Vice Foreign Minister Gu Weijun led a high-level diplomatic delegation to France through Italy. As a member of this delegation, Lieutenant General Fang Minghao saw abandoned fortifications when passing through the border between Italy and France. The French were in Maginot.
The defense line has spent too much money to establish an extremely tight Maginot line, but it has not used the money to improve the equipment of the Army and Air Force.
Just imagine, if the 7 billion francs of funds were used to improve arms, the French team could have tens of thousands of tanks and tens of thousands of combat aircraft. Not to mention the Germans actively attacked France, Hitler would probably be worried all day long.
I was worried about the French attack, so there would be no war that swept across Europe.
No wonder some people ranked the huge Maginot Line of Defense and the Great Wall built in ancient China as the stupidest project in human history. Its construction made the entire nation lose its enterprising spirit.
Vichy France currently ruled about two-fifths of France's territory and most of its overseas colonies, and Hitler promised that he would withdraw troops from the French occupied areas after the war. Marshal Betan, a hero of the French World War I, gave up his once-in-a-half
The glory of the country, endurance of humiliation, seeks to maintain the survival of France in the whole land.
The British attack on the French overseas fleet angered the Gauls. The Vichy government announced a severance of diplomatic relations with Britain. The navy of the sea country regarded the British Royal Navy as an enemy, although they hated the Germans even more.
With France's defeat, the Republic of China began to improve its relations with Vichy France. As a ally of Germany, the Chinese would naturally pass through France without any obstacles. France's richest northern heavy industrial zone became the occupied land of the Germans.
Not only that, the Germans also seized 1.5 million French officers and soldiers captured during the war, which made the Pedro government, who retreated to southern France, think twice before thinking about foreign policy.
After the defeat of the war, the Vichy government agreed to restore diplomatic relations between China and France that were interrupted after the war began in 1937. In fact, as early as 1939, negotiations between the two countries had begun on France's withdrawal from the war. In principle, at that time, the two countries had already begun.
The French agreed to withdraw from the war with Republican China in Asia, but asked Republican China to pay a transfer fee of 700 million francs for its colonies in the Indochina Peninsula.
These are the total expenditures of the French government for infrastructure construction in the French Indochina region over the years, including the construction costs of the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway and some port facilities.
Due to France's defeat in the war, the transfer fee was even more undeniable.
"What kind of good intentions can the Chinese people have? I think they are trying to attack our colonies in North Africa!" At the cabinet meeting held by the Vichy government, French Navy Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Darlang spoke in a very bad tone. The Chinese side
Foreigners invited the Vichy government to join the Allies. Regardless of the opposition of the Germans, they unilaterally promised the Vichy government that the Republic of China would give France the treatment of a victorious country after the war, ensure its territorial integrity and still have North African colonies.
jurisdiction.
"But their commitment is very tempting. If they join the Allies, it will be very beneficial for maintaining the French country from being divided up after the war." Vichy government Foreign Minister Pontoué said: "We will not lose anything.
Recognizing their control over our colonies in the Indian Ocean and East African countries. China is willing to provide a transfer fee of 100 million francs, which is very helpful in maintaining our government.”
"So what if we don't admit it? The colonies including Madagascar and Tanzania are already in their hands. Can we still get them back?" said Weigang, Minister of Army Weigang. "How can we do them? The British guys met them.
The Chinese will run away. You see Hitler is so tough, but it is different that they are angry when they see them."
"The problem is the Americans, they are now preparing to operate in North Africa and are also trying to win us over." Marshal Betan sat in his chair, "Who on earth can win this war?"
"We cannot surrender to the United States anyway. They will treat us all as treason and put them on the gallows." Vichy government deputy prime minister Laivar said, who tends to cooperate with the Republican China and the Nazis, in his opinion,
Only by compromising with the Allies is the only way to preserve France.
"We can promise their conditions, but the French North African colonies will be 'occupied', and we cannot send troops to fight with the Americans." Marshal Bei Guang proposed a compromise plan. The Republican army could "enter" France
In North Africa's colonies, the Vichy government ordered colonial forces to "cooperate" with the Republican army's occupation.
"I will order the navy to obey the government's orders, but there are several places that are not in our hands," said Admiral Dallang. "With the support of the British, the Free French army occupied Morocco and other places."
"This is not a problem we can worry about. Let the Chinese solve the problem of the British." Marshal Betan finally said, "We can hand over the colonies in East Africa and the Indian Ocean to them, what they said is 100 million francs.
Will it really count?" The operation of the Vichy government requires cash, and after making a decision, the French leader naturally cannot avoid the vulgarity.
The Republican Army hoped that the French could transfer the warships they had in their hands to Italy, but Admiral Dallang refused the suggestion without hesitation. France, once ranked fourth in the world, has now lost almost all the battle-dead ships.
Only a few heavy cruisers were left supporting the facade.
"Lieutenant General, an Italian girl outside the embassy said she wanted to see you!" Fang Minghao, who had completed his trip to France, was thinking about how to seize French North Africa in the embassy of the Republic in Vichy. At this time, he
the adjutant came over and said.
"Hmm? Didn't you say what your name is?" Fang Minghao was a little surprised. Although he was single for a long time and sometimes he would inevitably do some ridiculous things outside, he seemed to have not maintained a particularly deep relationship with any woman.
"It seems like the surname Lombardy or something..." said the adjutant.
"Oh, I know who it is, go and pick her up." Fang Minghao's mind was filled with the image of a charming Italian brunette.
"I saw the news in the newspaper that the Chinese delegation arrived in Vichy, with your name on it, so I came here by train from Paris." Sophie was wearing a purple-red windbreaker and looked a little tired.
"You seem to have encountered some difficult problems that cannot be solved again, as if we will do this every time we meet." Fang Minghao said.
Sophie lowered her head embarrassedly, "It's true. My father was arrested in Paris and was imprisoned by the Germans. I'm trying to save him."
"What is the reason?" Fang Minghao asked.
"It should be political. The Germans said he was suspected of communism." Sophie said, "I am worried that he will be in danger. The Germans have killed many suspects of the Communist Party."
"This matter is really a bit troublesome. The reason why your father left Italy is because he is a Communist Party?" Fang Minghao said.
"He is a socialist, but since Mussolini banned the Socialist Party, they have joined hands with the Communist Party to overthrow the fascist ruling." Sophie said, "This time you will do whatever you want."
You have to help me.”
"I am the navy and have no contact with the German Army stationed in France. I'll see if I can think of a solution through the embassy." Fang Minghao pondered for a moment, but decided to help the girl.