Macron Honors African Soldiers’ Sacrifice in WWII Provence Landings Anniversary

France, grateful to Africa. At the 75th anniversary of the Provence Landings, President Emmanuel Macron stated: "France has a part of Africa in it. And, on this soil of Provence, that part was that of the blood shed."

From 1940 to 1945, 55,000 African soldiers died in combat during joint operations between the United States and France. Based on this sacrifice, Emmanuel Macron declared of these fighters: "They have made the honor and greatness of France. But who remembers their name, their face today?"

For the record, the First of the French recalled the names given to the African combatants: "North African Frenchmen, pieds noirs, Algerian, Moroccan, Tunisian riflemen, zouaves, spahis, goumiers, riflemen called Senegalese, but who actually came from all of sub-Saharan Africa."

Furthermore, Emmanuel Macron admitted: "These African fighters, for many decades, have not had the glory and esteem that their bravery justified." Thus, he asked the mayors of France to keep alive the memory of these men through public places. According to him, these men have made all of Africa proud and say of France what it is deeply: a commitment, an attachment to freedom and greatness, a spirit of resistance that unites in courage.