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I ran into this interesting alt history scenario written on some war gaming website awhile back. So what do you think?



"This morning the British Ambassador in Paris handed to the French Government a final note stating that unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw from Spain a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received and that consequently this country is at war with France."

Neville Chamberlain, Radio Broadcast, September 3rd 1939



The French Invasion of England

"...this is the BBC broadcasting from London. Dover has been invaded by forces belonging to France, but they are failing to establish a foothold and should be pushed back into the sea by tonight. Their action has been condemned by Prime Minister Chamberlain..."

Jack Walsh switched the radio off, recognising the propaganda for what it was. He grabbed his boots, time to go undercover, time to hit the French where it hurts. He made his way to the Operating Base, or OB, where they would watch for French troops, tanks and convoys. Striking a blow for Britain.
It was just before the start of the war when Winston Churchill, as the First Lord of the Admiralty, started making plans for the possible use of Auxiliary Units in the defence of Britain against invasion by a foreign power. Under great secrecy, men and women were recruited to play their part against the invaders. Some would be observers, watching. Others would be in communications, signalling to the British Army. A few would be at the sharp end, they would be fighting
Jack Walsh remembered how nine months ago, a stranger had come to his farm and talked about recruitment, recruitment into the British Resistance. It was now or never, the British Resistance would strike a blow for freedom. It was Tuesday, September 17th, 1940.

What’s that you say? Wa war between France and England in 1940? Outlandish as it may sound, Britain published a white paper in 1930 laying out just such a scenario and how best to muster Britain’s defenses against a French invasion, as well as how to prevent such an invasion. British airfields from which Hurricanes and Spitfires were launched against the Luftwaffe during the Blitz had been originally built against the possibility of war with France. Before 1914, British military thinking were preparing for a possible war with France which was Britain’s historic long time enemy while the Germans had always had close ties with Britain. World War One was an aberration in that it was England and France who fought side by side against Germany instead of the other way around.

Many leading historians argue that the Second World War was merely a continuation of the first and that the Second World War really began at Versailles. Hitler and the Nazis took advantage of the “stab in the back” theory popular among most Germans at the time who perceived the Versailles Treaty as overly harsh. For a time the French took a hard line stand against Germany, even invading the Ruhr in the 1920s because of Germany’s non payment of its reparations. But somewhere along the lines, the French government became complacent paying dearly for it in 1940. So the basis of this alternate history article has a point of divergence in which the more belligerent elements of the French government recognized Hitler for what he was, a dangerous man who couldn’t be tolerated and must be dealt with immediately. And aftering getting rid of Hitler, could not the French government also feel the same about Franco in Spain?
This scenario aims to show what might have happened if Hitl
What this article aims to do is to show a "what if" scenario that may have happened if things had turned out slightly differently. It can be used as a justification for a background to gaming battles between French and English forces in the early 1940's.



