January 17, 1940
Budapest, the capital of Hungary After receiving a reply from my ho country, we officially signed a treaty with Hungary.
“Although there was a bit of a misunderstanding, I’m glad it ended on good terms.”
“Hmph. I also find this treaty to be rational.”
Regent Horthy and I exchanged a handshake. I was smiling, but the Regent had a vague expression.
Since Poland and Italy failed to perform as well as expected, it was unlikely that Hungary would openly attack us. Still, in a situation where the future is uncertain, it would be troubleso to unnecessarily antagonize an adjacent country.
In exchange for signing a non-aggression pact with Hungary, we agreed to recognize their annulnt of the Treaty of Trianon.
Additionally, to resolve the anxiety they might feel due to the yet-to-be-liberated Czechoslovakia and a Romania that Poland can no longer keep in check, we even decided to sell them munitions to aid their rearmant.
We agreed to sell ten Panzer IV tanks and a small number of infantry firearms every month for two years. It wasn't a huge burden from our perspective, but it would be quite helpful for Hungary's rearmant.
Even if the quantity is small, the fact that they are Germany's active duty main battle tanks helps maintain appearances. The military's opinion was that it would be better to only sell sothing like the Sturmgeschütz III or a tank destroyer, but…
Production of the Panzer III chassis had stopped long ago, and we were only using the existing ones, aning we would run out of chassis before the two years were up.
The conclusion was that it was better to definitively win Hungary's favor instead.
Although we are in the middle of a war, considering the dispersion and losses of our military force should Hungary fight us, selling that much equipnt is good for making so money on the side.
After all, at this point, having absorbed the munitions facilities that Hitler had built up and operating them more efficiently than he did, our problem isn't munitions production capacity, but money.
“I hope that a positive relationship and cooperation will continue between Germany and Hungary in the future.”
“…I hope so too, Vice Minister.”
Even though we aren't helping them with the recovery of their forr territory, it's not a bad deal for Hungary either.
With this, we've at least avoided a three-front war. I'm a little curious what expressions Mussolini and Rydz-??mig??y will have.
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January 19, 1940
Eastern France, Alsace-Lorraine – The Maginot Line The Maginot Line. At the defense line built across the entire German-French border of Alsace-Lorraine in preparation for a war with Germany, Fran??ois de La Rocque, the party leader of the French Social Party, was giving a speech to the soldiers.
“To the officers and soldiers of the Grande Armée, who toil day and night for our great Fatherland, as a politician of France, I express my deepest gratitude for your hard work.”
La Rocque was under suspicion from political enemies and other countries that he was a follower of Fascism like Hitler or Mussolini, but his tone of voice, unlike the two dictators, was extrely polite.
“But at the sa ti, I am indignant! As a politician of France, I am indignant at this situation where I cannot lift my head before all of you, who have dedicated yourselves more than anyone at the vanguard of France! Our proud Fatherland, the great France, has beco weak!”
La Rocque began to deliver a passionate speech to the young soldiers who could not take their eyes off him.
“Why has it beco weak! Because we are divided! Because while the Left-wing and Right-wing were slandering each other and engaging in armchair theories, our great Fatherland missed the tide of a rapidly changing era! Because those who call themselves politicians, who should be uniting to lead the Fatherland, and the governnt that should be representing France’s national interest, have been incompetent and irresponsible, only depending on other countries!”
During the interwar period, France had suffered from the aftermath of the Great Depression and political conflict from the severe Left-Right conflict, and had lost its diplomatic initiative.
“And what is the result! Failure! A complete and disastrous failure! The Treaty of Versailles was annulled! While Germany swallowed Austria, the Sudetenland, and Czechia, what did our governnt do! While the Hohenzollern Imperial Family was restored in Germany, our governnt was just clinging to Britain's coattails!”
The French people had felt a sense of powerlessness amid the total diplomatic failure that had allowed Germany's growth while being dragged around throughout the interwar period.
Furthermore, just as they were feeling relieved that a civil war had broken out in Germany, Germany restored the Hohenzollern Imperial Family, and Britain’s attitude of siding with Germany finally drove all of France into a state of rage and a sense of crisis.
“Since when was France so weak! Why has it beco so weak! Because France, which shed its blood at the forefront in the last great war, has had its rights denied! Think of the behavior of our so-called ‘allies’ when we had no choice but to occupy the Ruhr because those abominable Germans did not pay the just price of French blood they owed!”
When Germany declared default in 1922, unable to pay the reparations of the Treaty of Versailles, France tried to pressure Germany by occupying the Ruhr by force, but had to withdraw due to pressure from Britain and Arica.
“Britain and Arica used the money they lent us as a pretext to pressure us and helped our enemy! Was the money they lent us an act of goodwill? No! It was a price they should have rightfully paid us, their ally who shed so much blood! If they respected France, if they knew the value of the blood France shed, they could not do this!”
The French soldiers listening to La Rocque’s speech began to fill with resentnt.
How did France, which shed more blood than anyone in the last great war, end up in this state?
They all knew well from their friends and families how difficult things were in France now, and that their once-great Fatherland was weakening.
“While France was suffering from the Great Depression and was divided, Germany strengthened its military with the price of blood that we should have received, devoured its neighboring countries, and has finally reached a point where it is overwhelming Italy and Poland in a war!”
To the French, that was fear itself.
The sense of relief and satisfaction they had gained from avenging the crushing defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and watching the German Empire fall in the last great war did not even last twenty years.
The evaluation of the Treaty of Versailles—that it was too punitive for reconciliation, yet too lenient to prevent Germany's recovery—was being realized.
The French, who had felt the threat of war firsthand when Hitler cast all of Europe in fear, were now shuddering as they witnessed Germany’s latent power, which had swiftly ousted Hitler in a civil war and was not giving an inch against what they thought were the powerful nations of Poland and Italy.
