章 69: 69
France, which suffered great damage from World War I, built the Maginot Line along the Franco-German border to prepare for the next war with Germany.
The Maginot Line, built with a generous investment of money, materials, manpower, and technology, was evaluated as the world's strongest defense line, which was expected to be impossible to break through through ordinary means.
The existence of the Maginot Line made it impossible for Germany to attack France from the front.
Since the front was blocked, the only way left was to invade France through Switzerland, or invade France through Belgium like in World War I.
However, Switzerland is a mountainous country, so not only was the passage of large units restricted, but it was also too far from Paris, the capital of France.
Therefore, Germany's plan to invade France had to be based on the basic premise of passing through Belgium, like the Schlieffen Plan in World War I.
The French army also expected this.
Maurice Gamelin, commander-in-chief of the French army, planned to send the French army into Belgium and use the Belgian rivers connected to the Maas River as a defense line to repel the German army.
The so-called deal plan seemed to be being carried out successfully.
The French army moved in an orderly manner and reached the planned target point, forming a defensive line, and the Belgian government also actively cooperated with the French army.
"Now all we have left to do is wait for the Germans to come and crush them to death."
Gamelin, who was satisfied with his plan, appeared proud and tapped the map with the tip of his baton.
Every time he pointed his baton here and there on the map, the junior officers quickly deployed their horses.
"The Germans will never set foot on the soil of great France. If they hit the Dil defense line squarely and shatter it, they will counterattack and push all the way to the Ruhr.
If the operation goes as planned, the soldiers will be able to enjoy swimming in the Rhine before the end of summer."
"No soldier can match Your Excellency's insight."
"I tell the soldiers in advance to bring swimsuits."
While the staff was fawning over Gamelin, one staff member carefully raised a question.
"Your Excellency, what do you plan to do in the direction of the Ardennes Forest?"
"Ardennes Forest? You can't drive tanks there, which is the Germans' specialty. "Maybe they'll come somewhere else."
No French general paid special attention to the Ardennes Forest, which was considered impassable for tanks.
Is there any need to worry about places where tanks can't move anyway?
"And we have the Belgian army. "It's their country's land, so they'll stop it on their own."
"Indeed, I see."
The French army thought that the Belgian army would take charge of the defense of the Ardennes Forest.
"What about the Ardennes Forest?"
"The French army will stop it well. "They pride themselves on being the strongest army in Europe, so you can trust them."
The Belgian army decided that the French army would be responsible for the defense of the Ardennes Forest.
Minor mistakes resulting from lack of communication turned into huge disasters.
***
May 10, 1940, 5:35 a.m.
A single whistle cut through the silence of the early morning.
With the sound of a whistle as a signal, the 1st Panzer Group, so-called 'Kleist Panzer Group', commanded by Senior General Ewald von Kleist, began to move.
Not only the Kleist Panzer Group but also the entire German army mobilized for the invasion of France took action.
At the forefront of the Kleist Panzer Group were tanks from Guderian's 19th Panzer Corps.
Panzer 2, Czech tanks, and Hatcher ran along the rugged path of the Ardennes Forest.
In mobile warfare, speed is everything, so light tanks and armored vehicles with light weight and high speed took the lead, while the 4th Tank and self-propelled guns, which were relatively heavier and slower than light tanks, were deployed as latecomers.
Before the sortie, the tank soldiers swallowed a pill they had been given in advance. It was a Morel pill known to be more effective than the previously used Pervitin.
Within five minutes of swallowing the pill, the tank crews felt changes in their bodies.
The tension that had been weighing on my chest a moment ago suddenly turned into excitement and pleasure, and I felt refreshed, as if I had woken up from a deep sleep.
In my current state, I thought it would be possible even if I were told to run all the way to Paris.
"Dinner is in hell!" Do you understand, you bastards?"
"Yeeeeeeee!"
"Even if the storm blows, even if it snows
Even if the sun smiles at us
Even in the burning hot midday and frosty cold nights
Even with a face covered in dust
We are happy.
Yes, I am happy.
"Our tanks rush through the storm!"
Guderian felt his heart pound as he looked at the ranks of tanks being driven at full speed by tank crews humming Panzerlied.
How long have we waited for this moment?
"How old are you this year?"
Guderian asked the staff officer riding in the command vehicle. Now he was a young staff member who appeared to have just turned 30.
"I'm 31, Your Excellency."
"Right. While you were at home playing with your toys, I was on the front line. "Do you know what I'm thinking right now?"
"I do not know."
"I feel like I'm back in 1914."
