Germany makes a bold and formal white peace offer on May 26 to the UK, what happens?

Poland was among the terms that latter on Churchill conceded, anything but Western Europe, was on the table:


Faced with the threat of Halifax's resignation Churchill retreated from his hawkish position:


"The issue which the War Cabinet was called upon to settle was difficult enough without getting involved in the discussion of an issue which was quite unreal and was unlikely to arise. If Hitler was prepared to make peace on the terms of restoration of German colonies and the overlordship of Central Europe, that was one thing. But it was quite unlikely that he would make any such offer."

Granted, it is believed by some, all of this was simply stalling tactics Churchill used to gain time for the war cause. But what its interesting is to see what Churchill would had done if he actually faced this, after he declared he would accept it. Would he be forced to abide by it? Or would he somehow be able to back down?

It seems that terms that preserved British independence was considered to be unreasonable by Nazi standards to Churchill, so he laid off terms that he believed Germany would never make. But this is actually what likely Germany would had offered.
 
But only some of Germany's enemies had surrendered, and Britain was harbouring the governments of most of those who hadn't (i.e. Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, and Poland). Presumably something has to be decided there. And while I could easily see Germany extending the white peace offer to the Netherlands and Belgium (what with France beaten and Britain out of the war), and Norway possibly, Poland would be clearly impossible.

I'm personally of the beleif that Britain is going to be willing to concede on the matter of Poland if it means the restoration of independent (even if heavily German-influenced regeimes) in Western Europe. After all, Nazi Germany's entire campaign in the West wasen't something they desired; it was fought because France and GB had declared war on Germany and to avoid having a two front war on their hands when they made their real desired push into the east. After all, they were willing to accept the Soviet Union's position there for immediate strategic nessecity.
 
OK, so we need to change the words of this debate. Germany is making a generous peace offer to Britain. It is not making a status quo ante-bellum offer, since Britain entered the war to defend Poland.
 
Well if the UK withdrew from the war then it has also withdrawn from any influence in Europe. France and the low countries will feel abandoned by perfidious Albion. The low countries will be dominated by Nazi leaning "quisling" governments (by "popular" mandate of course). France would lose A-L and probably Germany would absorb Luxembourg. The French are likely to be subjected to a Weimar style regime. The Italians aren't in the war yet and will miss out.

Churchill is only PM for 2 weeks - it's not clear whether he would be pushed out by the armistice. Reynaud is a goner though.

Germany will be celebrating and will have the opportunity to launch an even more devastating back stab on USSR with all the aircraft not lost in BoB or defending against the UK in 1941.

However the UK will complete its rearmament plans and Hitler is going to be looking over his shoulder all the time for a British back stab of their own.

The Italians (as usual) have the potential to foul everyone's plans up. I can't see even Mussolini declaring war on the UK alone so it just depends on the German attitude to any invasion of Greece by Italy and the British response. I'm tempted to think that Hitler (and the UK) would leave Italy to stew against the Greeks and that after a number of years the Greeks would eventually be ground down by the Italians by sheer weight of numbers.

But by then the Soviets will either have stopped the Germans - in which case British intervention analogous to the USA in OTL is likely i.e. lopsided neutrality towards USSR leading to eventual war after one too many incidents. Or the Soviets will have been defeated and we are in a AANW style timeline.
 
Well if the UK withdrew from the war then it has also withdrawn from any influence in Europe. France and the low countries will feel abandoned by perfidious Albion. The low countries will be dominated by Nazi leaning "quisling" governments (by "popular" mandate of course). France would lose A-L and probably Germany would absorb Luxembourg. The French are likely to be subjected to a Weimar style regime. The Italians aren't in the war yet and will miss out.

Churchill is only PM for 2 weeks - it's not clear whether he would be pushed out by the armistice. Reynaud is a goner though.

Germany will be celebrating and will have the opportunity to launch an even more devastating back stab on USSR with all the aircraft not lost in BoB or defending against the UK in 1941.

However the UK will complete its rearmament plans and Hitler is going to be looking over his shoulder all the time for a British back stab of their own.

The Italians (as usual) have the potential to foul everyone's plans up. I can't see even Mussolini declaring war on the UK alone so it just depends on the German attitude to any invasion of Greece by Italy and the British response. I'm tempted to think that Hitler (and the UK) would leave Italy to stew against the Greeks and that after a number of years the Greeks would eventually be ground down by the Italians by sheer weight of numbers.

