HISTORIC :
To the initiative of M. Édouard Daladier, President of the Council and minister Of the War, a decree - law of September 26, 1939 instituted a cross of war to commemorate the individual quotes for facts of war, identical, to the one of 1914-1918 and structural to the obverse the vintage 1939, suspended to one, green and red ribbon.
The government of Vichy decided by decree of March 28, 1941 to suppress this distinction and to establish a news of it, assigned to the holders of the old after exam of their quote. The cross remained the same, marked of the vintage 1939-1940 whereas the ribbon green color was streaked vertically of six stripes of black color recalling the commemorative medal of the war 1870-1871.
The general Giraud, commander-in-chief of north Africa, by decision some date of March 16, 1943, decided to return to the Cross of War her ribbon of 1914-1918 with on the medallion dates it of 1943. Finally, the order of January 7, 1944 of the National Liberation Committee has put back in force the Cross of War 1939, but to red and green ribbon and no green and red. In maintaining, the assignments of this decoration to the quotes ratified and instituting some quotes to the order of the Nation including a palm made of vermeil, awarded of them press them especially deserving.
A circular of precise October 1954 13 in his/her/its article 2: " no new assignment of quotes for previous facts of war to May 8 1945 won't be done " adding that " the demands of recognition of quotes will be receivable until March 31, 1955 provided that one beginning of proof established their merit in writing. Arrangement extended and always in force nowadays.
RECIPIENTS :The Cross of War commemorates, during the hostilities, the quotes, individual for facts of war. The decree of application took October 4, 1939, specify that it is conferred to the French or foreign units and to the soldiers who will have during the lasted of the war, gotten a quote to the order. She also can under the same conditions to be given to the civilians French or foreign.
CONDITIONS OF CONTEST :Considering the granted number important of quotes, a revision of the rewards imposed itself. To note that all quotes awarded to the personal of the National Marine have been validated directly. The Cross of War 1939-1945 is not awarded anymore.
The exceptions evoked for the Cross of War 1914-1918 apply to the Cross of War 1939-1945.
A special disposition always in force takes in 1959 in favor of the old Bir-Hakeim allows them to compete if they already were not quoted for their involvement to these fights.
THE DISTINCTION :
- Ribbon:
red, shared by four median strips green dark, separated between them and disposed in order to let two lateral red strips.
- Medal:
in Florentine bronze to four branches with between these two swords crossings.
The center represents to the obverse, a head of Republic to the cap phrygien decorated of one crown of laurel with in inscription: " Republic French ".
To the reverse, vintage of the year of the fights,: 1939 or 1939-1945.
- Quotes:
they distinguish themselves in the same way as for the Cross of 1914-1918.
He is some also so for the representation and the equivalence for the stars and the palms.
SHOULDER BRAID :
Identical to the one of the War 1914-1918 Cross, and intended to commemorate the collective quotes. But of the olives of color different are placed the tag above to permit the to differentiate. When the units got the shoulder braid during the two world wars, this one includes two olives. .
CÉRÉMONIAL of RECEIPT :The discount of the badge takes place in identical conditions to those of the Cross of War 1914-1918.
PECULIARITY :September 30, 1942, the general de Gaulle created a quote to the order of the Strengths Free Frenchwomen giving right at the harbor of the War Cross with a palm made of vermeil. The order of January 7, 1944 took these arrangements while creating one quote to the order of the Nation.
A decree of January 28, 1954 specified that the Cross of War could be awarded to the French nationals having gotten, with agreement of the French government, accompanied one or several foreign decorations, of a quote recalling their behavior during the operations of the Second World War.
The particular cross created to the profit of the members of the Legion of the French volunteers against the bolshevism have been annulled by decree of the 28 October 1944.
The Crosses of War of the aviators remain prestigious: the ribbon of the one Pierre Clostermann carries 19 palms.
The Cross of War 1939-1945 has been awarded to many villages and cities.
To the difference of 1914-1918, they have been assigned to all orders and either only to the order of the army.