On an off-topic note, during my time off (Ban), I did some research on World War II, specifically the Halifax/Churchill stuff. On numbers, and German politics. In this timeline, rather than Churchill becoming Prime Minister, Halifax does, and seeks a ceasefire with the Germans.
Now, I know this one is overdone, but I just wanted to put in one scenario of mine, and any criticism would be welcome for me to edit my timeline.
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On May 9th, 1940, Chamberlain spent much of the day contemplating on choosing his successor, Halifax, or Churchill. He had favored Halifax, and instead of choosing Churchill, chose Halifax as the next Prime Minister. He went to Buckingham Palace and advised the King to resign and advise the King to send for Halifax. Halifax expressed gratitude to Chamberlain for not choosing Churchill.
Halifax took power on the 10th of May. Only hours before, the massive German Blitzkrieg began into the Low Countries. The Germans were pouring in, and Hitler knew that it would be easier than he thought it would be, having observed the decision. He is reported to have said to Hermann Goering and Heinrich Himmler on a conference that day, saying "Well, at least we don't have Churchill to worry about, all we need is a strategic victory by June, and we can win the war."
For the next few weeks, the Germans pour into the Low Countries and France. The French, as IOTL fell back, and Dunkirk was eventually surrounded. Hitler, knowing that if he can crush the British and French at Dunkirk, he can scare the British into submission. Hitler ordered an all out attack on the evacuating British force. On the 27th of May, the day evacuations began, Hitler's Panzer corps struck the evacuating British, overwhelming them.
U-Boats struck at any ships attempting to break through, and although some did, many did not. Of the 700 "Little Ships of Dunkirk", only 120 survived the German onslaught, and some 22,000 escaped of the 338,000 that escaped IOTL.
On the 4th of June, Lord Gort, the highest ranking soldier in the British Army in the battle was captured by Kleist, and Rundstedts divisions pouring into the area. Many of the French had already surrendered to the British, and many were killed. The same situation occurred with the British. Fighting continued until the 9th of June when the Germans captured the shore at Dunkirk, preventing any Allied escape. Lord Gort on the 11th ordered his men to surrender, and on the 15th, the last British force surrendered.
Some 213,000 British troops were killed of the 400,000 troops there. Only 17,000 more escaped. In the coming weeks, over 60,000 prisoners would die, or be killed on marches to Prisoner camps across Germany. About 70,000 Germans were also killed, but the Germans were ecstatic. Coupled with the Italian declaration of War on June 10th, Halifax began to debate a possible ceasefire.
The Germans continued to advance South. Paris had already fallen, as well as most of the North. Many Allied evacuations were sped up, but not at the rate as was expected at Dunkirk. On the 22nd of June, the French signed an Armistice, they were out of the war.
Halifax was shocked, he believed that the war would be similar to the first war, a stalemate, but did not expect the entire country to be overrun like Poland. He knew the British were superior to the Polish, who he expected to surrender easily.
On the 25th of June, he had decided to organize a ceasefire with the British. He sent a message to the Germans, offering for a ceasefire to discuss the terms of an armistice. After three days, Hitler accepted, and offered for a meeting at the Versailles Palace on July 5th.
Hitler, along with Herman Goering, Ribbentrop, Himmler, and Hess, as well a Mussolini with his staff, met with the British representatives, including Halifax.
It was agreed after a few hours that these deals were to be made...
1. German rightfully owns the Low Countries, France, Poland, Denmark, and Norway
2. All action against Axis forces are to cease
3. Egypt, and the British Mandate of Palestine, as well as Cyprus are to be handed to Italian control.
4. Malta, Gibraltar, and the Suez Canal are to be under German occupation (Under the condition the British can still use it for trade.)
5. Britain will keep its affairs out of mainland Europe.
6. The Royal Navy, and the RAF, and Army are not to be built up for a period of ten years.
The treaty was finalized on the 9th of July, and all hostilities ceased several hours later, the last casualty of the war was a fifteen year old girl named Margaret Thatcher, killed in a bombing raid. (Sorry, I had to kill someone from our timeline who was not yet famous.)
The War was over, for now.
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Well, this is just my draft, any suggestions are welcome, I will edit this with your ideas before moving on to the next part, which will involve Hitler and Mussolini partitioning the rest of Europe, and his planning for Barbarossa. Hitler will also try to get the Spanish to enter his alliance, which he eventually will promising them parts of Vichy France, and North Africa, and in a future case, Portugal.