After my travels to Normandy (large nos. of American and British tourists visiting the D-Day battlefields, but no US military bases) and Frankfurt (huge US air and army base), what PODs would be required from 1945 to facilitate the presence of largescale US military bases on French soil in a similar way to the situation in other NATO countries like Germany, Italy, the UK or Iceland ? Perhaps DeGaulle falls earlier, a greater amount of German territory falling into Soviet hands, or Francen not withdrawing from NATO's command structure in 1966 ? How much would contemporary Franco-American relations be affected ?
US military bases in France
- Thread starter Melvin Loh
- Start date
Pretty simple. Either the western Allies mess something up or the Russians do better in World War II. Either way, the British and Americans meet the Russians at the Rhine, not the Elbe. All of Germany is under Soviet occupation, and due to the very real Red threat right on France's border, France accepts US military presence near the Democratic Republic of Germany.
Were there US bases in France prior to France's pullout of the NATO command structure? I thought all US military in France got expelled.
I don't think there would be US bases on the German model unless the Soviet threat literally was on the French border, but if we have no de Gaulle government it is actually not unlikely that France stays within NATO and US forces retain the use of facilities there. However, those would most likely be air or naval bases. No point putting tanks into France of they're needed in the Fulda Gap. You'd just be clogging up the roads along which the french army is to come to assist you.
As always you made some good points, Carlton! Airbases, naval ditto, and I suppose some army rear echelon facilities could be pretty large in themselves, I suppose.
Anyway, back to the WI! The best way for it to happen after '45 would be for the US to support the French in their quest to regain/hold on to their empire. I don't really know how plausible it is that the US suddenly would support the French colonialism, but it could do the trick, and as a result France don't feel stabbed in the back, inferior etc etc and is a good, loyal NATO member like everyone else...
Best of regards!
- Bluenote.
Anyway, back to the WI! The best way for it to happen after '45 would be for the US to support the French in their quest to regain/hold on to their empire. I don't really know how plausible it is that the US suddenly would support the French colonialism, but it could do the trick, and as a result France don't feel stabbed in the back, inferior etc etc and is a good, loyal NATO member like everyone else...
Best of regards!
- Bluenote.
Hendryk
Banned
The US bases that were set up in France after WW2 were only closed in 1966, when France under De Gaulle decided to leave the integrated command structure of NATO (though not the organization itself). It was mostly a PR move, and the US knew it, which is why little fuss was made over the decision. So I don't think a major POD such as one affecting the outcome of WW2 would be needed. Just make sure France and the USA remain on good terms throughout the 1960s. By 1969 De Gaulle will have retired, leaving Pompidou in charge, and if the US bases are still there by then they'll be safe until the end of the Cold War and probably beyond.
Now, let's ask ourselves: what would it take to for the Americans to keep De Gaulle happy enough? I need to think about it, but I tend to believe it's as much a question of style as of substance.
Now, let's ask ourselves: what would it take to for the Americans to keep De Gaulle happy enough? I need to think about it, but I tend to believe it's as much a question of style as of substance.
The reply of the US ambassador to De Gaulle's demand for the removal of all US soldiers from French soil is famous. "Does that include those buried here?" was his sardonic question.