The Rise of the Third Reich

"We don't have time to capture you. You need to put down your weapons and get off the road so you don't block the road."

From April 17th to 18th, 1940, such French shouting sounds rang out simultaneously in many places on the battlefield in northeastern France. Marching towards the English Channel, the four armored divisions under the jurisdiction of the German 1st Armored Army are advancing furiously. What stands in their way is not the French warriors who are ready to die for their country with a smile, but the defeated French who have suffered a mental breakdown and have completely lost their fighting spirit.

In the past few days, their troops had been either bombed or crushed by rumbling German armored units. They were completely unable to resist, and all that was left was to collapse and collapse again. The divisions of the French 9th Group Army are second-line troops in the French army, with insufficient equipment and training. Most of the soldiers are French uncles in their thirties. Their generation did not participate in the brutal World War I, but they enjoyed the joy and glory of victory and lived a very comfortable life compared to the German people. There is no need to fight for enough food and the fate of the motherland. You only need to fight against the French politicians to oppose the war and strive for high welfare. This is not actually a struggle, it is just a pastime after dinner, and it is also sacred France. rights granted to them by the Constitution.

But when these people spent their absurd and hedonistic youth, entered middle age, and had families (this generation of French people will at least get married) and children, the Germany that had been trampled under the feet of France for an unknown amount of time suddenly suddenly It rose up. Armed a large army with tanks and airplanes, and then defeated Europe's second largest army in 12 days. Now they rushed into France with murderous intent, allowing these anti-war French uncles to taste the bitter consequences of defeat.

The panicked French soldiers were relieved to hear that the Germans had no time to capture them, and threw away the weapons they had brought with them, if they still had weapons!

At this time, some German infantrymen would jump out of tanks or armored vehicles, place all their guns neatly in front of the tracks of a tank, and then the tanks would crush them unceremoniously, killing these items of little value. The French rifles were reduced to scrap metal.

The German armored soldiers had no interest in French rifles, but they would not let go of any road gas station they encountered along the way - I don't know whether it was because the defeat was too sudden, or the French were missing a nerve, Guderian's four Every gas station or fuel warehouse the armored division encountered along the way was not destroyed. Many of these gas stations and oil depots also store the gasoline that the German armored forces are most lacking!

On the battlefield south of Sedan, the French 2nd Army performed better than the 9th Army. Their organization has not yet collapsed, but they are surrounded by the German 12th Army and the 16th Army south of the Monte-Dieu Heights, Stenay (the 41st Panzer Army and the 16th Army of the German 12th Army meet here) To the north, the narrow strip of land west of the Maas River. Moreover, they lost most of their tanks in the two-day battle on the 15th and 16th, turning into tigers without teeth and claws.

"Mr. Prime Minister, the war has been defeated! France has been defeated!" General Gamelin was at his wits' end on the 18th. He said with tears to Prime Minister Paul Reynaud who came to inspect the Chateau de Vincennes (where the coalition headquarters is located). , "The 2nd Army was surrounded, the 9th Army almost ceased to exist, and the roads to Verdun, Calais, and Dunkirk were now open to the Germans. Our troops in Belgium and those on the Maginot Line The army will soon be surrounded, and there is no strength to defend Paris..."

"Admiral, we have only fought for 9 days!" Paul Reno looked at Gamelin with angry eyes. "For 9 days, the Poles have been holding on for 12 days, but our France collapsed in 9 days? I We haven’t even seen a decent battle... We should at least fight a battle like 'Marne River' or 'Verdun', so that we can die vigorously!"

Now even Renault doesn't think France can win. Even a draw is out of the question, but even if they lose, they will lose like a loser. At least have a good fight with the Germans and break some of Emperor William's big teeth!

But now... most of the French soldiers have not even fired a shot at the Germans on the battlefield, so how come they were completely defeated?

"Prime Minister, now is not the time to make a fuss, France should seek a decent peace." Gamelin said in a low tone, "While the 1st Army, 7th Army (these two armies are in Belgium) and the 2nd Army have not yet After being wiped out, the Maginot Line's retreat has not yet been cut off, so we can sue for peace... This way we can at least save some energy."

"Now is not the time to sue for peace!" Paul Reno glared at Gamelin fiercely. In fact, he had been thinking about the issue of peace for the past two days. He had been thinking about this issue since he called Churchill for comfort in the early morning of the 15th.

