Chapter 362 Whose International Alliance

The "Toulon Raid" on the night of May 12, 1940, turned out to be the last shot of the Battle of France - the battle started by Germany ended with a surprise attack on France by Britain. It was really a bit ironic.

However, starting from the early morning of May 13, the Franco-German War, which lasted for one month and three days, came to an end. The sound of gunfire, artillery and bomb explosions no longer sounded. In the eyes of many people in Europe and the world, World War II seemed to be over and the era of peace would soon come.

However, on May 15, Hessmann, who received a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and officially became the Chief of the General Staff (Marshal Hammerstein, the hero of the conquest of France, had always been ill. After conquering France, he requested retirement and was approved by the emperor and was awarded the title of Marquis). In the eyes of the marshal, not only is it still early for World War II to end, but even the struggle between France and Germany has not really ended - only part of the struggle has shifted from the battlefield to the negotiation table in Geneva.

"Ludwig, are you really going to Geneva to attend the peace conference?"

On the morning of the 15th, while Hersman was enjoying breakfast at his manor in Zossen, his wife Chloe, who was about to give birth, asked him strangely.

"Yes," Hersman looked at his wife apologetically, "I may not be able to be with you when the child is born."

After officially becoming the Chief of the General Staff, Hersman became a hands-off boss and handed over the business of the General Staff to General Manstein, the Second Quartermaster General (Halder was promoted to the First Quartermaster General). He himself was not doing his job and participated in the Geneva peace negotiations.

In fact, this Geneva Peace Conference itself was the result of Hersman's full promotion-if it were not for his manipulation over the past decade, Germany, Italy, the Soviet Union and Japan would have withdrawn from the League of Nations. Naturally, there is no possibility of concluding a European peace treaty under the framework of the League of Nations.

And now, France, a permanent member of the League of Nations, has surrendered. Among the six major powers of the League of Nations (Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and the Soviet Union), only Britain is still against Germany, and the League of Nations is naturally a tool of Germany.

How could Hessman not use a tool like the League of Nations that comes with its own justice attributes?

"It doesn't matter," Chloe smiled, "It's not my first time giving birth, and you don't know how to deliver a baby."

Chloe paused, "I just feel strange. You are the Chief of Staff. Shouldn't the leader and the Minister of Foreign Affairs be responsible for the peace negotiations?"

Hessman shrugged and laughed, "But haven't I, a soldier, been doing the work of a diplomat? Since we went to Russia together to help Lenin seize power, I have been a political soldier. And the European Community was originally advocated by me. I can be regarded as the father of the European Community. I went to Geneva to help the European Community, this huge baby, be born. Only I can do this, so I must go to Geneva."

According to Hessman's idea, this Geneva Peace Conference will not only solve the problem of the Franco-German Peace Treaty. It will also use the League of Nations resolution to negate a series of treaties derived from the Paris Peace Conference, so as to find an international legal basis for restoring most of the original international order in the Balkans, and finally let the European Community go from a concept to reality.

…

"Prime Minister, I think we have to withdraw from the League of Nations."

In the Cabinet Meeting Room at 10 Downing Street, Churchill was calling his cabinet members to study the issues related to the "Geneva Peace Conference". At the beginning of the meeting, Foreign Secretary Viscount Halifax proposed the suggestion of "withdrawing from the League of Nations".

"Withdraw from the League of Nations?" Winston Churchill smiled, "Why should we withdraw?"

"This is obvious," said Viscount Halifax, "We cannot recognize the French government in Tours, the Belgian government in Brussels and the Polish government in Warsaw. But they all have representatives in the Palais des Nations in Geneva!"

It is certain that these three governments cannot be recognized as representing France, Belgium and Poland! Not only because Britain now supports the Free French Movement, the Belgian Government in Exile and the Polish Government in Exile, but also because Britain sent planes to bomb the French High Seas Fleet in Toulon on May 12.

This is a complete act of war! And it is an act of war without the authorization of the British Parliament! If Britain continues to recognize that the government led by Pétain represents France, then these people in Churchill's cabinet will undoubtedly be guilty of treason and should be arrested by Scotland Yard instead of sitting here to decide the fate of the British Empire.

"But that's not the reason for us to withdraw from the League of Nations," Churchill said with a smile, "It's the representatives of the illegal French, Belgian and Polish governments who should withdraw."

"But how can we get them to withdraw?" Viscount Halifax shrugged and said helplessly, "Switzerland is surrounded by German and Italian troops."

