The British military planned to secretly arm Vichy France during the Second World War behind Churchill’s back, despite the fact they were fighting for enemy forces, reports The Daily Telegraph.
Confidential papers, unseen until now, show senior members of the Allied forces held a clandestine meeting with representatives of Vichy France - even as their opposing forces were fighting in Madagascar.
Not only were Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle unaware of the meeting, they were specifically banned from being told under orders of the British Chief of Staff, who feared their reaction.
The file, labelled “Most Secret”, decreed “knowledge of this plan should be greatly restricted” and added: “It would be unnecessary to inform the Prime Minister or Foreign Office until discussions were about to start.”
The plan, which could have changed the course of world history, was intended to go into effect should the German Army be forced to retreat from France.
Then, it suggested, the British army should arm eight divisions of Vichy troops to help them land at Bordeaux or La Rochelle, and create a “corridor” to move supplies into occupied territory.
The information will have significant connotations for the way historians understand the relationship between powers during World War II.
The Vichy regime, officially a neutral power, was formed to rule a large part of southern France after Nazi invasion in June 1940 under a compromise deal with Hitler.
It was furnished with a limited “Armistice Army”, but was caught up in various military battles, including fighting the British in Syria in 1941 and Madagascar in 1942.
But in December 1941, while the Churchill publicly condemned the men of Vichy France who “lay prostrate at the feet" of Hitler, his advisors were holding a secret meeting to discuss arming them.
Read more of the report from The Daily Telegraph.