Article by Jorge Cadima, member of the International Department
Sometimes, news is like a photograph – its worth more than a million words. According to the BBC’s Radio4, "Documents unveiled by the BBC, reveal that the British and North-American commanders guaranteed that the Paris liberation, on the 25th August 1944, should appear as a victory "only of the white" (…). The BBC Document programme saw proofs of black soldiers from the colonies (French) –around two thirds of the France Libre forces – who were deliberately withdrawn from the unit which conducted the Ally advance towards the centre of the French capital". And: "the France Libre forces leader, Charles de Gaulle, made it clear that he wished his French to lead the Paris’ liberation. The High Ally Command (Anglo – American) agreed, under one condition : De Gaulle’s division was not to include any black soldiers (…) At the end, almost all were happy. De Gaulle had his wish to see a French division lead the Paris’ liberation, although the scarcity of white troops meant that many of his men were, in reality, Spaniards (…) But for the Senegalese Tirailleurs, there were hardly any motives for a celebration.(…) . Following the French capital liberation, many were simply stripped from their uniforms and sent back home. To make things worse, their pensions were freezed, in 1959" ( the BBC, 07.04.09).
This news illustrates many things : on how History is forged , with well advertised sceneries which glorify the no troop generals; as the Nazi occupation Liberation did not represent the liberation of the colonized peoples by the west civilized liberal – democrat French empire; as how the Anglo-American Allies (as well accomplices in a good part of Humanity’s colonization) face the peoples; "cannon fodder", which is meant to die in wars, that allege their power, but not to take part in their victories.
Without any offence for the Radio 4 journalists’ valuable work, it is important to highlight what is not told in the news. When the Ally troops entered Paris, on the 25th August, they found a city almost liberated by the French Resistance and the popular raising, underlining the Francs – Tireurs et Partisans (FTP), a guerrilla in which the communist held a forefront role. A reality reflected during von Choltitz , the German troops commander surrender ceremony, in Paris, in which Colonel Henri Taguy (Rol), the communist and FTP commander, participated.
Thousands of "white French "had a leading role in France’s liberation. But the majority were communist. They were the people. Scarce were the bourgeoisie "white French ". Which, loyal to the "better Hitler than the Popular Front" cry or "better Prussia than the Commune", had chosen the Marshal Pétain’s collaborationism field, the capitulation or passivity. The class domination was in first place. It wasn’t the only one amid the European bourgeoisies. On the contrary. Without mentioning Germany and Italy, within the Iberia Peninsula, the Balkans or in Scandinavia, the majority of the British bourgeoisie was together with the Munich Pact and had a weakness for Hitler, he who had "tamed" the communist and the unions. Churchill only came to power when it was clear that Hitler was not to necessarily respect the British Empire. And all over, from Stalingrad to Paris, the communist played a decisive role in the Nazi –Fascism defeat.
The II World War review begins even before the ending of the war. Nowadays, revisionism and the most utterly indecent historic forgery, is spreading– see the shameless European Parliament resolution, from the 2nd April. The Vichy and Munich heirs, the fascists that again have reached power in Italy or in the East of Europe, and others – that should have shame – become allies, in order to forge History. They want to crucify and persecute the communists. But what moves them, is above all, fear. Fear that peoples rise against capitalism and their class domination – which engenders war, crisis, poverty and fascism – becoming once more History actors and the builders of their collective future.