French West Indies, the Caribbean territories of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana, each of which had its own governor. The population of 616,000 enjoyed universal suffrage to elect members of the local legislature, and representatives sat in the French Assembly. However, after the
fall of France in June 1940 the
Vichy representative,
Vice-Admiral Robert, whose powers extended beyond the French West Indies to
St Pierre and Miquelon, suspended democracy. The British then imposed a blockade which restricted trade with France and the USA and prevented the movement of French warships at Martinique, and of French gold which had been shipped there. Consequently, little food could be imported and it was difficult to export the principal products, sugar and rum.
When the USA entered the war it took over the blockade and in March 1943 it manoeuvred French Guiana into declaring for
General Giraud, both to prevent the colony joining
de Gaulle and the Free French, and to obtain base rights and facilities there. But Robert would not change his allegiance and on 30 April the USA broke off diplomatic relations with him. Local resistance groups eventually pressured Robert into resigning on 30 June 1943 and he was replaced by a Giraudist, who was later replaced by a Gaullist. See also
Caribbean at war.
Bibliography
Baptiste, F. , War Cooperation and Conflict: The European Possessions in the Caribbean, 1939–1945 (New York, 1988).