Guderian, born in 1888, was at the scene of the German army rushing toward Paris in 1914.
When I closed my eyes, the scene I saw then came back to me vividly.
The soldiers marching cheerfully while receiving confetti and flowers thrown by citizens, the comrades who were confident that they would be able to occupy Paris in no time, and the subordinates who were excited with confidence in victory.
I never thought I would live to feel this feeling again.
Although the 1914 attempt ended in disastrous trench warfare instead of the capture of Paris, this time would be different.
Tanks, which did not exist in 1914, now become the hands and feet of the German army and charge at the forefront.
It was different from 1914 that he, a young second lieutenant, was now a senior commander wearing epaulettes decorated with gold and silver thread.
"This time we must conquer Paris. "Wouldn't that give us the dignity to see our comrades who died before us?"
"That is a valid statement, Your Excellency."
"We must take Paris and show the people that the sacrifices of the soldiers who died were not in vain."
Guderian had one wish.
The wish to shout at the graves of our fallen comrades that we were victorious and that we have avenged your enemies.
***
"Be quiet, be quiet! "Where on earth does everyone think this is?"
On May 8, two days before the German invasion of France, the House of Representatives conference room was so chaotic that it would be a shame to say it was a mess.
The Speaker of the House shouted at the top of his voice, got angry, and even pleaded, but the room showed no signs of quieting down.
Conservative and Labor Party members pointed fingers at each other, and even within the Conservative Party, divided into the Chamberlain faction and the Churchill faction, shouting went back and forth.
"This is all because of you!"
"gibberish! "Why is this our fault?"
"Half of your party are just lip-smacking demagogues!"
"What did you say just now? "How can you say that!"
"Be quiet!"
Chamberlain sat silently in the House of Commons, which had turned into a cheap pub frequented by ex-convicts and thugs.
He did not respond to the voices of criticism and criticism directed at him, but only looked ahead.
As the Norwegian campaign ended in great failure, voices criticizing Chamberlain's cabinet exploded.
The Labor Party, which had always been very supportive of Chamberlain and the Conservative Party, demanded the resignation of all of Chamberlain's cabinet, and even within the Conservative Party, there were open voices calling for Chamberlain to resign from the position of Prime Minister.
"The British Empire is now in crisis. Our proud Royal Navy suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Germans in Norway, and to make matters worse, the world was blaming us. Since we attacked Norway and Denmark first, we are just as aggressors as Germany.
Who caused all this? Isn't he Prime Minister Chamberlain? "If only the chancellor had shown the firmness to reject Hitler's demands in Munich, the current situation would not have happened!"
Labor Party leader Clement Attlee's words were met with applause and encouragement from one side, and criticism and shouting from the other.
"That's right!"
"You speak well!"
"Stop that nonsense! "What kind of bullshit are you talking about?"
"You should be ashamed!"
Attlee, who was anti-communist but also anti-fascist, frequently criticized Chamberlain for his conciliatory treatment of Hitler's Nazi regime.
Then, when the war broke out and our army suffered a crushing defeat in Norway, he ran wild like a fish out of water and continued to criticize Chamberlain.
"It was all Prime Minister Chamberlain's fault that Europe became a sea of fire again, that Poland collapsed, and that the world's criticism was directed at the British Empire. This country is in crisis because you, you, have been making the same mistakes over and over again!
If you have the last conscience, if you too are citizens of the British Empire, don't remain ugly and admit your mistakes! And resign! That alone serves the British Empire, His Majesty the King, and the people!"
"Atley! Atley!"
"Take it down!"
"There's nothing I can't say!"
While Labor lawmakers unanimously supported Attlee, Conservative lawmakers belonging to the Chamberlain faction fumed with indignation.
Chamberlain remained silent.
After Attlee was Churchill.
After the news of Hood's sinking spread, Churchill changed his stance and fiercely criticized Chamberlain.
Some shrewd Conservative Party members also joined Churchill in criticizing his fellow party members.
Churchill's purpose was obvious even without looking at it.
Placing all responsibility on Chamberlain and forcing him to resign.
His goal would be to survive by doing so. Chamberlain stood on the podium and stared coldly at Churchill, who began his speech.
Churchill did not pay attention to Chamberlain's gaze and continued his words in a passionate tone.
"The Royal Navy, the pride and symbol of the British Empire, suffered a humiliating defeat in Norway. Is that it? The whole world is blaming us. Just because we attacked Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
How on earth did this happen? Do you know how the British Empire, which was the guardian of world peace and order, ended up bearing the stigma of being an aggressor?"
