FFI

FFI (Forces françaises de l'Intérieur), formed in February 1944 from nearly all the various French resistance groups (some communist ones stayed outside it) and commanded from London by General Koenig. They initially contained about 30,000 lightly armed men, most of whom were in contact with SOE or Office of Strategic Services teams, but by the time of the Normandy landings in June 1944 (see OVERLORD), they had risen to 200,000. Some FFI bands attacked the Germans prematurely (see Vercors), but during the Normandy campaign, with the aid of Jedburgh and Sussex teams, they cut railway lines and telephone communications, and harassed German reinforcements. Eisenhower said they were worth several divisions to him.

During the French Riviera landings in August 1944, FFI bands were even more effective. Small groups in Toulon and Sète thwarted German attempts to destroy harbour facilities and larger ones later helped the invading Allied armies capture Grenoble in seven days when the planners had estimated it would take ninety. In September 1944, FFI groups began to be trained, armed, and integrated with First French Army, commanded by General de Lattre de Tassigny, which, as Armée B, had taken part in the landings. A total of more than 137,000 from all over the country eventually entered its ranks, taking the place of North African troops (see Tirailleurs) who were returned to North Africa.