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Crossfires, a French AAR for HoI2 Doomsday

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Nice view of the fighting in Spain. I must admit to a little surprise that you did not get more involved.

I think some of the waiting is that the AI relies on a DoW from GB as head of the Allies when the war starts in Poland. It seems to be thrown by not having a state of war with France at that point.

Any suggestions you have, as mentioned by Adam, on understanding what went wrong for the French in OTL 1940 would be appreciated.

Vann
 
Vann the Red said:
Nice view of the fighting in Spain. I must admit to a little surprise that you did not get more involved.

I think some of the waiting is that the AI relies on a DoW from GB as head of the Allies when the war starts in Poland. It seems to be thrown by not having a state of war with France at that point.

Any suggestions you have, as mentioned by Adam, on understanding what went wrong for the French in OTL 1940 would be appreciated.

Vann
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Cretiques of my own suggestions would be fine too. I would love to read a good book on the subject writen by a French Author.
 
Adamc1776 said:
Cretiques of my own suggestions would be fine too. I would love to read a good book on the subject writen by a French Author.
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French litteraturs are especially bad on this subject. IMHO, I'm maybe a little too hard they did better and better since the last 10 years.

Always IMHO, Karl-heinz Frieser's book (the Blietzkrieg Legend) is far better than all others. Anglo-saxon authors have always difficulties to understand French subjects (vice & versa it's true ;) ).

Oh! And yes, continue your good job, Atlantic Friend!
 
Mmm, the opportunity for further involvement in Spain certainly beckons. But sticking out of it might be best. No need for France to show an early hand.
 
Adamc1776 said:
Cretiques of my own suggestions would be fine too. I would love to read a good book on the subject writen by a French Author.
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Here are a few books I own and enjoyed very much about the 1930s to 1950s era. I am not sure you'll find English versions of the French books, though, as our historians generally don't do very well abroad.

- "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich", by William Shirer
- "The Collapse of the Third Republic", by William Shirer
- "Le desastre de 1940" by Claude Paillat (a series of at least 6 books)
- "La Guerre d'Indochine", by Lucien Bodard (great beyond words)
- "La guerre de Cinquante Ans" by Georges-Henri Soutou
- "The Imperial Conspiracy" by David Bergamini
- "The Pacific War" by John Costello
- "Hitler" by Joachim Fest
- "Hitler, a study in tyranny" by Alan Bullock
- "The Age of the Extremes" by Eric Hobsbawn
- "Charles de Gaulle" by Jean Lacouture
- "Charles de Gaulle" by Eric Roussel
- "THe Zen at War" by Brian Victoria
- "Hiro-HIto, the ambiguous Emperor" by Edward Behr
- "The Last European War" by Edward Luttwak (or is it John Lukacs ? Damn !)
- "The Secret War" by Anthony Cave-Brown

As for France's defeat in 1940, I used to have several books, but which only adressed (IMHO) partial aspects of the problems, such as French weapons, or French leadership. Here are my very own 2 cents about 1940 : the most stunning thing about that defeat is, finally, that people were (and still are) surprised by it.

Consider this : in 1918, to (barely) beat Germany, it had taken a grand coalition encompassing France, Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Russia, the United States, Russia, Japan, Serbia, and Portugal. And it barely was enough.

In 1940, of that grand alliance, only France and Great Britain remained. Italy and Japan had become deadly enemies, threatening French interests at home and in its colonial empire. Russia and the United States were neutral, as were Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Serbia.

How could people expect France and Great Britain to do alone what had taken so many more to do 20 years ago ? You'll notice Germany didn't even begin to be beaten until it unwisely reconstituted that Great Alliance by declaring war on both the USSR and the USA.

In 1940, the Allies didn't have even a whisper of a hope to stop Hitler. If it hadn't been for the fact panzers can't swim, people would be making jokes about both French and British forces. And that would be the best case scenario.

Ok, next update in a few hours, fellas, so stay tuned to see what kind of volunteers France sends to Spain !
 
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Maybe the French could send their commies there to get rid of the problem in their own country. Also, with the CPF being banned, who will get all those seats, the Socialist?
 
CHAPTER 11 : IT DOESN'T GET MORE INTERNATIONAL THAN THAT​



Spanish Republican poster​

The outskirts of La Coruna, January the 3rd, 1937

As his crouching men ran silently from building to building in that industrial suburb of La Coruna, Sergeant Julien Delmas marveled once again at the warm thin drizzle that was falling down on his face.

