Slouch Hats & Eggshells

Slouch Hats and Eggshells recreates the World War II campaign in French-held Syria and Lebanon, from early June 1941 through mid-July 1941. Free French leader Gen. de Gaulle forced a political crisis by demanding the occupation of Syria in April 1941. As a result London ordered an offensive to place all of Syria and Lebanon under Free French control. Sadly, such posturing caused Allied command staffs to hold unrealistic views of what the ensuing occupation would look like. The thinking held that Vichy French forces could be won over with wine and coffee along with displays of the Australian slouch hat and that they would offer only token resistance and their defense would collapse like an eggshell. Instead, the Vichy-led troops fought ferociously from the start.