russia.

As for the Americans they won the war in the Pacific single handed, never mind the huge contribution made by Australia in that Theatre; by land, sea and air.

And by the by am I right in saying that when France and Germany signed an Armistice in 1940 almost all of southern France remained under French independant rule? Another point not often covered in English material. Can't remember though when the Germans finally did move in and take control - around the time of the Torch landings in Algeria no?