Battle of Gabon

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The Battle of Gabon was a 1940 World War II campaign in French Equatorial Africa in which Free French and Allied forces seized control of Vichy-held Gabon, consolidating Free French authority in central Africa.

Aliases (2)
  • Battle of Libreville ×1
  • Gabon Campaign ×1

Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf World War II battle
military campaign
alignedWith Allied powers
alsoKnownAs Battle of Libreville
Gabon Campaign
belligerent Free France
United Kingdom
Vichy France
campaign Free French campaigns in Africa
casualties hundreds of killed and wounded on both sides
combatantStrength several thousand troops on each side
commander Charles de Gaulle
Georges Masson
Marcel Tetu
Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque
conflict World War II
country French Equatorial Africa
date November 1940
endDate 1940-11-12
followedBy consolidation of Free French control in French Equatorial Africa
hasPart air operations over Libreville
land operations around Libreville
naval operations off Gabon
involves air forces
colonial troops
ground forces
naval forces
location Libreville
Port-Gentil
objective consolidation of Free French authority in central Africa
seizure of Vichy-controlled Gabon
opposedTo Axis-aligned Vichy regime
participant Free French Forces
Royal Navy
Vichy French colonial forces
partOf African theatre of World War II
place Gabon
politicalContext division between Vichy France and Free France
precededBy Rallying of French Equatorial Africa to Free France
result Free French victory
significance eliminated Vichy presence in Gabon
secured Free French control of French Equatorial Africa
startDate 1940-11-08
territorialChange Gabon transferred from Vichy France to Free France
theatre French Equatorial Africa
year 1940

Referenced by (3)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Battle of Gabon ("Gabon Campaign")
Battle of Gabon ("Battle of Libreville")
alsoKnownAs
Free French Forces
participatedIn

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