So lets say that France turns facist in Februar 1934. How would their foreign policy change? Would they ally with Italy?
Could this militarized France defeat Germany?
Could this militarized France defeat Germany?
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What if France became facist?
- Thread starter Gilbert4000
- Start date
Do you need a specifically fascist France? Or are you just looking to get France to militarized earlier?
So much went crazily right for the Germans OTL that moving up otherwise "normal" France's rearmament by 6 months to a year likely seriously complicates if not flat stalls out the blitz. If whichever PoD you pick either replaces Gamelin or at least shakes up his deployment strategy such that the French aren't so readily cut off in Belgium, the weaknesses in the German assault are going to make themselves apparent rather quickly
So much went crazily right for the Germans OTL that moving up otherwise "normal" France's rearmament by 6 months to a year likely seriously complicates if not flat stalls out the blitz. If whichever PoD you pick either replaces Gamelin or at least shakes up his deployment strategy such that the French aren't so readily cut off in Belgium, the weaknesses in the German assault are going to make themselves apparent rather quickly
BigBlueBox
Banned
A fascist France would indeed be likely to militarize earlier and maintain an alliance with Italy. But consider this: France would be thrown into internal turmoil as a result of a fascist takeover, and Britain is far less likely to assist a fascist France. Of course, if Fascist France manages to stop the remilitarization of the Rhineland then it can defeat the Germans on its own.
Who's the leader? That can really effect the ability of the regime to be fascist instead of just standard authoritarian. La Rocque was my choice for a Fascist French leader.
The reason I was specifying a difference between fascist and far-right authoritarians is that the Third Republic had copious numbers of the latter, running around trying to undermine it. Vichy was the child of the anti-Dreyfussards.
Ok ok here's my short timeline
Stalin never revokes social facism so the popular Front Never forms. (He made other stupid decisions so why not?)
After the unrest of februar 1934 many french lost their trust in democratic parties. George Valois and his National Syndicalists uses this unrest to restore order. While the democratic parties are unable to solve the economic crisis and Germany is remilitarizing, many French rather trust Valois with his new economic agenda and his anti german rhetoric. After the elections of 1936 Valois is the clear winner. He supports Franco during the civil war and allows Italy to invade ethopia. The french army is slowly modernized and French advisors are send to Italy Poland and Czechslowakia.
BigBlueBox
Banned
I don’t think La Rocque really qualified as a fascist. It seems that he wanted to preserve the republic, but as a more authoritarian government and with a strong executive. He was basically a populist, authoritarian proto-Gaullist.