Churchill paused for a moment and looked around the audience. Chamberlain tightened his hands to suppress the shout that was about to burst out.
It wasn't easy.
"This all happened because of Prime Minister Chamberlain's mistake! Despite my earnest objections, Prime Minister Chamberlain went ahead with the attack on Norway. He then attacked Denmark and even turned Sweden into our enemy. "How much-"
"Shut up, you pig!"
Chamberlain, who had been silent like a dead man until now, stood up and shouted, and the hall instantly became quiet.
Labor Party members who pointed at Chamberlain and demanded his resignation,
Conservative Party members who defended Chamberlain and engaged in a war of words with Labor Party members,
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, who called for silence,
Even Churchill during his speech,
Everyone was shocked and froze.
Chamberlain has always been far from swearing or yelling, but this time, even he can't stand it.
Since he already had nothing to lose, he no longer listened to things like manners and respect.
"Why are you putting that on me? You suggested it first! It came from your head! They said that regardless of international law, we should only think about winning the war, so why are they changing their words now? uh?
Conscience? Are you qualified to speak of conscience? It's the same in Gallipoli, you always blame others when things go wrong, and you always try to figure out how to get away like a rat. "He never once said he would take responsibility!"
"W-what..."
Churchill grumbled like a mute in response to Chamberlain's outspoken bombshell. Not only the Labor Party members but also the Conservative Party members were all shocked at the sight of Chamberlain shouting in anger.
I have never seen the prime minister of a country so angry and spew out foul language before, and it was something I never thought I would see.
Chamberlain, who had already lost his temper, was spewing out swear words that he had kept in his heart and had never said out loud.
"You old pig! Who do you think doesn't know your dirty and disgusting intentions? If you want this position so much, you should say it out loud. It's not a trick! "Even if I end up coughing up blood and rolling around here, I will definitely be able to do as much as you-"
"Choo, Prime Minister!"
"Call a doctor!"
Chamberlain, who was already 71 years old, suffered from cancer due to the stress caused by the war, excessive work, and public criticism of him, and was exhausted both physically and mentally.
When Chamberlain fell, the hall became chaos again.
***
Chamberlain collapsed and was not able to open his eyes again until a full day had passed.
Churchill, who had tried to place the blame for the attack on Norway, which was criticized not only around the world but also by his own people, on Chamberlain and try to force him to resign, found himself in an awkward position.
Chamberlain's intentions remained unchanged. He said that if Churchill did not resign, he would never resign.
When Chamberlain came out stubbornly, the mood turned.
The pressure on Chamberlain to resign did not change, but even Labor Party members who had previously treated Churchill as a 'comrade' began to hold him accountable.
"No, I... you mean the position of prime minister?"
"There is no one else who holds this position other than you."
While Churchill's ambition to become the next Prime Minister was fading away, Chamberlain called Edward Wood, Viscount Halifax, as Foreign Secretary.
In Chamberlain's view, there was only one person in all of England who was qualified to succeed him as Prime Minister: Halifax.
"I know very well that this is something I would not do to you. However, there is no one else who can take this position other than you. "If a greedy crook like Churchill or a childish idealist like Attlee becomes prime minister, the British Empire will truly be at an end."
"Huh..."
In history, Halifax was offered the position of Prime Minister by Chamberlain, but gave the position to Churchill under the excuse that it would be difficult to give up his noble title. Halifax was in trouble.
Prime Minister of the British Empire.
Just hearing the name sounds like a great position, but Halifax was not unaware of the fact that, just as great power comes with great responsibility, the position of prime minister requires greater responsibilities and sacrifices, perhaps even greater than that.
My heart was like a chimney, wanting to refuse a position that was only superficial.
But when he looked into Chamberlain's eyes, his mouth hardly dropped. Chamberlain was clearly sincere when he said that he was the only person worthy of being Prime Minister.
"His Majesty the King also said that you are the only suitable person. "I know it's difficult, but please make a decision for your country and people."
"······."
Are you going to turn down a request from a long-time political partner for personal advancement?
Are you willing to walk the path of hardship for your country and people?
"I understand, Mr. Prime Minister. "If it is for the benefit of the British Empire, Your Majesty, and the people, I will accept it."
"Thank you. "Thank you very much."
Halifax chose the latter.
On May 10, 1940, Chamberlain announced his intention to resign as Prime Minister.
The next day, on the 11th, Halifax became the 61st Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, replacing Chamberlain, who resigned from his position as Prime Minister.
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