Vichy French Threat Investigated
New Caledinia is a French
colony, during
WWII the Vichy French in the goverment were identified as a possible
threat
to Australia, which deployed troops in late Feburary 1942, to ascertained
their feelings of support to the Allies. Considered safe, the area
became a major Allied staging base for the Americans, and a ferry
point for aircraft to Australia.
American Staging Area
On March 12, 1942 the first American troops arrived in New Caledonia. During its height, 40,000 American
servicemen were based in New Caledonia, and also as a rest and hospital
area for combat troops. As the war progressed, fewer came thru the
island, as other more forward bases were established. The local
people (Kanaks) were employed on the US bases observed relatively good
relations
and were paid real wages for the
first time, one of the reasons the colony's status was changed
to 'French overseas territory' post war.
Today
Close to two hundred thousand residents
are an ethnic blend of
Melanesian, European, Wallisian, Polynesian and Indonesian live there.
New
Caledonia is an idyllic French speaking archipelago, to the east
of 
