France is not going to declare war.
There is no political will for such a major undertaking. Their financial situation and the country's disunity and memories of the slaughter of the last war make it impossible. Even if they realize their overwhelming advantage they would have to call a general mobilization and even if they are able to march into Berlin in weeks there would still be a long and expensive occupation.
And remember that if you do split up Germany into weaker smaller states they will have a much harder time making reparation payments. No Germany also makes the Soviet Union that much stronger in eastern and central Europe. Are you going to make Poland a counterweight to the Soviets?
The British were well aware of this and were willing to allow a moderately strong Germany. They would not have supported France in a war, though they would have supported them in keeping the Rhineland demilitarized.
France might well have decided to occupy the Rhineland again for a few more years and been more insistent on Germany meeting it's reparation payments.
Hitler would suffer a great loss of face and the military and conservatives might have second thoughts about him and his new Germany. The military especially would be more independent than it was in OTL. After all they've been humiliated too, and it's now obvious that Hitler is NOT always right.
There is no political will for such a major undertaking. Their financial situation and the country's disunity and memories of the slaughter of the last war make it impossible. Even if they realize their overwhelming advantage they would have to call a general mobilization and even if they are able to march into Berlin in weeks there would still be a long and expensive occupation.
And remember that if you do split up Germany into weaker smaller states they will have a much harder time making reparation payments. No Germany also makes the Soviet Union that much stronger in eastern and central Europe. Are you going to make Poland a counterweight to the Soviets?
The British were well aware of this and were willing to allow a moderately strong Germany. They would not have supported France in a war, though they would have supported them in keeping the Rhineland demilitarized.
France might well have decided to occupy the Rhineland again for a few more years and been more insistent on Germany meeting it's reparation payments.
Hitler would suffer a great loss of face and the military and conservatives might have second thoughts about him and his new Germany. The military especially would be more independent than it was in OTL. After all they've been humiliated too, and it's now obvious that Hitler is NOT always right.