World War Ii: France Pays Tribute To Its African Combatants

Events on Thursday celebrated the many African soldiers who participated in the Allied landings on the French Riviera during World War II, where France had then been a colony. This was the 80th anniversary of the landings.

The day, which is sometimes referred to as the “forgotten D-Day,” was commemorated with ceremonies headed by French President Emmanuel Macron. There was a need to cancel the maritime section of the festivities on Thursday due to storm warnings in the Mediterranean region.

At the Boulouris national cemetery in the town of Saint-Raphaël, where the remains of 464 French troops killed in the fighting in August 1944 rest, Mr. Macron and President Paul Biya of Cameroon were scheduled to give statements. Leaders from other African nations also participated in the celebrations.

The greatest honor in the country, the Legion of Honor, was to be given to six World War II warriors: one foreign veteran and five French veterans. There were also plans for a fireworks show and an aerial demonstration.

As part of Operation Dragoon, hundreds of thousands of soldiers—mostly French and American—landed on the Mediterranean coast starting on August 15, 1944. Lack of resources caused the operation to be delayed, although it was planned to take place in June 1944, coinciding with the D-Day landings in Normandy.