Sub-Saharan Africa 1940: Battle of Gabon

View full map and options for mobile…
Political map of Sub-Saharan Africa on 08 Nov 1940 (World War II in Africa: Battle of Gabon), showing the following events: Tripartite Pact; Gabon Campaign; Battle of Libreville.

While the rest of French Equatorial Africa declared for the Free French in August 1940, Gabon remained loyal to the collaborationist Vichy French. In October Charles de Gaulle ordered its invasion, conquering Gabon for Free France in a month-long campaign.

About this map
Download map
(download without labels)

Main Events

27 Sep 1940 Tripartite Pact ▲

Joachim von Ribbentrop of Nazi Germany, Galeazzo Ciano of the Kingdom of Italy, and Saburō Kurusu of the Empire of Japan signed the Tripartite Pact in Berlin, capital of Germany. The 10 year Pact recognized the right of Germany and Italy to establish a new order in Europe while Japan did so in Greater East Asia; it also compelled the contracting Powers to come to the aid of any one of them should they be attacked by a Power not presently involved in either World War II in Europe or the Sino-Japanese War (implicitly making it a defensive pact against the United States and the Soviet Union). in wikipedia

12 Oct–12 Nov 1940 Gabon Campaign ▲

On 12 October 1940 Free French leader General Charles de Gaulle authorized plans for the invasion of the Vichy French-controlled colony of Gabon, sending troops from Cameroun across the border to capture the Gabonese town of Mitzic—100 km inland—on the 27th and Lambaréné on 5 November. However the main invasion took place on 8 November, when Free French Legionnaires and colonial units landed off the colonial capital of Libreville. With the loss of his capital, Vichy French Governor Georges Pierre Masson persuaded his remaining forces to surrender at Port Gentil four days later. Masson—who had actually declared for de Gaulle on 29 August but immediately been forced to backtrack by the arrival of a Vichy naval squadron—committed suicide. in wikipedia

7–10 Nov 1940 Battle of Libreville ▲

On 7 November 1940 the Vichy French submarine Poncelet detected Free French and British naval forces arriving off the coast of Vichy-controlled Gabon, but was damaged and forced to scuttle by Walrus biplane strikes before it could sink any Allied ships. Free French Legionnaires and colonial troops from Senegal and Cameroun landed to the north and south of Libreville the following night, immediately facing heavy fighting as they began converging on the Gabonese capital. Despite the resistance, Libreville fell within the next two days. in wikipedia

1940 1940s Africa African history France Free French French Equatorial Africa Gabon Germany Italy Japan maps November November 8 Sub-Saharan Africa World War II

Follow us

Join Omniatlas