France 1944
Source: Albert Ouzoulias, Les Bataillons de la Jeunesse. Editions Sociales, Paris, 1972;
Translated: for Marxists.org by Mitch Abidor.
Colonel André, leader of the Youth Battalions, sent out this order to the Communist-led Francs-Tireurs et Partisans – FTP – two days after the Allied landing.
The Allied landing poses for us the question of mobilizing all of our forces, realizing our operational plans, and including and training everyone in our action. Let each of us in the FTP become a military chief, a Chepaev with hundreds of new men having decided today to enter into action, and with the military experience acquired over the past few years means the obligation to organize and put things in motion.
At all levels we count on your daring and your spirit of initiative and organization to train for combat and, in collaboration with our allies, chase out the boches. And we count on you to realize this under the direction of the Front National and the Comités de Libération and in coordination – whenever this is possible – with all the armed forces grouped in the FFI.
The campaign for the liberation of the territory has begun. With an energy and discipline in keeping with the circumstances you will lead the battle that – after the preparatory combat of our army in the destruction of the morale of German officers and soldiers and their French auxiliaries – will lead us to victory.