AH Challenge: Vichy Superpower

How can Vichy France become a superpower? I guess it could happen if Nazi Germany collapses and one of its neighboring fascist states takes over but the only problem is Italy, it has a much better chance of doing that.
 
I don't think Vichy France has the population base or resources to be anything other then a vassal state of Nazi Germany- a united Fascist France in a would be a better bet for Great Power Status especially if it has French North Africa in a peaceful state, but we're talking Fascists so....

Maybe this could come about if the British make peace in 1940 or something, in which case France could be Germany's main ally- probably not a completly independent great power but still somewhat dangerous.

I say Great Power because even in the abovementioned scenario, I can't see France having the resources to match the USA or USSR.
 

Vault-Scope

Banned
Britain being invaded or sue for peace in 1940, Wermarcht retreates from France in early 1941.
Petain start re-arming slowly at first, the US command starts sending the first soldiers and troops to North Africa in spring 1942.
Re-armement effort accelerates, especially in North Africa. India faces a revolution and becomes independent.
The wermarcht faces one or several amjor defeats in summer of 1943, even more soldiers are sent east.
France starts selling arma´ment to Germany, while keeping most of its production for its own army.
In late 1943, troops from North Africa are sent to Metropolitan France, since France is breaking the therms of the armistice the Wermarcht is sent westward once more.
This time the French keeps fighting, resisting offensive toward Paris in Metropolitan France and Italian offensive toward Tunis in North Africa.
In summer 1944, the French counter-attack with North American reinforcements, in southern Belgium offensive toward Germany itself is defeated.
Before the end of the year, the third reich have retreated to the Rhine and most of Italia had fallen to an invasion Germany in OTL, while britain receive a smaller chare of the occupation(as small as Belgium).
Most German troops surrendered to Vichy France, Vichy France quickly re-establish a puppet governement using many former NSDAP members over the Rhineland(where much of German industry is concentrated).
The USA protest but is forced to accept, as Vichy France is the power that have the advantage in western europe and allowed their victory in WWII.
Vichy France forms an alliance with Portugal and Spain against an eventual US agression.
With england and hence DeGaulle out, core of anti-vichist resistance is communist, supporting them becomes increasingly difficult with the beginning of the cold war.
The USA orders the federated german republic to expand its miliary considerably in the latter 50s.
Vichy France send a number of colonist to North Africa, deporting arabe-muslimes and Vietnames in ever greater number to Africa as guerilla movements grows.
To maintain its colonies and contain an eventua sovietic offensive westward, France becomes a great military power, test its first nuclear weapons against guerilla strongholds in French north africa and Vietnam in the latter 50s.
Cooperation with Portugal and Spain evolve from a military cooperation to a security cooeration and from a security cooperation to an economical cooperation, the European Cooperation Sphere.
La Sphere de Cooperation Occidental.

1960: Compared to OTL, France have a much stronger and larger military, stronger industry.
Althought economy is slightly behind, economical growth is far stronger.
All French colonies have been retained, althought there is increased native resistance, the Vichy governement has enought strenght of character to keep them under the lidde.
There is a major effort to launch satellites into space and build a powerfull nuclear arsenal truly independent from that of the USA.
 

Vault-Scope

Banned
Pretty good scenario! But would peace with GB really mean German widthrawal from France?

Northern France and the atlantic coast was occupied in order to isolate France from england.
Of course, there would be no retreat from Alsace-Lorraine and some small regions along the Italian-French borders, which had been annexed and had previously been part of the second empire for 47 years at least.
Hitler had at one time given upp Germanic claims on the region but changed his mind in 1939-1940.
 
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