But by then the Soviets will either have stopped the Germans - in which case British intervention analogous to the USA in OTL is likely i.e. lopsided neutrality towards USSR leading to eventual war after one too many incidents. Or the Soviets will have been defeated and we are in a AANW style timeline.

Can Germany afford to enforce Weimar on France though if she intends to make the quick move on the East that is her ultimate goal, though? Especially if they don't want to antagonize the rearming British Empire (Again, the whole point of this is to eliminate the possability of A) Getting dragged yet again into a two front war and B) Losing their newly renewed access to international markets; two factors they considered major reasons as to why Germany feel behind in and ultimately lost the last war) provided they're treated fairly Germany has little reason to impose draconian terms. Indeed, a Vichy-ideology regeime in France would make for a highly useful ally in the Anti-Comintern Pact is the "Magnanimous" policy is continued; E-L is the only province he really has to push for with Franco and Mussolini having sat out and so having no need to be compensated with parts of France's African empire. With subtle support by GB and the arrival of equipment from the US (ordered legally) as part of the nation's broader military reforms that were being preformed at the time of the Fall, the French military would be nothing to sneer at, even if it is clearly "Second Tier" by this point.

I suppose alot depends on if Paris can accept that fact that she's fallen out of the rarified heights of hegemonic power and is willing to operate as a mere major member of the New Order; somewhat similar to the position GB held in the EU.
 
Churchill is only PM for 2 weeks - it's not clear whether he would be pushed out by the armistice.
The Conservatives and Churchill will likely lose the election that they would need to hold soon after any peace treaty, due to long length of stay in office and failure of the war effort.

Germany afford to enforce Weimar on France though if she intends to make the quick move on the East
the French military would be nothing to sneer at, even if it is clearly "Second Tier" by this point.
Without crippling France can Germany really afford to go east with such a threat especially with GB now rearmed and potentially ready to support a second front?
 
Without crippling France can Germany really afford to go east with such a threat especially with GB now rearmed and potentially ready to support a second front?

You seem to have missed the broader body of the post by quoting only its bookends; you'll note that the context has a right-wing government in France, German mangamity being sold to France despite the later getting firmly trounced at the price of France accomidating/aligning to the New Order. Said threat, than, is actually an asset in the war against the Soviets.
 
The reply would probably start something like this:

Sefton Delmer said:
HERR HITLER, you have on occasion in the past consulted me as to the mood of the British public. So permit me to render your excellency this little service once again tonight. Let me tell you what we here in Britain think of this appeal of yours to what you are pleased to call our reason and common sense. Herr Führer and Reichskanzler, we hurl it right back at you, right in your evil smelling teeth . . .

From Black Boomerang, the story of Delmer's "black" propaganda efforts.

Any "white" peace that would be acceptable would have to include a return to status quo ante bellum, with arms limitations and other such measures. Which Hitler could not do -- and he would not be trusted to do so.

He apparently considered his "Last Appeal to Reason" (the speech which Delmer was responding to) as a bold and formal white peace offer.
 
You seem to have missed the broader body of the post by quoting only its bookends; you'll note that the context has a right-wing government in France, German mangamity being sold to France despite the later getting firmly trounced at the price of France accomidating/aligning to the New Order. Said threat, than, is actually an asset in the war against the Soviets.
The problem is I'm very unsure that any right wing French government can really be considered trustworthy by the Germans without a strong occupation army? Any right wing government will contain or even be dominated by army officers who would be tempted to jump at the chance to right the lose of 1940 once the German army is weakened and committed to the east, especially if GB can quickly land forces to help them.
 
The problem is I'm very unsure that any right wing French government can really be considered trustworthy by the Germans without a strong occupation army? Any right wing government will contain or even be dominated by army officers who would be tempted to jump at the chance to right the lose of 1940 once the German army is weakened and committed to the east, especially if GB can quickly land forces to help them.

I don't think you're following where I'm getting at. Firstly, they aren't just letting France there twidling their thumbs: France has already surrendered by this point, and so any generious treatment they can get from Germany is something the Germans can get demands for. If Germany returns control of mainland France to France (Barring E-L) and their full colonial empire (Things which she has little to no interest in), after crushing her so thoughly the French are going to have to admit they've been treated downright leniently by any reasonable standards. As for the French right, they certainly fear the Red Menance that's been stalking Europe for decades, for which Germany is France's best shield; why on earth would they sabotage the German war effort by stabbing them in the back when it would just bring the Communists to their doorstep and lose them all of Eastern Europe? France could be guranteed a place of dignity if not dominance in the event of a German victory if she plays ball; the same can not be said of a Soviet victory.
 
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