The Francs-Tireurs Partisans resistance group was formed following the invasion of Soviet Russia by the German Army in 1941. The group mainly comprised of members of the French Communist Party and eventually became the military wing of the Front National. Leaders of the group included Charles Tillon and Pierre Fabien.

The Francs-Tireurs Partisans operated in both occupied and unoccupied France. It was organized as a pyramid, based on triangles of three members. This proved to be a flexible and relatively secure structure. Trade unionists were especially active in the group and they were heavily involved in industrial sabotage. Other targets included railway tracks, electricity cables and telephone lines.