So close to home, and yet so different thought Delmas. The raindrops falling on his face, as he looked for sentries in the upper storeys of the red brick factory that was his next objective, had a salty aftertaste that reminded him of his boyhood in La Rochelle, when powerful and unseen storms extended cloudy fingers over the French Atlantic coast.

As a kid, Delmas had always wanted to board one of the freighters that stopped in the port of La Pallice. On countless nights he had made plans to hop on a passing freighter, and begin a life of adventure as a runaway cabin boy, seeing foreign lands, meeting new exciting people every day. His parents, quiet business owners who wanted him to take over the family's pharmacy, had done everything they could to rid their son of his adventurous dreams, but to no avail, as Julien kept spending all the time and money he had in the company of old seahands with a seemingly never-ending supply of seafaring tales for the friendly lad that always paid them a beer.

Smiling at his younger self, Delmas stopped at the corner of a warehouse. Without a word, he signalled Corporal Kovacs, his second in command, to take his men around the building. He hadn't spotted any sentry yet, but he was confident any Nationalist soldier unfortunate enough to stumble upon the heavy-build Croatian would meet a quick and silent death, either from Kovacs' trench knife, or from his large hands.

When Delmas' parents eventually received his summons for two years of military service in 1927, they had seen it as a divine answer to their relentless prayers. No doubt two years of doing administrative work for the military district administration in Poitiers would cure their son from his hollow dreams and help him see all the advantages of running the family business. The way they saw it, filling admninistrative forms, directing conscripts towards the regiments that needed them most would turn his mind away from all this "adventure" nonsense. It thus had been a devastating blow when, after two months of almost complete silence, their son had written them he had used his position at the military district to assign himself to a regiment of Naval Infantry, where he would do the rest of his military service, and enlist as soon as possible. Since then, Julien Delmas had conscientiously avoided to set foot again in La Rochelle, which he missed more than he cared to admit. As some form of compensation, he had spent some time Morocco, Syria, Indochina, West Africa, where people had convinced him to join another outfit.

So there you are, amigos...



Delmas's men as they engage the Nationalist soldiers guarding the depot​

Moving to another building, Delmas finally spotted the ammunition depot he had been ordered to destroy. It was inside a derelict warehouse, guarded by two armored cars and a dozen Spanish soldiers. The sentries looked alert, but Delmas could see they had an air of desperation about them, some mix of physical and emotional exhaustion. Delmas couldn't blame them : after three months of unmitigated disaster, having lost Seville in October and Tarragona for Christmas, the Nationalist forces were in full debacle. They now depended on La Coruna to supply what was left of their forces. Italian volunteers had discreetly been ordered back home, after they had been roundly trounced by the better-equipped regular Republican army in a series of battles in Central Spain. Russian advisors, tanks, and planes on the other hand were pouring in from Valencia, and supplies were coming from France in ever-growing quantity.

Having painted themselves into a corner, the Nationalists had begun fortifying it. They had turned La Coruna into a Spanish version of the Maginot Line and the Republican government had wisely decided it'd be simpler to wait for blockade, hunger and attrition - not to mention an increasingly hostile population trapped within the city walls - to force the Nationalist commander into surrender. That made blowing up that supply depot a worthwhile, if risky mission.

Tightening his grip on his handgun, Delmas waited for his third group to deploy. His staying in Spain was clearly about to end. Seeing Kovacs was ready to strike, he remembered how the Croatian had been miffed by the interdiction to go fight in uniform - and by the fact they couldn't even mention their unit.

"That makes no sense, Sergeant. We are supposed to fight under a false name, but they tell us we'll be members of the 'International Brigades'. What a crappy camouflage ! I mean, we are already a brigade, and it doesn't get more international than the Foreign Legion, now does it ?"

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[Game effect :

In January, 1937, Republican Spain was triumphant. Its Militias and infantry had taken Seville, and Tarragona fell after the province was completely cut off from Burgos - that, apparently, spelled the end of the Nationalist Air Force, for I didn't see any of their crates airborne afterwards. Bilbao fell to infantry assault supported by tactical bombers (Burgos too, I suppose, but the fog of war prevented me from being a new Hemingway there).

By mid-February, Franco only controlled La Coruna, the Baleares and Canarias, and the colonies. On February the 23rd, Republican forces destroyed the Nationalist stronghold in La Coruna, and reunified the country.

