The Rise of the Third Reich

April 19, 1940, Moncroa Palace, Madrid.

Spanish leader, leader of the Falange Party, Spanish Supreme Marshal Francisco Franco was in a very private living room, talking with Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain, who was about to return to France.

The Spanish dictator had a good relationship with Marshal Pétain, so he was reluctant to see this respected old man return to his country to jump into the fire pit. So at the beginning of today's talks, he advised Pétain not to return to his country but to stay in Spain.

"Marshal, we can't save the situation by going back now," the Spanish leader said with a frown, "I just received a report that the German armored forces have reached Amiens."

Amiens is more than 110 kilometers north of Paris and more than 120 kilometers away from Calais and Dunkirk. It is an important town in northeastern France. With the advancing speed of the German armored forces, the capture of Calais and Dunkirk was only a matter of days.

"And Verdun was also occupied by the German army this morning, and it was also done by the armored forces." Franco shook his head repeatedly, "France has really been defeated this time. Even if you take over as Prime Minister now, there is nothing you can do. It is better to stay here Spain, if you want to go to the UK and the United States, I can send a plane to take you there.”

Marshal Pétain looked very old and tired, with a gray face. He obviously had a very comprehensive understanding of France's current predicament. The old marshal gently turned the coffee cup in his hand, and then squeezed out a wry smile: "Leader, I am not an old fool. Of course I know that the war has been defeated. But France still needs to exist, and it still has to face the most dangerous situation. Hard times. Should I abandon France before these hard times come?"

"You are a truly great soldier and patriot," Franco nodded and said with admiration. "If I were in your position, I would never return to China. We will choose the easier path and be a patriot abroad. By."

"It is not easy to lead a resistance movement abroad," Pétain said with a wry smile. "The hard days will be far away. If I were 20 years younger, I might be a patriot abroad, but I am too old. Once I leave, I will never leave again." I can’t go back to my motherland.”

Franco was silent for a while, and then said after careful consideration: "Marshal, the German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop is in Madrid now, and I just met with him. He hopes that I can mediate, and he also proposed two peace plans. "

"Peace plan?" Pétain sighed, "You must want to take back Alsace-Lorraine, you also want to dismantle France's machines, take away the French fleet and colonies, and maybe you want France to pay a large sum of money." Money?"

"You were only half right," Franco smiled. "That's what one of the two peace plans requires."

"Oh?" Pétain was stunned for a moment, "What about the other one? Did the Germans offer a more generous plan?"

"It can't be said to be lenient," Franco shrugged. "European integration, customs union, common currency, Alsace-Lorraine as the future capital of the community... Marshal, I think you must know what the Germans want. Bar?"

"A European Community led by Germany..." Pétain smiled bitterly, "What Emperor Napoleon failed to complete will now be completed by the Prussians!"

"Can they really succeed?" Franco asked uncertainly.

Hitler also tried to invite Spain to join the war, but Franco was cautious and would never let Spain join unless Germany was sure to win.

"Perhaps," Pétain took a sip of bitter coffee. "The Germans have done what Emperor Napoleon once did. Now they only need to defeat Britain, and the European Community will appear."

"Defeat Britain?" Franco asked, "What does it mean to be defeated?"

"Occupy the British mainland!" Pétain said. "As long as we do this, the French people will be convinced."

"Isn't it possible to win diplomatically?" Franco asked again, "For example, Britain recognizes Germany's power on the European continent and cedes the oil-producing areas in the Middle East to Germany."

He was not only a bridge of peace between France and Germany, but also a dove of peace between Britain and Germany.

"Impossible," Pétain shook his head, "This is simply impossible! The British Empire will never agree to such peace conditions... His Majesty the Emperor (Napoleon) has already tried it, and this is simply impossible. Either the Germans will defeat Britain, if they land on their homeland, they will suffer the same fate as His Majesty the Emperor."

…

"President Roosevelt has agreed to lend 50 destroyers. As long as the U.S. Congress agrees, we can get the destroyers, and he has also agreed to arrange another informal escort (this kind of sneaky escort is only done occasionally). In addition, he will also After being re-elected, he pushed for the Lend-Lease Act so that we could continue to get supplies from the United States after we ran out of gold dollars.”

