Reorganization
Chapter Three
February - March 1936
In early February, the armed forces of France were reorganized. Armee Paris Headquarters commanded two army groups, one known as Army Group North and the other known as the Maginot Line HQ. As the name suggests, the Maginot Line HQ was responsible for fortifying the Maginot Line.
Army Group North was responsible for the border with the BeNeLux countries. In the event of a war against the Germans, Army Group North would advance into Belgium and take up defensive positions there, if possible.
Army Group North consisted of two armies, the 1st and the 3rd. The 1st Army existed on paper, but in reality no combat units were currently placed under its command. Nevertheless, in the future its ranks would fill with French infantry and armor. The 3rd Army, on the other hand, was organized into three infantry corps (the 1st, 6th, and 7th) and one armored corps (the 1st).
The Maginot Line HQ had one army under its command, the 4th Army. The 4th Army commanded the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Corps. Each of these units occupied the impressive static fortifications along the Franco-German border.
Southern France was under the command of the Marsielle Army. One Army Group was under its command. The Alps Army was under the command of the sole Army Group. Two corps were under the command of the Alps Army. The 1st Mountaineer Corps, made up of specialized mountaineer divisions which were particularly suited for the region, operated under the Alps Army. The other corps under the Alps Army was the 4th Corps.
All North Africa units were under Africa Command. The African Army operated under the Africa Command. Six divisions of infantry were currently in Africa under the Tunsia Army and the 19th Military Division.
The final deployment of French troops was in East Africa. Colonial Command was stationed here. Under Colonial Command was the Expeditionary Corps, stationed along the border with Italian Eritrea and Ethiopia. The Expeditionary Corps contained three mountain divisions. The Madagascar Army, which consisted of only three brigades of militia, and the Zenjiang Garrison, consisting of two garrison brigades, also stood under Colonial Command.
The French Navy was powerful, but still paled in comparison to the naval forces of the British, Japanese, and Americans. Nevertheless, the French Navy was far superior to the German Kriegsmarina. The Italian Regina Marina was a formidable opponent in the Mediterranean, but French naval strategists considered it to be inferior to the French Navy. Besides, with Britain as an ally, France would have the upper hand in any naval engagement.
The 1st Fleet was located in Brest and was considered to be France's most important fleet. This fleet contained France's only aircraft carrier, the Béarn. A heavy cruiser, several light cruisers, and numerous destroyers completed the fleet. The Béarn was produced in the late 1920s and was considered to be outdated, but it was the only aircraft carrier which the French had available and it would have to do.
The 4th Fleet, also located in Brest, consisted of two battleships, two heavy cruisers, a light cruiser, and a destroyer flotilla.
The 2nd Fleet was France's primary Mediterranean Fleet. This fleet consisted of two battleships, two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, 15 destroyers.
Two submarine fleets consisting of 25 submarines each and a transport flotilla were also stationed in the Mediterranean.
It should also be noted that a fleet of four transport flotillas was currently stationed in Indochina.
The French Air Force was decently sized and could hold its own against most aggressors. However, the German Luftwaffe had undergone recent expansion and it is believed that the Germans have numerical and technological superiority over us now. Nevertheless, pride is taken in the air force.
The 1st Bombardment Group, stationed in Paris, consists of four wings of heavy bombers, totaling around 400 aircraft. This group is ideal for strategic bombing and could be used to bomb German factories in the event of a war.
The 2nd Bombardment Group is stationed in North Africa and only consists of around 100 aircraft.
The 3rd Bombardment Group is stationed in Paris and consists of three wings of medium bombers. These bombers, numbering around 300 aircraft total, are ideal for tactical attacks on enemy ground troops and could turn the tide in many land battles.
The 4th Bombardment Group is stationed in North Africa and consists of around 100 medium bombers.
The 5th Bombardment Group is stationed in Marseilles and consists of one medium bomber wing. Also stationed in Marseilles is the 6th Bombardment Group with two wings of light bombers.
The 1st Naval Bombardment Group is stationed in Paris and contains around 100 naval bombers organized into a single air wing.
Finally, the 1st and 3rd Chase Groups serve as France's air defense. The 1st Chase Group is stationed in Paris and consists of four air wings consisting of 100 aircraft each. In total, the 1st Chase Group is formidable in number with roughly 400 aircraft under its command. In Southern France, the 3rd Chase Group is stationed in Marseilles with 100 aircraft at its disposal.
By the beginning of February, significant Italian progress was seen in East Africa as Ethiopia was folding on both the northern and southern fronts. Italy had advantages over their Ethiopian adversaries both quantitatively and qualitatively and it showed as Italian troops moved across the desolate country with little to stop them on their way to Addis Abeba.
On February 15th, Joseph Paganon replaced Marx Dormoy as Minister of Security and Paul Le Gentlihomme replaced Marucie Gamelin as Chief of Staff, though Gamelin will retain his position as Chief of the Army. Paganon offers a 0.01 loss in neutrality every day he is in power as Minster of Security. Gentlihomme allows our units to reorganize at a 10% faster rate.
On February 22nd, the Social Conservative Party was once against shut up and silenced. The Social Conservative Party must not be allowed to be anything more than a skidmark on the sidewalk!
Nothing much more happened in the next month. By late March, Ethiopia was on the brink of defeat as Italy was flexing its military muscle with Addis Abeba nearly surrounded. It was only a matter of time before Ethiopia kneels before Mussolini now.
On March 24th, Edward VIII abdicated the English throne following his desire to marry American socialite Wallis Simpson, who had divorced her first husband and was seeking a divorce from her second. The prime ministers of the United Kingdom and the Dominions opposed the marriage, arguing that the people would never accept a divorced woman with two living ex-husbands as queen. Also, such a marriage would have conflicted with Edward's status as head of the Church of England, which opposed the remarriage of divorced people if their former spouses were still alive. Edward knew that British Prime Minister Stephen Baldwin would resign if the marriage went ahead, which could have dragged the King into a general election and ruined irreparably his status as a politically neutral constitutional monarch. Rather than give up his desire to marry Mrs. Simpson, Edward abdicated. He was succeeded by his younger brother Albert, who chose the regnal name George VI.
On March 27th, we went ahead and signed the Second London Naval Treaty. In truth, we feel that the treaty is useless and restrictive, but we would like to maintain good relations with Britain and the United States and, as our navy will not be very important in our likely future conflicts, we may as well bite the bullet and sing the papers.
Italy and Japan did not sign the treaty, however, resulting in decreased relations with the Western Powers.