On the diplomatic stage, France and Rep. Spain reached +170 in January (I was busy rooting out spy networks in France and heavily influencing Balkans countries in the hope they would stay neutral in case of Germany declaring war on Czechoslowakia, Poland or, of course, France), and in February both countries had a 39% chance of joining a military alliance, which had been my objective for more than a year...

Modernization of French forces continued with 47mm AT guns, Dewoitine 520 fighters and Somua researching armor tech like crazy. Luxembourg gave me the Agrochemistry blueprint, and received Infantry 1936, AT, AA tech and very favourable economic deals from me as I wanted my only ally to be as strong as possible.

So far Germany had been a model of calm, and Italy (which now hated me with a passion) had been acting responsibly.
 
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GeneralHannibal said:
Maybe the French could send their commies there to get rid of the problem in their own country. Also, with the CPF being banned, who will get all those seats, the Socialist?
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Communists congressmen being banned, I think it calls for local elections in the areas they were elected in the first place - except that this time no Communist candidate can run. What they could do - exactly what the historical Croix de Feu did - would be to create another party and run under these colors.

In this AAR I chose to make them go underground instead, as the French police can now arrest the Communist leaders if they tried to ressuscitate the FCP in some way. Stalin has finally taken a decision about Popular Fronts, and that'll be the subject of the next update.
 
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Hopefully and alliance is on the way.
 
R. 2 la R. Team said:
Sure, it's always better to have a friend in his back instead of an eventual foe. ;)
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Amen. I recently played a game as France and Spain gave me more than a dozen Mountain divisions and like 30 or so regular infanty (never mind the militias)

Fare more useful to france than say... England :D
 
Allies are always nice - something they are even useful! ;)
 
CHAPTER 12 : OPERATION CASTILLO​



Uploaded with ImageShack.usSomewhere in Madrid, a plot's hatching​


A classy restaurant in Madrid, February the 24th, 1937

As he entered the dimly-lit dinig room, Alfonzo caught the last part of Azana "Victory's speech" radio stations kept broadcasting since the Nationalists had surrendered 24 hours ago.

"....and like the Phoenix Espana, eternal Espana, has once again risen from its ashed with renewed strength, renewed confidence, and renewed vigor. Today, as President of the Spanish Republic, I say to all Spaniards : you showed great resolve fighting this war, now show even greater resolve winning the peace. The guns have finally fell silent, but our wounds are still open, our country is still bleeding. We must rebuild our nation, rebuild our cities, and rebuild ourselves as a united people. Yesterday was a time for strife, today is for relief, and, my fellow countrymen, let us make tomorrow a time for pity, pardon, and prosperity !"




Presidente Manual Azana, compassionate leader of a triumphant Republic. ​

The Devil's mother with his pardon and prosperity, fumed Alfonzo, looking for the men he was supposed to meet there. Spotting them sitting at a table in a corner, he walked to them slowly. Always go slowly to a meeting, he had been taught, for it gives you a little extra time to get into character - and also to detect a potential set-up. That was lesson Alfonzo had taken to heart long ago, before he became Alfonzo.

"Caballeros" he said, reaching the small group and shaking their hands in the congenial way he had invented for his character. Some friendly banter never hurts, for most people, even powerful ones, want to be liked was another important lesson. And on countless occasions he had seen how true that was. Even those who took pride in not trusting anyone usually let their guard down at some point, because, when all's said and done, almost every man is a social animal.

Sitting at their table, he saw no sign of duplicity on their faces. They seemed elated - no doubt by the Republicans' victory - and relieved to see him. Not that he could blame them, for their heads would roll if they were caught doing business with him.

"So, caballeros, here's to a great victory against Fascism " said Alfonzo, raising his glass, quickly imitated by the others. As soon as the waiters brought the food, he cut the friendly banter and turned serious.

"Now" he continued in a lower voice, "we still have a lot of work to do, to score an even greater victory. Antonio, what are the news from the Presidency ?"

"Azana gets many calls from Paris, and also some from London." said a man who looked and behaved like an anxious ferret. "I listened to some of the conversations he had with the French Foreign Minister, and it's clear France wants to conclude a military alliance with the Republic."

That is something my grandmother, may she rest in peace, could have told me, you pompous fool, thought Alfonzo, who nevertheless smiled amiably, encouraging the anxious clerk to go on.

"The Foreign Minister has stalled Azana and Laval as much as he could, saying we should assess our economic and military situation vis à vis France before organizing an official meeting, and Azana has reluctantly agreed, but I don't think we'll be able to delay the talks beyond next spring."

