1941 Défense d’Empire

From 1940, the French Vichy government issued stamps in France for the colonies, although they had no means of actually delivering them to the colonies. Défense d’Empire is a typical omnibus set, showing French colonial troops and equipment. Although pro-Vichy forces governed the colonies at that time, the issues were more for propaganda purposes and maintaining a claim to the colonies, rather than with a view to genuine usage. The majority of these issues are unused, and those found with genuine contemporary postmarks were probably mostly canceled as a favor.