"That's wrong!" Churchill had already taken out a cigar and said as he lit it, "The headquarters of the League of Nations is under the threat of German and Italian military force, which will seriously affect the supranational status of the League of Nations. The headquarters of the League of Nations should be moved to a safe area away from the threat of German and Italian military force."

The first choice of "safe area" Churchill refers to is Canada, or the United States...if the United States is willing to give up isolationism and join the League of Nations.

"Mr. Prime Minister," Halifax asked carefully, "I think you must mean to set up another League of Nations, right?"

“Not a new one,” Churchill corrected, “but a restoration of the legitimacy of the League of Nations.”

Viscount Halifax asked: "Who will join this restored League of Nations?"

"Countries all over the world that love peace and believe in justice will join." Churchill held a cigarette in his mouth and clasped his short, thick fingers and said, "Free France, the Belgian government in exile, the Luxembourg government in exile, the Polish government in exile, the Czechoslovak government in exile, The Republic of Iceland, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and the governments of all countries participating in the Commonwealth, as well as countries willing to maintain good relations with the United Kingdom and the United States, will join this truly just international alliance."

He thought for a while, "We should unite some countries that are willing to reestablish the League of Nations as soon as possible and jointly announce a statement denying the legitimacy of the illegal Geneva fake League of Nations controlled by Germany.

In addition, various international courts and arbitration tribunals established in The Hague, Netherlands, should also be moved as soon as possible to places away from the German threat. Only in this way can the international legal system be ensured not to be controlled by Germany. "

"But there are still many countries in the world..." Viscount Halifax asked hesitantly, "If all countries are unwilling to join the legal League of Nations, what should we do?"

This is a problem. The League of Nations cannot be a Commonwealth country in addition to the government-in-exile, right?

"There will be many countries joining us," Churchill took a puff of cigarette and said calmly, "As long as the British Empire still rules the oceans, there will be many countries following us. And the United States will also support us on this issue, and I Fully confident.”

"Mr. Prime Minister," Viscount Halifax finally asked, "should the Soviet Union and Japan be among those countries that follow us?"

Hearing about the Soviet Union and Japan, even Churchill, who was as rough as Churchill, couldn't help but get a headache. Not long ago, Britain had just ordered France to bomb the Soviet Union's Batumi refinery! Now they are clamoring every day for France and Britain to compensate the Soviet Union for all its losses...

Japan began to attack French Indochina on May 13, and called the invasion liberation.

Although Germany and the Soviet Union had issued the "Liberator's Proclamation" long ago, they only shouted slogans and did not actually liberate anyone. However, Japan is implementing this "Liberator's Proclamation", and the "liberation" of French Indochina is likely to become the first domino to fall.

Separatism in Burma, Malaya, India, and the Dutch East Indies might be encouraged if Japan's invasion of French Indochina was acquiesced in order to win them over to the "legitimate alliance."

Churchill thought for a while and then said to Viscount Halifax: "Viscount, it is necessary for you to conduct a global tour. The first stop is the United States, then Japan and the Soviet Union... I think Japan's expansion requirements should be met, But their direction of expansion cannot be Southeast Asia. Likewise, the Soviet Union's sphere of influence and border security in the east must be guaranteed so that they can develop westward and conflict with Germany.

Therefore, we and the United States must induce Japan to withdraw from French Indochina and then advance westward. At the same time, it helped the Soviet Union and Japan divide their spheres of influence on the East Asian continent. At the same time, both the Soviet Union and Japan should boycott the Geneva Peace Conference. "

…

"Comrade General Secretary, German leader Hitler told Comrade Kollontai yesterday that the issue of French compensation for the Soviet Union can be discussed at the Geneva Peace Conference. At the same time, Germany also believes that the Treaty of Bessarabia is illegal, but the Bessarabia region The current situation must also be considered, and it would be best if the Soviet Union and Romania could solve the problem through friendly negotiations. Hitler also held the same position on the Finnish issue.

In addition, Hitler also hopes that we can sign a "non-aggression treaty" with Japan and ensure that their traditional interests on the East Asian continent are not violated..."

Just as Churchill was preparing to send his foreign minister to visit the Soviet Union, Stalin, the fatherly leader of the Soviet Union, was listening to Molotov report on new developments in diplomatic work in the Kremlin.

The Soviet Union's current foreign work focuses on three things: 1. Victory in ending the Soviet-Finnish War; 2. Recovering the Bessarabia region; 3. Signing the "Mutual Non-Aggression Agreement" with Japan - of course it is not a premise of sitting back and watching Japan's massive westward expansion. signed a contract with Japan, and the purpose of signing the contract with Japan was not to go west and fight Germany, but to expand to the Balkans and the Middle East...