Alfonzo nodded. He'll have to pass that information, for, agitated as Antonio may be, he usually had a good feeling about what was going on at the Palace. His being one of Azana's aides kept Alfonzo supplied with accurate and confidential information, which kept everyone happy in the upper echelons.

"The biggest problem I foresee" said a plump man in his sixties, "is how the various armed groups will react. Despite our best efforts, the irregular troops are mostly controlled by Anarchists and Trostkyists. As for the youth movements, the Socialists have appointed Solares to reorganize them under their control".

"Do not worry about Solares. This is a different matter, one that will be taken care of in due time" said Alfonzo. As usual, trying to keep everything separated required more work in Latin countries. Spaniards, like Italians and Frenchmen, had this tiresome habit of mixing everything together - this certainly made for livelier politics, and sometimes for pertinent analysis, but for a man like Alfonzo what it meant was it took more work, more stress, more energy to keep his various informers on the right rails.

"If you say so" replied the plump man in a tone that conveyed complete incredulity. "But what of the regular forces, then ? They too are a problem. They wiped out the Fascists - and yet the Fascists began the war with better troops, more planes, and more tanks."

"The regular army" interrupted the third man in a crisp voice "will follow its leaders. Which means if General Lister orders it to crush us, or the Anarchists, we'll have a dozen regiments pointing their guns at us before we even move. And that", he told Alfonzo with a humorless grin "I tend to think is a matter that needs to be taken care of now, or else it's useless to go any further".

Alfonzo winced apologetically.

"Please excuse me, caballeros, for I spoke too harshly. Every one of you has done a lot for the Cause, and I can tell you such risks and sacrifices will not be forgotten. I said Solares is a problem that will be taken care of, and so it will be, but not by us. We have...let's say, we have other friends, who will ensure Solares won't be a problem anymore"

That earned him just the kind of self-important nods he had expected. Always tell your informers they're in the know...

"Now", continued Alfonzo, "Juan is right, and very much so. The attitude of the Army is of the utmost importance, and we all know the devotion officers have for their wartimes leaders, above all General Lister, after so many successful battles. So yes, Juan, General Lister IS a problem I have to solve - with your help. And here's how you can help me solve that problem. Juan, I need a complete file on General Lister and the security measures that surround him. Julio, I'll need information about the troops who are stationed at the Presidential Palaca. What unit do they come from, when are they rotated, everything. Antonio, please keep me informed about the Spanish Cabinet's schedules. When will it meet in the next months, will Lister attend, that's what I need you to tell me. Before I forget : you'll find three envelopes in the usual letterbox. They contain funds to cover your various expenses, in pesetas and French francs."

Finishing his coffee, Alfonzo stood up and left, as it was always best to leave before your informers. At every step, he could feel "Alfonzo" slowly recede, like a wave revealing the sand that had lied beneath. When he stepped out of the restaurant, he was once again Victor Dimitrievitch Bodenko, NKVD colonel in charge of Operation Castillo for the all-important Madrid area.



Somewhere in the NKVD headquarters, some people have made plans for the Spanish Republic...​
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[Game effect :

In February the 23rd, 1937, Republican Spain annexed Nationalist Spain. French volunteers went home with some insight about how a modern war should be conducted, giving me the "Planned Defense" blueprint.

The upgraded French cavalry divisions and the 2 tank divisions are sent back to the German border to face a possible German offensive.

France gives Luxembourg two Infantry divisions, to form a 3-division Luxembourg Army Corps. Now that a full 33% of French infantry divisions have AT attachements, either 25mm or 47mm, I turned my attention to engineers and (upgraded) field artillery.

My general plan was to have 6- to 7-division Army corps in every province bordering Germany, with 1 engineer, 2 ATs, 2 artillery, and 1 AA brigade each, and with an additional AA brigade attached if there was an HQ.At that point, I only wanted to make Germans pay dearly for every French province, without any offensive plans of my own. Provinces bordering Italy would field lighter army corps, with only 4 to 5 divisions. As for the Belgian border, it'd go for 6-division army corps that would be motorized and then mechanized.

My plans for 1937 also hinged on the modernization of the French Air Force, with the addition of escort fighters to my tactical bomber squadrons and the deployment of Potez-633 CAS squadrons. I also began planning to build additional air bases along a Dunkerque-to-Corsica line.]
 
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Interesting mix of brigades you've chosen. Historical flavor or have you something in mind contrary to conventional wisdom about brigade use in HoI?

