Led by the inspirational General Charles De Gaulle, the Free French refused to accept the armistice that their country had signed with Germany. They were branded as traitors by the official Vichy French government in France, but a few thousand men crossed the Channel to join the fight in Britain. In the Libyan desert in June 1942, Rommel and his Afrikakorps were driving the British Eight Army back towards Egypt. But at Bir Hacheim they met a pocket of fierce resistance: less than 4,000 Free French troops held the Germans for several weeks, before breaking out of the Axis encirclement to regain the British lines. It was a typical act of courage from the Free French. They were determined to free France from the Nazi thrall, and on their crusade, they fought in Central and North Africa, Italy. and North-West Europe. Thanks to the Free French gladiators, French representatives proudly took their places at the formal German surrenders at Rheims and Berlin with their American, British, and Soviet allies.