London, 10 Downing Street, cabinet meeting room. Prime Minister Winston Churchill informed his cabinet members of the contents of Roosevelt's telegram he had just received while smoking a custom-made extra-long cigar.

Roosevelt's telegram was full of good news, and the United States was clearly on Britain's side. As the day of France's defeat drew closer, America's pro-British attitude became increasingly apparent.

But I got more bad news today! The news from France and Belgium was dire. The Germans are all superhuman beings, while the French are like a beaten and crying child, completely at a loss.

In Belgium, King Leopold III hinted to the government that he would share the same fate as the Belgian army and people.

This means that the King of Belgium will not go into exile in the UK. He will choose to cooperate with Germany after Belgium's defeat!

Worse news came from Spain and the Netherlands. Spanish leader Franco and Dutch Queen Wilhelmina acted as peacemakers at the request of the German Emperor (actually Hitler's government). They summoned the ambassadors of Britain, France and Belgium and informed them of Germany's peace conditions - Emperor William gave the French two options, either to bear huge compensation; or to engage in European integration with Germany!

There is only one way out for Belgium, which is to serve Germany honestly!

"Prime Minister, did President Roosevelt mention how to help France?" Army Secretary Eden asked with a frown.

Churchill blew out the smoke, shook his head and said: "God will only save those who save themselves. If the French cannot fight with all their strength, I am afraid God will not be able to save them." He paused and said, "Enter Marshal Pétain and Weygand." I will return to China on the 20th, and I will go to Paris again on the 20th.”

To be honest, Churchill didn't have high hopes for his trip to Paris on the 20th. France is unlikely to have the determination to resist to the end, and they do not have the strength to fight on.

The "integration plan" proposed by Germany is likely to confuse some French people...it packages the Germans' imperial ambitions into a "common market" and "European unity."

With "integration", those useless French people no longer have to worry about being beaten up by the superhuman German army, and can live with peace of mind from now on. And the French can also enjoy the various economic dividends brought by the common market and a strong Europe. Even the embarrassing cession of Alsace-Lorraine has a decent explanation - it will be the future common capital of Europe!

"The French are very likely to choose to compromise!" Viscount Halifax, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said what everyone was most worried about. "The Germans' conditions for inducing France to surrender look pretty good, don't they?"

"It's all deception!" Churchill said. "It is impossible for the Germans to bring prosperity to Europe."

He only said half of his words, the other half was "unless Britain is defeated". Because once Britain failed, food from India, gold from South Africa, oil from the Middle East, wool from Australia, tea and silk from China, rubber from Southeast Asia, beef, cocoa and coffee from South America would all be shipped to Europe under German rule. .

These are the foundations of European integration! Without these cheap raw materials, and without markets outside Europe, Europe would fall into poverty and shortages. Integration means living in poverty and suffering together!

"Mr. Prime Minister, it is still possible for the Germans to win!" Alexander, the Minister of Admiralty, said in a worried tone. "If the Germans get the French naval fleet and Italy joins the German side, it will be difficult for the Royal Navy to defend the homeland... …”

This is obvious. The Germans now have at least two "Bismarck" class ships built, the French have two "Richelieu" class ships to be built, and Italy has two "Veneto" class ships. The tonnage and firepower of these six battleships exceed the British "King George V" class and "HMS Hood". If everyone becomes the enemy of the Royal Navy, the British Empire will really be doomed.

"Prime Minister," War Secretary Eden added, "our troops in Belgium are also extremely dangerous... The 200,000 people there are very important to us! If Belgium and France both surrender to Germany, we will lose them. "

It is indeed possible! The ministers in the conference room looked at Churchill. If the 200,000 people in Belgium are lost, there will be a big hole in the defense of the British mainland.

"We cannot lose these troops!" Churchill quickly made a decision, "Besides, we cannot let the Germans get the French fleet!"

"Prime Minister, what are we going to do?"

"Yeah, how can we prevent the French from handing over their fleet to Germany?"

War Secretary Eden and Navy Secretary Alexander asked Churchill together.

"It's easy to retreat the troops in Belgium," Churchill thought for a while and said, "I will arrange for Admiral Verrick to unified command the coalition forces in Belgium. As for the French fleet... this is a bit troublesome!"