At the start of World War II, in September 1939, France was perceived as one of the most powerful powers in Europe, with an army considered to be the strongest in Western Europe. However, a complete defeat in May-June 1940 thwarted this position and led to a clear division in the French political and military elite. Applying a considerable simplification, it can be assumed that some of its members collaborated with the Third Reich, and the Vichy State, headed by the hero of Verdun - Philippe Petain, was recognized as the legal successor of the French Third Republic, which was defeated in 1940. Some, however, decided to continue the resistance against the German aggressor - among them was General Charles de Gaulle, who on June 18, 1940, made an appeal for a further fight against Germany. On July 13, 1942, the colloquial name "Free France" used to describe French political and military organizations disagreeing with the German occupation, was changed to "Fighting France" (French France combattante ). Still, colloquially, the term "Free French" was used. The Free French troops took part in Operation Torch in November 1942 in Algeria and Morocco, and later the 2nd Armored Division commanded by General Leclerc was formed in these French colonies. Free French troops fought both with the Axis powers and Vichy troops in North Africa, in their homeland in 1944 (including Normandy, Brittany, Alsace), in Germany, but also in the Far East - in Indochina. The Free French also served in the RAF, the Soviet Air Force, and the British SAS. It is worth adding that in the second half of 1944, the forces of the Free French numbered about 400,000 soldiers, and just before the end of World War II, the French troops fighting alongside the Allies already numbered about 1.3 million.