French Forces of the Interior Forces françaises de l'intérieur
The Cross of Lorraine on the flag of the 2nd company, 1st battalion, FFI Finistere. It was founded by a group of French Scouts who joined the French Resistance in June 1940. The group carried out intelligence missions and the repatriations of allied airmen. In February 1944 it became part of the FFI and participated in the liberation of Quimper on August 8, 1944.
Active
1944–1945
Country
France
Allegiance
French Army
Type
Paramilitary Irregular military
Size
400,000 by October 1944
Garrison/HQ
Occupied France and Liberated France
Equipment
French, British, American
Engagements
World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders
Marie-Pierre Kœnig
Military unit
The French Forces of the Interior (French: Forces françaises de l'Intérieur) were French resistance fighters in the later stages of World War II. Charles de Gaulle used it as a formal name for the resistance fighters. The change in designation of these groups to FFI occurred as France's status changed from that of an occupied nation to one of a nation being liberated by the Allied armies. As regions of France were liberated, the FFI were more formally organized into light infantry units and served as a valuable manpower addition to regular Free French forces. In this role, the FFI units manned less active areas of the front lines, allowing regular French army units to practice economy of force measures and mass their troops in decisive areas of the front. Finally, from October 1944 and with the greater part of France liberated, the FFI units were amalgamated into the French regular forces continuing the fight on the Western Front, thus ending the era of the French irregulars in World War II.
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