ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at interactions between French and British soldiers. It explores the British presence in France before looking at the French perception and relations between allied soldiers. The Franco-British alliance, already effective in 1914—1918, was kept alive in the interwar period. The British army was included in various scenarios to win the war. Georges believed that the Franco-British forces 'needed to occupy parts of the Belgian territory to block the enemy's access to the ports' while Gamelin wanted larger movements to reach the Netherlands. The French authorities saw the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) as too small and feared the effect this would have on their country's morale. Stories published in frontline newspapers about the British were closer to the reality of war than what the French media produced. French interactions with the British army cannot be reduced to a single attitude. The British arrival in September caused several coordination and cohabitation issues.