After several days of thinking, Reno has become very clear: there will be no decent peace! Because France did not treat Germany with dignity 21 years ago, how can it still be expected that the Germans will spare France lightly?

He has been holding back his anger for 21 years, and now he has finally taken revenge and knocked France to the ground. How can he be spared?

Moreover, even if the Germans ignore past grudges and are willing to preserve the vitality of France. Then France must at least return everything it took from Germany 21 years ago!

That is to return Lorraine-Alsace and at least tens of billions of gold marks, as well as a large amount of coal, machinery, ships, and overseas colonies to Germany... Can the French people accept such a peace?

"It is impossible to sue for peace at the moment!" Paul Reynaud asked Gamelin, "General, you are no longer capable of leading the French army to fight, are you?"

Gamelin understood the meaning of Prime Minister Reno's words. He would become synonymous with failure and become an eternal shame for the French army. He nodded slowly, "Yes... I think the coalition needs a new commander-in-chief."

"Then I will appoint General Weygand to succeed you," Reno said. "After he returns from Syria, you will hand over the post of commander-in-chief."

Gan Molin frowned, he knew this was a very bad decision! Not to mention whether the 74-year-old General Wei Gang (older than Gamelin) can understand the concept of mechanized warfare, just say that Wei Gang is far away in Syria these days and has no understanding of the situation on the French battlefield, so it is very likely that it will be delayed. Big deal.

Reynaud then told Gamelin: "I will also appoint a deputy prime minister, and I will invite the ambassador to Spain, Mr. Pétain, Marshal of the Republic, to return to his country to serve as deputy prime minister."

Gan Molin was stunned. He knew exactly what Renault was planning! Deputy Prime Minister... this is not a permanent position in the French government (the government of the Third Republic). Now the proposal to establish a deputy prime minister and let Marshal Pétain be the leader is probably just to promote Pétain as a prime minister who surrenders and seeks peace.

…

"Mr. President, I think the British and we are in big trouble!"

US Secretary of State Cordell Hull and Secretary of Commerce Hopkins were both invited to the Oval Office of the White House by Roosevelt on the morning of April 18, US time. Roosevelt showed them Churchill's letter. Although the signature was "Former Navy Personnel," both Hull and Hopkins knew that "Former Navy Personnel" was the current British Prime Minister Churchill.

After reading the letter, Cordell Hull shook his head and said: "When I met Prime Minister Reno in Paris on the 15th, Reno was also panicked and asked us to immediately send a plane that can cover the sky to France."

Roosevelt shrugged, "I wish I had so many planes to send."

The United States has not yet armed itself, and the strength of the U.S. Army and Naval Aviation is far inferior to that of the German Air Force and Naval Aviation. Moreover, President Roosevelt did not have the power to send American armed forces to Europe to fight Germany.

"Mr. President, but we have many mothballed destroyers." Harry Hopkins also read Churchill's letter. "We must provide these warships to Britain... German submarine activities are too rampant! Britain lost more than 550,000 tons of merchant ships in March!"

Although the weather in the North Atlantic improved, German submarines became more active day by day! The total monthly tonnage of British merchant ships exceeded 550,000 tons in March, and is estimated to exceed 600,000 tons in April.

"In addition, the British gold reserves are about to be exhausted!" Harry Hopkins continued. "When the war started, their gold, foreign exchange reserves and overseas assets were worth more than 5 billion US dollars. Now they have spent a billion dollars." Most of it. By the first quarter of next year at the latest, the British will use up their last reserves. If we don’t give weapons and supplies to Britain for free, then even Churchill will not be able to maintain the war.”

President Roosevelt looked at Hull, who had just visited Britain and France. The U.S. Secretary of State said: "Mr. President, I believe the Germans' goal is to extend the erstwhile German Zollverein to all of Europe, excluding the Soviet Union! The German Empire will play the role of Prussia, and Europe (excluding the Soviet Union) will play the role of the German Confederation. Characters… There will finally be a united Europe!”

"Is a united Europe...possible?"

"If Britain surrenders, Europe will eventually be unified!" said Cordell Hull. "France is about to be defeated. This country has completely degenerated and lost its former pride. If Britain is defeated by Germany, France will be dominated by Germany. If France and Germany can be integrated, then the Low Countries can only join, and then Northern Europe, Southern Europe and the Balkans!

In the end, Europe will become a powerful and invincible empire under the leadership of Germany! "