The Background



As war weary allied nations cut back on the arms race after the end of the Great WarThe end of the Great War, or the "war to end all wars" led to major disarmament by the allies, as the true horrors of modern warfare hit the people. The feeling that somebody must be guilty for this horror, led to the Treaty of Versailles and the punishment of Germany. As well as reducing her armed forces, she also had to pay reparations to the allies. It was this treatment that, so could be argued, the rise of nationalism in Germany. Hitler playing on this, tried to take power in 1923, the Munich Putsch. Arrested and sent to jail, he continued to rise in popularity and power, eventually becoming Chancellor in 1933.
The French government were horrified by the "election" of this militaristic fascist leader. Various liberals and appeasers within the government proffered a non-intervention policy, "we can have peace with this man", they said. However, this was not to be. Hitler started to publicly rearm Germany, which had been going on for some time in secret. He began making claims about uniting all the German peoples across Europe: this scared the French government. But when Hitler, marched his troops into the demilitarised zone across the Rhine, this infuriated the French, they gave Hitler an ultimatum,: German troops must leave the "demilitarised" zone, and be back behind the Rhine within one week, otherwise France would be at war with Germany. Hitler, decided that the French were bluffing, and he had made a bad decision.
France looked to Britain for diplomatic support and military aid, the government, still remembering the Great War, decided that their policy of appeasement was the best order of the day. Anyway, some Members of Parliament argued, wasn't it up to Germany how Germany was defended and not the French! America, still maintaining an isolationist policy, didn't even bother replying to the French government. Holland and Belgium, continued to profess their neutrality. The French began mobilisation of their armed forces. Hitler again, decided that the French were bluffing and that this was a scare tactic to ensure his co-operation. He thought, that the French did not want to go to war again.
The week was up, the French decided enough was enough. Within four hours of the ultimatum, the first French troops and tanks were crossing the border. The German Whermacht, under-trained and with poor and minimal equipment suffered terribly under the French onslaught. With her superior armed forces, it took just under six months for the French to receive Germany's surrender. It had helped that Hitler was overthrown in a coup the week earlier by the Whermacht. A pro-French government was installed and French troops were garrisoned in most major towns. Britain did lean some diplomatic muscle on the French, but they ignored her. Churchill did at first support the French in their efforts to remove Hitler, but did make comments about a curtain of onions been drawn across Europe.
Protests in Austria, and the Nazi takeover three weeks later in Vienna, got a rapid response from the French. Aided by Belgium and Dutch Corps de Libre, they defeated Austria in four weeks. Again a pro-French government was installed, once more Britain made diplomatic efforts to get the French out, but they were ignored. America looked upon the situation from afar, but the isolationist policy beloved by her people, ensured that once more that America would stay out of Europe's problems. France was gaining support from Russia, who had seen Hitler as a threat. The Russians started making noises about Franco in Spain, they were aiding the opposition against Franco. This clinched the next French action, they saw Franco's Spain as a threat, in a similar way they had seen Hitler's Germany. At first they tried various diplomatic means to stop Franco, when this failed, military aid to his opponents. However, Franco was getting money and military support from America. Italy's Mussolini was also providing much needed weaponry. He even had a few German units fighting for him, stragglers from the earlier invasion of Germany.
After an "incident" on the border, the French launched their invasion of Spain on the 1st September 1939. Britain this time reacted, more out of fear of France, rather than supporting Franco in Spain. An ultimatum was delivered by the British Ambassador in Paris to the French government. Three days later, Chamberlain spoke to the people. Britain was at war with France.
The French continued fighting in Spain, their massive equipment superiority and the support by a large number of the Spanish population meant victory was certain. In the end it took nearly eight months of fierce fighting, much of it in the streets of towns and villages across the country.
Britain made a lot of noise during this time, and dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets on French towns. On the seas however, the war was been fought, various British and French ships were sunk in major sea battles. The Royal Navy was taking a battering, the French, reinforced with the addition of ships from the German fleet did not stop. The first air attacks on British airfields in June 1940 was a surprise, the Battle of Britain was on. However, with the industrial might of an occupied Europe behind her, the RAF could not survive the onslaught of the hundreds of French planes, some of which were of German design.
It was the evening of Monday, September 16th, when the French invasion fleet left Calais bound for Dover.

The French

With the second largest army in the world in 1940 and some of the best tanks then in service the French Army was a force to be reckoned with. Of course most of the rearmament of France was due to the threat of Hitler's Germany rather than planning for an invasion of England.
Armed with such powerful tanks as the Char B1 and the Somua S-35, the French tanks though slow, were well armoured and armed with relatively powerful weaponry and were more than a match for their real German counterparts and easily better than any British tank. During the actual war, the French airforce was outmatched by the Luftwaffe, but in this alternate reality, at the time of their invasion of Germany, the Luftwaffe was small and under-equipped.
In this alternate timeline, they also have access to the huge industrial might of Germany, as Germany used Czech equipment in the battle for France and would have used French equipment in an invasion of Britain. Likewise, the French would probably use German weaponry, especially where it was superior in design. Repainted in French colours, this is an interesting alternative unit to muster. For those still wondering, even the Americans used German designs after the war, not only jet aircraft, but the majority of America's rocket program was based on work done by Nazi Germany.

The British

Without Dunkirk, the BEF would have remained on British soil, and more important so would have their equipment. They would have their tanks and heavy guns - that would have been missing in a German Operation Sealion assault. Aided by (or should that be hindered) by Home Guard units, the regular army would be ready and waiting for the French attack, and ready to push them back into the sea. The invasion would be much more difficult for the French than it would have been for the Germans.
The British would have access to the infantry tanks such as the Matilda I and II, and the Valentine. In service would be the cruiser tanks, the A9, A10 and A13. Also would be the use of the Mark VIB light tank - out-dated and outmatched. The infantry would no doubt have higher morale, without the defeat at Dunkirk and the fact they were defending their home country, would lead to a highly motivated force.
One possible option would have been the use of Auxiliary Units, or British Resistance in opposing a successful invasion. They would be used behind the lines to hinder the French advance.
Also what about aid by Italy's Mussolini , could there be a mutual alliance between Britain and Italy, sharing a common enemy? This gives the option of using Italian equipment.

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