Chapter 338 France Don’t Cry 23

April 19, 1940, Moncroa Palace, Madrid.

Spanish leader, Falangist leader, 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 the country. We would 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 generous," 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 fate of the Belgian army and people.

This means that the King of Belgium will not go into exile in Britain, and he will choose to cooperate with Germany after Belgium's defeat!

The worse news came from Spain and the Netherlands. Spanish leader Franco and Dutch Queen Wilhelmina came out to be peacemakers at the request of the German Emperor (actually the Hitler government). They summoned the ambassadors of Britain, France and Belgium and informed them of Germany's peace conditions - Emperor Wilhelm gave the French two choices, either to bear huge compensation or to work with Germany to achieve European integration!

And there is only one way out for Belgium, that is to be a younger brother of Germany!

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

Churchill exhaled a puff of 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 cannot save them either." He paused and said, "Marshal Pétain and Admiral Weygand will return home on the 20th, and I will go to Paris again on the 20th."

To be honest, Churchill did not have much hope for the 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.

And the "integration plan" proposed by Germany is likely to confuse some French people... It packages the German imperial ambitions into a "common market" and "European unity."

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

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

"It's all a lie!" Churchill said, "The Germans can never bring prosperity to Europe."

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

These are the foundations of European integration! Without these cheap raw materials and markets outside Europe, Europe will fall into poverty and shortages. Integration becomes a common poverty and hardship!

"Mr. Prime Minister, the Germans still have a chance to win!" Navy Minister Alexander 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 its 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 are greater than those of the British "King George V" class and "Hood". If they all become enemies of the British Royal Navy, the British Empire will really be finished.

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

This is indeed possible! The ministers in the conference room all looked at Churchill. If the 200,000 people in Belgium were lost, there would be a big loophole in the defense of the British mainland.

"We can't lose these troops!" Churchill quickly made a decision, "In addition, we can't let the Germans get the French fleet!"

"Prime Minister, what should we do?"

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

Army Minister Eden and Navy Minister Alexander asked Churchill together.

"It's easy to withdraw the troops in Belgium," Churchill thought for a while and said, "I will arrange for Admiral Verek to unify the command of the coalition forces in Belgium. As for the French fleet... This is a bit troublesome!"