List of World War II weapons of France

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List of World War II weapons of France encompasses the various firearms, artillery pieces, vehicles, and other military equipment used by the French Armed Forces before and during World War II. France, having been quickly defeated in 1940, saw its weapons used by both the occupying German forces and the Free French Forces, as well as other Allies during the liberation of France.

Small Arms[edit | edit source]

Rifles[edit | edit source]

  • MAS-36 rifle - The standard French infantry rifle at the outbreak of World War II.
  • Lebel rifle - An older model still in use during the early stages of the war.

Pistols[edit | edit source]

  • MAS 1935 pistol - A semi-automatic sidearm used by French military and police forces.
  • Ruby pistol - Used mainly by the French Army during World War I, but some were still in service during World War II.

Submachine Guns[edit | edit source]

  • MAS-38 - A French submachine gun that saw use early in the war.

Machine Guns[edit | edit source]

Artillery[edit | edit source]

Armored Vehicles[edit | edit source]

  • Char B1 - A French heavy tank known for its thick armor and powerful armament.
  • Somua S35 - One of the most advanced French medium tanks at the outbreak of the war.
  • Renault R35 - A light infantry support tank used by the French Army.

Aircraft[edit | edit source]

  • Dewoitine D.520 - The most capable French fighter aircraft of the early World War II period.
  • Bloch MB.152 - Another French fighter aircraft used during the early stages of the war.

Naval Weapons[edit | edit source]

Miscellaneous[edit | edit source]

  • Adrian helmet - The standard French military helmet during both World Wars.
  • F1 grenade - A hand grenade design used by the French military.

The fall of France in 1940 led to a significant portion of these weapons being captured and used by the German forces under the designation of "Beutewaffen". Meanwhile, the Free French Forces, under General Charles de Gaulle, continued to use these and other Allied-supplied weapons throughout the conflict, contributing to the eventual liberation of France.

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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD