Chapter 286: France Surrenders

At the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, there was a tragic figure named Xia Gui. He had been a soldier all his life and devoted himself to the cause of resisting the Yuan Dynasty. He was a great hero with outstanding military achievements.

However, at the age of 79, he lost his integrity and was captured and surrendered to the Yuan Dynasty. His surrender led to the defeat of the entire Song army, and the Han people "lost the world" for the first time.

However, Xia Gui died only four years after his surrender. People at that time wrote poems to tease him: "At the age of eighty-three, why not seventy-nine. Alas, Mr. Xia, your name will be immortal forever." It means that Mr. Xia, you have lived to such an old age, just to live four more years, you earned a hat of traitor for nothing, what's the point!

Coincidentally, in the history of the world, there is also such a "traitor" who makes people ask him "what's the point".

This person is the famous French "traitor" Henri Philippe Pétain.

On August 14, 1945, France sentenced Pétain to death for treason. The reason why he ended up like this was that he "lost his integrity in his later years", just like Mr. Xia.

Pétain's life fully illustrates what "the best is yet to come". As a professional soldier, he joined the army at the age of 20, but he remained unknown in the army for more than 30 years, and was only a small colonel at the age of 58.

However, just when Pétain was about to go through the retirement procedures, his originally smooth life trajectory suddenly pulled out a big bull curve.

In 1914, the First World War broke out. With his outstanding record, Pétain was promoted from the head of the regiment to the commander of the corps.

At the age of 60, he commanded the famous Battle of Verdun, in which he successfully thwarted the German offensive plan of "letting the French bleed dry". After this battle, due to the French media's vigorous propaganda and crazy support, Pétain suddenly became a great hero that the people of the country worshipped crazily. In the subsequent battles, Pétain made great achievements again. By the end of World War I, he had become the commander-in-chief of the French army and the Marshal of the Republic.

If Pétain had faded out of the historical stage during the "long truce" between World War I and World War II, he could have become the most respected national hero in French history like Napoleon and de Gaulle.

However, God treated Pétain surprisingly well (or cruelly). The old man was still in his eighties and still had a sharp sword and vigorous spirit, so he witnessed the outbreak of World War II again. This time, the Germans who returned were more vigorous and destroyed France in one go in the form of blitzkrieg.

At this time, the performance of Pétain, a hero of World War I, was shocking. He became the Prime Minister of France at the last moment when France was about to lose the war, led France to surrender to Germany, and later served as the "head of state" of the pro-German "Vichy government". He managed France humiliatingly for five years under the tyranny of Germany, making himself infamous.

After the end of World War II, Pétain was rightfully picked out as a traitor and sentenced to death for treason by the French Supreme Court amid public curses.

At this time, the "traitor" was sitting in a spacious office, silently staring at the paper on the table. It was a reply from the special envoy to Germany that the secretary brought in more than an hour ago. It was the reply from the Germans, or more precisely, the German Crown Prince.

What made people sigh at the German intelligence capabilities was the defection of Charles de Gaulle. If we count by time, Charles de Gaulle had just boarded the plane when German Crown Prince Yannick had already mentioned the matter to the special envoy.

Crown Prince Yannick seemed to suspect that the French high-level officials were playing a trick of betting on both sides, so that no matter which side won in the future, France's strength and status could be preserved to a large extent?

Pétain could swear to God that he really hated Charles de Gaulle from the bottom of his heart. Not only him, but many officers were dissatisfied with this war hawk with a serious pro-British tendency. They were not willing to accept de Gaulle's suggestion to flee to Britain after France's complete defeat and continue fighting with the support of the British. This guy even naively believed that American aid would arrive soon and drag this war into the shape of the First World War.

As soon as Prime Minister Paul Reynaud resigned, he was replaced by Pétain, who squeezed de Gaulle out of the government. Not only that, he also sent people to monitor de Gaulle to prevent him from causing any trouble at this time when the war was about to end.

Because Pétain knew that this war was completely different from the last war. The last time it was fought on someone else's land or on already barren land, France could afford it, but now? ? Where can they fight? ? Paris? Lyon? Chalons? Dijon? Rouen? If they fight in these places for a few years, what will France have left even if they win?

But they never expected that de Gaulle, this bastard, took the opportunity to see off British envoy Spears at the airport and jumped onto a British plane that was already taxiing on the runway. The French officials who were traveling with him were all dumbfounded and at a loss. They could only stare at the plane flying farther and farther away.

After all, it is rare to flee openly in a diplomatic occasion.

Pétain believed that he was not one of those cunning politicians, but he was not a political idiot. Of course, he understood the risk of betting on both sides, which was that he would be neither popular inside nor outside.

He also had his own analysis of the current and post-war world situation.

For example, if the United States really won with the help of the United States in the future, if the US government did not intend to support France to balance Britain and the Soviet Union, then he would designate puppet France as the orthodox dynasty in French history, and the Charles de Gaulle government in exile could not represent France, and then treat France as a defeated country.

If Germany won, if the Germans did not intend to support puppet France, he could also insist that the Charles de Gaulle government in exile was the orthodoxy of France.

So the key is that you have to prove your worth to the most powerful victorious nation, and giving you the status of victorious nation will be beneficial to it. Otherwise, if you bet on both sides, no matter who wins, he or she may take advantage of the enemy.

A sudden knock on the door woke the old man who was deep in thought. "Come in."

The secretary came in. His face was not very good, and he hesitated before reporting. "Marshal...Your Excellency, Prime Minister, de Gaulle is giving a speech in the UK."

De Gaulle? Petain also wants to hear what this damn bastard wants to do! "Turn on the radio."

As soon as de Gaulle landed, he was immediately taken to the Prime Minister's Office. British Prime Minister Churchill personally received him, promised to fund him on the spot to organize a resistance movement, and allowed him to give a speech on the radio.

"I tell you that France has not been defeated. One day we will turn defeat into victory by the same means that have defeated us now. I, General de Gaulle, am delivering a radio address from London. I appeal to the present or future French officers and soldiers who have come to British soil, whether they still hold weapons or not, are to contact me; I appeal to technicians or skilled workers who have the skills to make weapons, whether they are currently on British soil or in the future, to contact me no matter what happens. , we will not allow the French war of resistance to be extinguished, and the French war of resistance will never be extinguished!!"

Listening to the impassioned voices of the defectors on the radio, Petain's hands were shaking with anger, and he wished he could pull de Gaulle out of the radio and stomp on him.

This bastard is going to push France into despair! !

After finally calming down the anger in his heart, he ordered hoarsely. "Telegraph the special envoy that we agree to all the conditions proposed by Germany."

France was defeated this time, but defeat also had its benefits. The rapid defeat allowed France to retain its flesh and blood, stabilize the situation, and exit this world war in the fastest and easiest way. This is for the French people. That doesn't seem to be bad news.

Yannick received the French envoy in his office. He nodded slightly after hearing the French envoy's words. "Marshal Pétain really made a wise decision. The French people will be grateful to him after we conquer Britain."

"Miss Anne, I want to convene a military meeting. I also inform Reinhard that the 'Queen Operation' can be carried out at any time. In addition, I will inform His Majesty of the news and ask him if he wants to come to participate in the surrender ceremony." If according to the life span of the original time and space, Wilhelm II would die in just over a year. But looking at the photos he sent back last time, he looked pretty good. He was carefree by his lover's side, and maybe he might live longer than before.

"Your Highness is here!"

"Everyone stand up! Salute!!"

Following the command, countless arms suddenly stood up in the huge conference room.

"Hi! Hohenzollern."

"Hi! Hohenzollern."

"Hi! Hohenzollern."

The deafening sound of greetings filled the office, but what was different from usual was that today's greetings did not mean to stop, each one was louder than the last. Of course Yannick knew that they were using this to express their respect for him and the joy of victory.

He raised his hand and suppressed the crowd several times before the sound gradually subsided.

"Congratulations, my highness. France, which failed to conquer for four years in the last war, this time lowered their proud heads in less than two months under your wise leadership. This is the first time in German history. Unprecedented glory and great victory, your achievements will go down in history," Rundstedt said loudly with excitement and joy on his face.

Yannick smiled slightly. "Everyone, what I want to say is that Poland and France are just our warm-up battles. The real war has only begun now."