Vann
 
Adam, Vann :

Nope, no historical flavor or deep analysis of HoI2 there, just my gut feeling - which of course might prove completely wrong.

My main idea was to have Army Corps/Armies of 5 to 7 divisions each, as I thought that would pack a solid punch and still allow these corps to operate along with independent divisions (French or Allied) within leadership capacities of a General. I didn't want to sacrifice too much skill for rank there.

With that as my premise, I thought the French Army would probably have to fight mostly defensive battles until 1943 or so, and probably without air cover or support. So I gathered they would need additional firepower against both infantry and armor. That made me pick up AT and Artillery. Since I would lack air cover, and since I saw in my first "practice game" the enemy was usually relentlessly bombing units that had no AA, I decided to always have at least an AA per corps. HQ units being particularly useful, they automatically got an AA brigade too.

As for the engineer, my reasoning was that these nifty units give you a really good defensive bonus and at the same time make your units move faster - which I figured would be an important factor since most of my Army was foot infantry, which I didn't want to be constantly outmanoeuvered by a more modbile enemy.

Now besides the defensive corps I began to have smaller units - like battlegroups of 1 to 3 divisions. These were given armored cars brigades if they were tank divisions, and engineer or artillery if they were infantry units. These are my one and only reserves, but they are more thought to be used in an offensive role.
 
Atlantic Friend said:
Adam, Vann :
My main idea was to have Army Corps/Armies of 5 to 7 divisions each, as I thought that would pack a solid punch and still allow these corps to operate along with independent divisions (French or Allied) within leadership capacities of a General. I didn't want to sacrifice too much skill for rank there.

Now besides the defensive corps I began to have smaller units - like battlegroups of 1 to 3 divisions. These were given armored cars brigades if they were tank divisions, and engineer or artillery if they were infantry units. These are my one and only reserves, but they are more thought to be used in an offensive role.
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Good choices, I lost a game with same ideas because I played too offensive in Benelux and all my "fast modern forces" were ambushed in Belgium after a cruel german cut to the sea, as History!! A shame :D

Hope you will have more brains than me, good luck! ;)
 
Well, your plans run strongly counter to Kanitalan's analysis, but I'm all for playing the way you want!

Vann
 
CHAPTER 13 : ARRIBA ESPANA !



A fateful day has begun in Madrid​


Madrid, April the 27th, 1937

"Would you look at that damn fog" said Captain Guajardo, as the powerful Duisenberg was making its way through desert streets. The fog reverberated the streetlights, giving the impression a big, yellowish toxic cloud was hanging over the city. It had started the previous evening and showed no sign of getting thinner with the coming dawn.

"A soldier should always love fog, Captain" chided Lister "It hides your forces, quietens your approach, and keeps your enemy's air force pinned to the ground.". Lister's face broke into a ferocious grin. "There was a lot of fog the day I won the Battle of Madrid, you know".

"The battle of Madrid, sir" ? said Guajardo. While he only had been assigned to Lister a few weeks before, he immediately recognized one of the General's little routines. Trying his best to look intrigued and eager to learn, he gave the expected answer "But I thought there was no battle within Madrid, sir ?"

"Of course they wasn't, Guajardo ! And the reason there wasn't is that I won the Battle of Madrid on the Guadalajara ! Ha !".



General Enrique Lister, a much too popular general ?​

Guajardo joined Lister's guffaw, just as the corporal who was driving the powerful car through Madrid's foggy streets. When he was not in a particularly foul mood, Lister, as Guajardo had soon learned, was not a difficult officer to serve under, and that's one of the reasons he had grown very popular with junior officers and soldiers of the Spanish Republican army. And that was why Captain Guajardo had been discreetly approached a few weeks before by some men in suits. Men who had a special interest in General Lister, and who needed a man of many talents to keep an eye on him. For the time being, that was.

As the Duisenberg entered the Honor Yard of the Presidential Palace, where Lister was due for a briefing about the difficulties in disbanding of irregular forces, and about the British deployment of forces in Gibraltar, Lister suddenly noticed a line of parked military trucks surging out of the fog.

What the hell does that unit's commanding officer think he's doing ? thought Lister. As the driver stopped the Duisenberg at the Palatial Gates, a young aspirant came to Guajardo's side and tapped gently on the window.

