Robert, Vice-Admiral Georges

Robert, Vice-Admiral Georges (1875–1965),French naval officer who was recalled from retirement in August 1939 to become C-in-C French Atlantic Forces and then, after the fall of France in June 1940, high commissioner of the French West Indies whose fief included St Pierre and Miquelon. He was both an anglophobe and anti-Free French, but for trading reasons retained good relations with the USA. In November 1942 Admiral Darlan, who was by then working for the Allies, wanted him to use his ships against the Germans. He refused, as he did a US request to disarm them. The American blockade that followed caused civil and military unrest and in July 1943 he resigned and was replaced by a French Committee for National Liberation representative, Henri Hoppenot. In 1947 Robert was condemned to ten years' imprisonment but was freed on appeal.