WI: France joins the Axis in 1942

Kongzilla

Banned
Oh yep gotcha, though I'm still not convinced the French would Immediately be rallying around the Resistance and feeling betrayed.

Vichy I think might be seen in a more favourable light seeing as they managed to get the Germans out of their country under a seemingly fair settlement. Also after Mers-el-Kebir and Syria the French weren't happy with the British.

And the invasion of North Africa doesn't happen for another 10 months. So until then I think it's a gain for Germany. And the Ability for Rommel to potentially get supplies in from French Africa and what not like above posters have said might even delay the North African offensive.
 
And any additional supplies or fuel Rommel gets are supplies or fuel that aren't available for the Eastern Front.

Why don't you just be honest with yourself and put up a swastika as your avatar, Kongzilla? Considering your posting history...
 

Kongzilla

Banned
It's less about being a Nazi and more about having long and bloody wars, I find them more interesting. I have a personal obsession with Napoleon, WW1, WW2, Vietnam like conflicts involving long attritional wars, WW3, and generally anything else that would create a good story and a high body count in combat.

The only reason that I post in a lot of WW2 topics is because that's the only thing I have any actual knowledge on no matter how bare minimum it is. Mainly because the History courses at my school are based around WW2.

Anyway back on topic, it's not about getting more supplies, it's that Rommel can receive those supplies in an easier manner from a closer source.
 
Firstly, the chance comes in early 1942, so the Axis are already committed in North Africa, nothing can (or will) be done about that. Secondly, most of the French population didn't like the Germans, not after two wars in only 30 years, so if the Vichy aligns itself with the Nazis, many French will feel betrayed.

Indeed. The French population intially supported Petains government as it brought a cessation of the chaos of June 1940 & some semblance of normality. Gradually the support drained away as the occupation continued and true peace or normality filed to materilize. Petains government ensured many of the French military and civilian leaders were proper conservatives, some actually pro Axis, but a growing portion of the populations were sick of the Germans and Facism.

I'd recommend both Paxtons old 'Vichy France' or Jacksons 'The Dark Years' for good English language studies of the politics of France from June 1940 to August 1944.

... however both Darlan and Petain had been open to such a deal. ...

Hitler was wise to doubt the sincerity of the French or how worthwhile their support might be. The US ambassador had approached the French leaders about the eventual return of Allied armies to the continent. the response, from Darlan IIRC, is given as: "If you come with three divisions we will fight you, if you come with twenty we will join you." Earlier in 1941 the Brits had been developing plans to ship arms to the French should the circumstances warrant.
 
Could be more interesting to bring it off in August 1940.

That would put it exactly after Mesr-el-Kebir and should guarantee some buy-in from French forces world-wide

If Germany had been "smart" I could see a political economic union (early EEC) consisting of France, Germany and Italy as the main players and then attaching Belgium, Holland, Spain to it.

Sort of Napoleon's Continental System.

Ivan
Well there were already shades of that in real life. Belgium, Spain, Northern France and all the occupied territories were basically integrated into the German economy to feed the war machine. Next step would presumably be economic rationalization and centralized policy between Germany, Italy and the minor Axis nations. Though results may vary on effectiveness.
 
Top