L'union sacrée - A France holds TL

L'union sacrée - A France holds TL

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Prologue

The Élysée Palace, Paris - 13 June 2007 (BBC World News)


World War Two veterans, politicians and royalty have gathered to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Victory over Nazi Germany. Prime Minister Kenneth Clarke and the Prince of Wales joined representatives of the three military Services and veterans of the conflict.

The servicemen, many wearing their campaign medals, came together in Paris to reunite with long-lost comrades and acknowledge the thousands who did not make it back.

Also in Paris were US President Colin Powell, Soviet Premier Vladimir Putin, Vice President Chiang Pin-kung of the Republic of China also attended the commemoration stating ‘’the defeat of fascist aggression in Europe. brought the end of Japanese imperialism much sooner’’. The anniversary celebrations were hosted by French President Saïd Sadi elected in May 2006 as France’s first Algerian head of state.

The event was not with incident protestors from the Saarland wishing the return of that region to the German Federation as well as German refugee groups representing Germans expelled from East Prussia and the Sudetenland and their descendants hold a rally to draw attention to their plight. A separate rally is also held by Polish organizations protesting the Soviet annexation of the Eastern half of their country.

Counter-rallies are held by an odd-amalgamation of French nationalist groups such as Action Française, the French Communist Party, Jewish groups and religious originations. French police successfully keep the various groups apart and the commendation events remain peaceful.

Other top news stories:

The government of Iraq condemned French intervention in the recent Lebanese unrest, stating that French unilateralistism is a major source of instability in the Levant. A French government spokesman responded that French troops were deployed at the request of the Lebanese Government to support their efforts to disarm extremist militias.

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Intense fighting has broken out in Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces the peace process stalls once again as government troops launch an offensive against Maoist rebels, separatist groups in Xinjiang also unleash several terrorist attacks. The Peoples Republic of Manchuria strongly condemns the actions of the Chinese government. Moscow remains silent an indictor of the trend of improving Sino-Soviet relations. UN General Secretary Kiviniemi calls on both sides to resume peace negotiations.

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Thailand agrees to increase it's support to the Indochinese army, to help contain the activity of Khmer rebels operating in both countries border areas. This represents increasing military and economic ties between Thailand and it’s Communist neighbour.
 
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(OOC: I had started this TL in another thread but after a couple of days thinking about it, Iwas no longer happy with the POD. I felt I had left the POD a bit late and keeping Gamelin in charge was a bad idea. So reset to 1939 and quicker updates from now on.:eek:

Still I want to give old Gamelin a fitting send off.)

Paris, France September 17th 1939.

Maurice Gamelin commander-in-chief of the French Armies was not a happy man, German troops had overrun Poland far quicker than anyone could have anticipated. The Soviet intervention in Poland was also highly ominous. French Communists as always supporting Moscow’s line regularly denounced the French imperialist war against Germany and pushing for peace with Hitler as were Fascist parties.

Gamelin had been hoping for several more weeks of Polish resistance, but the matter wasn’t too serious. Already the British were sending troops to France and the Maginot Line remained impregnable!

Leaving his headquarters the general entered a waiting automobile. He had another meeting President Reynaud the man’s nerves were somewhat frayed by the petering out of the Saar Offensive and the crumbling of Polish resistance.

The driver and Gamelin’s aide Capitan Fournier said nothing, allowing the old man to sit in completive silence as the car set off for the Élysée Palace. After a few minutes the Capitan Fournier turned to Gamelin and said ‘’the road is blocked up ahead sir’’ Snapping out of his revere. Gamelin. peered through the windscreen he noticed a truck had crashed into a horse drawn cart the drives of both were loudly curing each other. An irritated-looking Gendarmerie standing between them. ‘’I’ll get them to clear the road for us sir’’ Gamelin nodded his assent and Captain Fournier exited the car, hailing the squabbling men ahead as he approached. The three fell silent a Gendarmerie said a few words, then when the Captain was only a few feet away he pulled out his side-arm and shot the young officer in the head.

‘’Da fuck?!’’ Gamelin's driver exclaimed as the arguing drivers also pulled out concealed pistols, and a man armed with a sub-machine gun emerged from the cart. They all opened fire on Gamelin’s automobile. The driver and Gamelin ducked as bullets tore into the car ‘’get us out of here!‘’ he yell. The driver didn’t move, his face frozen in expression of mortal terror. Gamelin lashed out, slapping him ‘’move!’’. The driver tried to hurriedly reserve the car, it’s engine gave a few dying splutters and the car halted after reversing a few feet. ‘’Shit, we stay here we’re dead sir’’ The driver upholstered his sidearm and one was hit in the leg and crumpled to the ground screaming, another collapsed chocking to death with his windpipe shot out. The sub-machine armed assassin fired a long burst, killing the driver whose heroics had allowed Gamelin to take cover behind the rear wheel.

Pistol in hand the old general stood from behind cover and opened fire on the two remaining assassins the sub-machine gunner jerked and wired wildly as Gamelin’s bullets ripped into his torso. Gamelin ducked down to reload bleeding heavily from a stomach wound as the remaining assassin hesitated. Unnerved by the death of two comrades. After a moment he regained his nerve and started to rush forward to finish Gamelin before the old general reload his weapon. Seconds later Gamelin leaned out of cover and emptied a full clip into the man who crumpled to the ground bleeding out.

Gamelin in intense pain, his uniform tunic soak with blood managed a vicious smile, his thoughts exultant. He’d shown the traitorous bastards what a French general is made of! The Germans wont stand a chance with a man like him leading the Republic’s glorious armies. Gamelin as still smiling at the thought of his future triumphs as he slipped into darkness…


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New York Times Headline - September 19th 1939


French C-in-C Assassinated: Reds implicated!

Yesterday evening General Maurice Gustave Gamelin (67) was assassinated by unknown gunmen, despite heroicly resisting his assailants General Gamelin fell to an assassin's bullet. One of the gunmen, wounded during the attack is now believed to be in police custody. Our sources indicate radicals from the French Communist Party may be responsible. The Reds of course vigorously deny these reports…
 
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Just out of interest, dose anyone think Gamelin's ''blaze of glory'' death is too much? He was 67 after all but I wanted to avoid the ole ‘’slipped on banana peel’’ AH:TL's tend to use. To get rid of inconvenient people.
 
Continue!
I look forward to how you plan to deal with the Ardennes Offensive. Will there be any changes in the German strategy now that Gamelin is dead?
 
Not really, I had work done on several updates but that suffered a ‘’mishap’’ and I haven’t got round typing it all up again.:eek:
 
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