With even their allies from the last great war siding with Germany and backstabbing them, and Arica also showing a favorable gesture to Germany, the sense of crisis felt by the French people was already beyond a rational level.
“That weak governnt has cut the military's budget, tying the Fatherland’s own hands and feet, and has been aiding and abetting this state of affairs! Why did we have to do that! While our enemies ard themselves with the price of our blood, the reparations from the Treaty of Versailles that we should have received, we have made ourselves weak, claiming we have no money!”
The soldiers, responding to La Rocque with enthusiasm, grew furious. This was surely an injustice.
The reparations from the Treaty of Versailles were a price that France, the victim of the last great war, should have naturally received. Why couldn't France receive it and fall into such hardship, while Germany grew stronger with that money?
And why were those ‘allies’, who won the war because France shed blood for them, supporting such a Germany?
“Now we must reclaim our rights! We no longer have ti to be divided and in conflict! Has that Germany, which claims it will adopt democracy and liberate Czechia, actually achieved anything? There is only one thing they have actually shown us!”
La Rocque deliberately paused, making all the soldiers wait for his words with bated breath, before declaring loudly.
“That they are still an enemy that hates us! That they have refused to implent our just right, the Treaty of Versailles, and have restored the Hohenzollern Imperial Family! That is all!”
Seeing the anger and hatred towards Germany spread like a wave among the soldiers, La Rocque began to shout with force once more.
“Our incompetent governnt has already abandoned Austria and Czechia! After our only remaining ally, Poland, falls, and after Italy falls, next is France!”
Even though it was known in the original history that Poland had launched a preemptive invasion of Germany, the most fundantal reason that made France decide to enter the war, despite rembering the horrors of the last great war, was still valid.
As much as France feared Germany, they feared a situation where they had to face Germany alone.
Especially if Germany, depleted by civil war, was struggling against Poland and Italy, making it seem like, ‘It's worth a try now.
’
“O, proud Grande Armée of France! Are we so foolish as to wait until the enemy who grew by stealing our rights leaves us all alone!”
“No!”
Seeing the soldiers answer enthusiastically, La Rocque cried out again.
“Are we so foolish as to just watch Britain and Arica even at this point, and entrust the fate of France into their hands!”
“No!”
Watching the soldiers answer in one voice, La Rocque smiled with satisfaction and then shouted again.
“France must once again beco the center of Europe! It must beco the center of the world! Now is the only opportunity! Prepare to walk a path for France alone, a glorious path! We have already chosen dishonor at Munich! Never again, never again will we powerlessly stain the great pride of France!”
“That’s right!”
“We must break away from the path of depending on those vile opportunists and show the world once more that the French people are the synthesis of all greatness! Vive la France!”
“Vive la France! Vive la France!”
As La Rocque, who had spread his arms and was catching his breath while sweating, was t with enthusiastic cheers from almost every soldier.
La Rocque smiled and waved back at the soldiers, then ca down from the podium after a long while.
Until the mont he stepped down from the podium and entered the building, the soldiers were still shouting ‘Vive la France’, to the point where even the commanders were flustered and had to calm them down.
“That was a fine speech, Party Leader.”
La Rocque saw the man approaching him with a blunt expression and grinned.
“I assu you’ve called enough reporters, Colonel de Gaulle?”
“Ah, of course.
It’s a great speech from soone who knows how to face reality in these confusing tis. Isn’t it only natural that all the people of France should see and hear it?”
At Colonel Charles de Gaulle's reply, La Rocque gave a satisfied smile.
“If I take power, there will be reform in this old and stale military. Of course, enlightened and progressive people like you, Colonel de Gaulle, will be appointed to important posts.”
Fran??ois de La Rocque was a politician, but also a reserve Lieutenant Colonel.
He and de Gaulle shared the opinion that the high command of the French military was far too old and incompetent.
“I appreciate that. Those high and mighty Generals are so frustrating that they doubt the utility of tanks and mobile warfare even after seeing Germany's war.”
But in La Rocque and de Gaulle's minds, April was too far away.
It was their common thought that by then, at least one of Poland or Italy would have fallen to Germany.
“The French Social Party already has over one million party mbers. The soldiers are also responding to us, and no matter how indecisive the governnt is, they will have no choice but to act this ti.
If they don’t do sothing, they are certain to lose the election.”
La Rocque said, wearing a triumphant smile.
In fact, since all of the Radical Party’s foreign policy had resulted in defeat in the diplomatic war with Germany, they were in a situation where they would lose no matter what they did.
“Once this speech gets out, we will pressure the governnt to issue an ultimatum on the pretext of the guarantee of independence the mont those German bastards set even one foot across the Polish border.”
France must not stand by and watch Germany secure more territory and grow.
Czechia must also be liberated quickly to break Germany's power, and if possible, it would be good for that to be led by France to increase France’s influence.
If Germany accepts the demand for a white peace and surrenders, only their national power will be diminished while they can keep their ally nation, and France’s influence will soar in an instant.
If Germany refuses, they can just wage war.
Although Germany is showing surprising latent power despite its civil war, it is impossible for them to win a fight against Poland, Italy, and France.
The only concern was Britain, but if they failed because of Britain, La Rocque was thinking of pinning the bla on the regi's diplomatic failure to completely oust the Radical Party and seize control.
“I hope the governnt does sothing right this ti.”
De Gaulle said, but inwardly clicked his tongue.
The political sphere and the French military high command had an unnecessarily large sense of fear towards Germany.
Only they didn't know that in reality, Germany had been feeding on their sense of fear to grow.
“I will make them. Well then, Colonel.
Vive la France.”
“Vive la France.”
The irony of a war to prevent war was approaching in this era as well.
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