Draft:Rallying of New Caledonia

The rallying of New Caledonia to Free France (French: ralliement de la Nouvelle-Calédonie à la France libre) was the defection of the French colony of New Caledonia during World War II from the Nazi collaborationist Vichy regime to the Free French movement led by Charles de Gaulle.

Following the fall of France in June 1940, the actions of pro-Vichy colonial governor Georges-Marc Pélicier brought him into conflict with the local Caldoche population. Following an assassination attempt on Pélicier, the Vichy government despatched the warship Dumont d'Urville and replaced him with Maurice Denis. By that time, de Gaulle had appointed Henri Sautot as Free French governor and

Background
News of the fall of France and German occupation reached New Caledonia in June 1940 via Australian radio broadcasts. The Caldoche population largely opposed the occupation and the establishment of the collaborationist Vichy government, although there were some Vichy sympathisers in the capital of Nouméa. Georges-Marc Pélicier, the Governor of New Caledonia, was a career civil servant who governed with limited input from the General Council, a consultative body of Caldoches.

On 24 June 1940, the General Council proclaimed its opposition to the armistice of 22 June and support for British forces. Pélicier initially supported the General Council's proclamation, but later came to support the Vichy government. At the same time he opposed moves by the General Council for greater autonomy, with his arrest of autonomist leader Michel Vergès and cancellation of Bastille Day celebrations sparking street demonstrations. On 29 July, following a cable from Vichy leader Philippe Pétain, Pélicier promulgated the new Vichy constitutional laws.

New Caledonia was among the first French colonies

Actions
HMAS Adelaide commanded by Henry Showers

Dumont d'Urville commanded by Toussaint de Quièvrecourt


 * assessed as coup d'etate
 * assessed as gunboat diplomacy

Analysis
The installation of Sautot has been described as a coup d'état