章節 183: Chapter 261 The French Doomsday (31)
After finishing the letter to Roosevelt, Churchill entered the conference room.
As the secretary opened the door to the meeting room, a burst of smoke suddenly billowed out, almost prompting the secretary to call for the fire brigade.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was very tense, and everyone's faces carried an unmistakable weight. A cloud of smoke hung in the air as if creating an otherworldly scene. When Churchill walked in, everyone promptly extinguished their cigarettes.
Churchill didn't waste time on pleasantries and went straight to the point. "I presume you all have some understanding of the current situation. The situation in France is becoming increasingly dire, and the main force of our expeditionary army is about to be surrounded by the German forces."
"Prime Minister, that's our elite force, we mustn't lose it." Worry was evident on everyone's face.
The thunderous assault of the German armored forces caught everyone off guard. The failure of the previous war's Schlieffen Plan was attributed to inadequate equipment, and now the advanced equipment of the German army provided them with a significant advantage.
"Of course." Churchill nodded. "That's why I've already negotiated with the French to bring the entire Allied force over."
Sir Charles Forbes expressed doubt. "Bring the entire Allied force? Do you mean bringing not only the French but also the Belgians?" The previous attack on the Scapa Flow had caused the then-First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Dudley Pound, to die on the spot due to excessive shock. After that, Sir Charles Forbes was promoted to the position of First Lord of the Admiralty. "That's a number exceeding three hundred thousand."
"It's a daunting task, but it's a mission that must be completed!" Churchill declared firmly. "Our soldiers must be brought back intact, every single one of them!" In his view, even if France were to surrender, the several hundred thousand British expeditionary forces were far more critical.
It's important to note that Britain had many colonies, with most of its military forces stationed in these colonies. The remaining forces on the home front were quite limited.
Once France was defeated, these several hundred thousand expeditionary forces on the European continent would be the main force guarding the home front. Even if they were to expand their forces, it would be based on these main forces. Otherwise, they would be left with a super-greenhorn force composed of farmers who had just put down their plows or workers who had just left the factories. How could such a force defend the British Isles?
Therefore, Churchill particularly emphasized bringing the expeditionary forces back to the British homeland intact.
"As for the others." Churchill continued, "French and Belgian soldiers should also be brought back as much as possible. They will be the main force for future counterattacks on the European continent."
In the future, why was Britain able to launch a counterattack? It had a lot to do with the Dunkirk evacuation, saving a large number of live forces. A few years later, these evacuated troops landed in Normandy and once again set foot on the European continent.
"That requires a thorough plan and the cooperation of the air force to ensure air superiority over the English Channel." After all, transporting over three hundred thousand people and equipment was not an easy task, and it couldn't be accomplished quickly. During this period, air force support was needed to prevent interference and attacks from the German air forces.
All eyes turned to Sir Hugh Dowding, the Commander of the Royal Air Force Fighter Command.
Although Sir Hugh Dowding felt helpless, he couldn't dampen everyone's spirits. He could only reluctantly agree, "I will deploy as many fighters as possible to ensure air superiority over the Channel."
"Very well, Sir Charles (Forbes), devise a retreat plan as soon as possible. The sooner, the better, we have no time to spare. Also, leave the minimum number of troops stationed in Canada, South Africa, India, Australia, and other places, and withdraw them all to the homeland." Churchill had a foreboding feeling that once France surrendered, the Germans would undoubtedly launch an attack on the British mainland. Therefore, he decided to draw forces from various colonies to defend the homeland.
However, this decision was quite dangerous. Before World War II, British colonial rule was already precarious. The British government had to seek loyalty by making concessions to the subordinate regimes in the colonies, which was a significant reason for the subsequent independence of the colonies. Once these garrison troops were withdrawn from the colonies, could those colonies remain quiet? No one could guarantee.
But the urgent task at hand was to defend the homeland. If the homeland were lost, talk of a future counterattack would be in vain. Moreover, as long as they ultimately won the war, even if those colonies were not obedient, they could settle the score later.
Those damn Germans! Churchill cursed them fiercely in his heart.
Even if, hypothetically, the Germans did not plan to attack the British mainland, Britain would not sit idly by as Germany unified the European continent.
The dream of unifying Europe traced back to France.
The closest attempt to unify Europe was by Charlemagne.
Charlemagne, formally known as Charlemagne I, was the second king of the Carolingian Dynasty of the Frankish Kingdom. Born in AD 742, he inherited the throne as the heir when his father, Pepin the Short, died in AD 768.
At that time, the Frankish Kingdom was already the most powerful country in Europe. Charlemagne followed his father's aspirations, took advantage of the momentum, and made remarkable achievements. He conquered and annexed many surrounding countries, expanding the Carolingian Dynasty to its zenith. He established a vast empire centered around present-day France, covering countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy. This large territory, spanning much of Europe, earned Charlemagne the title "Father of Europe".
Unfortunately, after Charlemagne's death, the empire began to disintegrate. In 843, according to the Treaty of Verdun, the empire split into three parts: the eastern region beyond the Rhine became East Francia, the western region between the Scheldt and Meuse rivers became West Francia, and the central region stretching from the North Sea, along the Rhine, including the Rhône River, to central Italy, with King Lothair I inheriting the title of Holy Roman Emperor. This roughly laid the foundation for the Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of France, and the Kingdom of Italy. This outcome was considered the best possible.
Later, France produced two more prominent figures who sought to unify Europe. One was Louis XIV, during whose reign France was undoubtedly the dominant power in Europe. However, Louis XIV aimed more for dominance than unification. By the time of his death, France was in ruins, the treasury was empty, and numerous problems had emerged.
Another figure was Napoleon, who did sweep through the whole of Europe. Spain, Italy, Prussia, Austria, and others were occupied by France. Except for Britain and Russia, all others became vassal states of France. However, Napoleon suffered a tragic defeat due to his invasion of Russia, and he was subsequently defeated by the anti-French alliance organized by Britain. Napoleon was exiled to the island of Saint Helena, where he remained until his death.
Now, was it Germany's turn to attempt it?
Nevertheless, Churchill firmly believed that even if the Germans were momentarily strong, they would ultimately follow in the footsteps of Napoleon. The British Empire would never allow the unification of the European continent!
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