Strongest possible modern day France

France and the US are the only powers with global projection abilities. France isn't too bad off IOTL.

POD in WWI: Belgium lets Germany go through, but the Central Powers still lose. France annexes Wallonia. And why not the Saar? Fuck Wilson.

In *WWII, Germany is nerfed even more than OTL. It's not pretty. France is the dominant power of Western Europe, since the UK likes to think it isn't European. After WWII, Western Europe integration is stronger. The UK and Germany aren't part of this Western European Union, so it's basically a French-led Union. By 2012, the WEU is basically mega-France, common currency, military, etc.

A smaller, Christian Lebanon ends up staying with France. A less racist France keeps Algeria and other parts of West Africa.

So here France is definitely the world #2. It isn't hard to fuck up China, India and Russia at various points to make sure it stays that way. The Franco-American rivalry will be legendary...
 
Annexation of Wallonia would be the winning lottery ticket.

Before the European steel market collapsed, Wallonia was quite the industrial jewel. Kinda hard to chart a string of PoDs leading to the event, though.

A handful butterflies, like a better showing in the Great War (less casualties, less devastation to French industry, no coal seam fires) and obviously the successful repealment of Fall Gelb (though, if France is stronger in the alt-30s than OTL, there might not even be a Fall Gelb anymore) will leave a much more powerful and prosperous France.
 
A France gaining Wallonia is in a much better position to resist Fall Gelb, since the Maginot line would extend to the Dutch border. It could still be flanked through the Netherlands, but Dutch geography (the Rhine and Meuse) would mean the Germans would have to plan their attack through a narrow corridor, or would have to capture the bridges before the Dutch or French destroy them.
 
A France gaining Wallonia is in a much better position to resist Fall Gelb, since the Maginot line would extend to the Dutch border. It could still be flanked through the Netherlands, but Dutch geography (the Rhine and Meuse) would mean the Germans would have to plan their attack through a narrow corridor, or would have to capture the bridges before the Dutch or French destroy them.
 
My try

after WW2 1945-1950
Charles De Gaulle become President of fourth Republic
He ordert R&D for A-bomb and "delivery systems" for it
Belgium disintegrate do civil-war about King Leopold III question.
french speaking Wallonia becomes part of France
Include the former Belgium heavy Industrial base, like Liege Steel-mills or Weapon factory FM Herstal

1950-1960
beginn of Franco-German Friendship
France test the first Super-V2 rocket (advance German V2)
first Test of french Atom-bomb
Test for IRBM R2M for Atom-bomb
France launch the first satellite in Orbit during R2M test launch
use of a tactical A-bomb in Battle of Dien Bien Phu, shocked the World
The Suez Crisis ended in a draw. because France can counter a attract USSR by nuclear IRBM.
that world is on edge of Total nuclear War by France and the Civilwar in Algiers, bring the end to De Gaulle Presidentship
Georges Pompidou becomes new President of France
begin of join venture programs with Great Britain

1960-1970
begin of construction of a administrative capital, near the La Roche-Guyon
A French "Brasilia" planed by Le Corbusier
the French-British Concorde and Harrier/Cavalier Vtol fly for fist time
Advance Mirage IVS replace the older french British nuclear bomber
first test of Aerotrain for a high speed Hovertrain system in France
L'administrative capital is inaugurated by the President and parliament/senate
begin construction of the LGV Sud-Est, for the Aerotrain (first Paris-Orleans later extended to Paris-Lyon).
 
I doubt it Michel Van at the time of the royal question it was the Walloon who wanted to go at it alone joining France was never an option.
 
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