The history of this resistance network: General De Gaulle’s call, the disagreements among the leaders, is narrated to us in this voluminous book, the work of two authors, a journalist and Bernard Boyer, the son of the former head of the Brutus network.
This book reveals the atmosphere of these intersecting networks, sometimes getting in each other’s way. The authority is in London in the person of General De Gaulle. The latter does not want to hear about political parties, the very ones responsible for the defeat. After the USSR enters the war following the violation of the pact by Hitler, the communists join the resistance. However, they form a powerful party, which could seize power after the liberation.
London therefore decides to resume the game of parties to counter the communist threat. This book shows the struggle of influences to dominate the resistance networks, of which Brutus is one of the main elements.
The CNR (National Council of Resistance) will emerge from this situation to centralize and unify these scattered networks to make them ready to govern France.
Meanwhile, the Vichy regime, under the control of Laval, sinks deeper and deeper into collaboration, not to say a certain alliance with the occupier.
Code name Brutus is a valuable tool for understanding the actions of the “army of shadows,” the men and women who saved France’s honor by saying “No!” echoing General De Gaulle’s call of June 18.
Thierry Jan