"Yes, Lieutenant, Good morning" said Guajardo without even looking, lowering the window. "General Lister here is expected for a meeting in 45 minutes with President Azana, so you'd better let us in quick"

"I'm sorry, Captain" said the young officer who didn't seem sorry at all "But security has been reinforced throughout the Palace. Nobody is supposed to be let in today without a special pass issued by the Presidential Guard, sir"

"A special pass ? A special pass ? What the hell are you talking about, Lieutenant ?" bellowed Lister, irritated by the delay, the gust of cold damp air and the fact he had to bend over Guajardo's side to answer whoever was challenging him.

"I'm really sorry General", said the Lieutenant, now visibly nervous, but "I've been given strict orders, you see, and I can't let you enter the Palace without that document, sir. We have been told special courriers had brought the passes yesterday to everybody who had official business here today."

"OFFICIAL BUSINESS ?" bellowed Lister, storming off the car "Now that does it ! What do you think brings me here, Lieutenant ? Do I look like I'm delivering tapas for the Palace kitchens ? Do you think I'm here to trade fish recipes with your goddamn grandmother ?". As the pale young Lieutenant took a step back Lister turned to Guajardo "Captain, do you know what is going on here ? Have we received a special pass you didn't tell me about ? Or has the world just gone mad ?"

"No, sir. Only the usual despatches and reports" said Guajardo, frowning. "We'd better check up with the Palace Guard commander, General"

"And so we will, Captain, so we will ! Lieutenant, we are going to leave this car here and you will take me and Captain Guajardo to your commanding officer this very minute. I want to get to the bottom of this circus act ! I didn't win this Republic's battles to be made fun of by some two-bit parading square officer who thinks light shines from his fat ass because he spends all day sitting in the oh so Presidential Palace ! Come Guajardo - we are going to take names, and then I swear on my first officer's stripe that I am going to kick asses all the way to Equatorial Guinea !"



Or the People's general ?​

Where the hell are they going ? thought Corporal Diaz, Lister's driver, as he watched the three men cross the Honor Yard. Corporal Diaz was a born Madrileno, who spent most of his time at the palace driving officials and seducing secretaries. He had expected the three men to turn left, to the Presidential Guard's command post. Instead, the young Lieutenant took Lister to the old stables, that had lonce since been turned into an armory. Oh well, thought Diaz, that's officer business, not mine. I wonder if that cute phone operator still works at the Palace, what was her name again ? Mercedes ? No, Dolores, that's it. Dolores, sweet little doll, I think we'll become good friends, very good friends indeed...

Diaz heard the shots only a few seconds after the three officers had entered the old stables. Startled, he opened his door and turned to the sentries.

"Hey, did you hear that ? Did you..."

And then all Hell broke loose.

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Game situation :

In spring, 1937, France has become a major dealer in the international oil business. Juicy contracts have been signed with the United States, trading Supplies for Oil, and with Spain, Japan and Nationalist China, trading the oil for rare materials and money. The average rate of trade is 5 foreign oil for 1 to 1.5 French supply, and 1.5 money to 1 French oil.

The French economy is still running at a slowed pace (due to peacetime limitations at the Hard difficulty level), but is showing sign of a solid growth. As a result, modernization of the DD fleet is completed before spring, 1937, and additional factories were built in Western France.

Half of the research is dedicated to modern production (machine tools, production control, assembly line). Not having allies means having to do without blueprints, but I'm confident France has taken the lead in industrial processes and will be able to trade that know-how against military blueprints when the time comes to sign an alliance. Supplies, once nearly depleted at the time of the Spanish Civil War, now soar above 15,000 units, Oil is well above 100,000 units and so are Metal and Energy.

The French Army now protects every border province, except for southwestern France as I was near +200 with Republican Spain. The Air Force fields MB-152s and Leo-451s (which now begin to have escorts), and two squadrons of Potez-633 CAS are now in production.

Diplomatically, France is about to break its post-war isolation with a Spanish alliance. I'm enjoying very good relations with every Eastern European country, though there are no alliances there (I do not want to be tied to Czechoslowakia which I suppose will be annexed anyway, nor to Poland as I feel it's the Allies' responsibility and not mine anymore). I have made no overtures to the Soviet Union, as this wouldn't be in character with my fiercely anti-Communist Cabinet. Japan and China both love me, just like junkies love their dealer. I might become their main source of oil, as the US traded me over 200 units a day and is ready to sign more contracts with me.

I'm trying to cultivate some South American friends as well, but these countries make no sign of desiring a formal alliance. One country I'm keeping an eye on is Brazil, which has turned into a Left-Wing Radical regime. So I may have to send troops to French Guyane after all !
 
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