In Africa in another time and space, the colonial rule of European countries did not completely collapse until the 1960s and 1970s. As African countries became independent one after another, Europe still had huge influence on African countries.
It’s incredible when you think about it.
Not to mention Britain and France, they have great strength, and it is normal for them to have huge colonies in Africa.
However, even small countries like Belgium and Portugal have colonies in Africa that are dozens or even hundreds of times larger than their own area. This is very abnormal.
Calculating the time, the 1960s and 1970s were exactly the time when the wave of people born after World War II grew up.
So this time is very delicate.
Rock doesn't want to leave this problem to the next generation, so the Southern African Expeditionary Force is really not in a hurry to counterattack the European continent. It just wants to ensure the safety of Britain. Southern Africa has now begun to seize the war dividends in advance.
The Twelve Islands are just the appetizer, and the more substantial Italian East Africa will follow. As for the British and French colonies in Africa, this can be done slowly and not in a hurry.
With the guidance of the three old men, Patton became tougher when facing de Gaulle again.
Don't listen to de Gaulle's words. French North Africa's obedience must have something to do with de Gaulle.
De Gaulle was also difficult.
After the evacuation of Dunkirk, the British government withheld the French troops that had evacuated to the British mainland and refused to return them, leaving the French troops in the British mainland to assist in the defense.
In order to remove the threat from the French navy, the Royal Navy even launched "Operation Ballista", which cast a heavy shadow on the relationship between Britain and France.
It was precisely because he recognized the true face of Britain that De Gaulle transferred his hopes to southern Africa.
However, Southern Africa is not a good source. The help given to the Free French is conditional. Not only has all the Free French gold in North Africa been shipped to Pretoria, the Atlantic Theater Command of Southern Africa actually wants to requisition French territory.
The ports of the North African colonies made De Gaulle very uncomfortable.
"Even if a supply base is established, it will take months or even years to complete. The Third Army certainly cannot wait until it is completed before setting off. The situation in North Africa is very dangerous, and the German and Italian forces may launch an attack at any time." De Gaulle hoped that Patton would be faster.
a little.
"No, no, general, modern warfare is no longer the era in which sending a few gunboats can force a country to surrender. It is a long way from southern Africa to the Mediterranean. The Third Army has a lot of heavy equipment. These heavy equipment require
Perfect logistics support, so the sooner the supply base is established, the better." Patton's attitude was firm. Anyway, the threat from the German-Italian coalition was not to Cyprus.
Although the Nile Army led by Wavell was weak, with the cooperation of the Mediterranean Fleet, it had no problem protecting itself.
French North Africa is even weaker, and the North African Army obeys the orders of Vichy France and does not obey the command of Free France, which makes people very helpless.
Of course, this is the cleverness of the French.
French North Africa is now divided into two parts, with Southern Africa and the Kingdom of Congo, bordering the British colonies, joining Free France.
Bordering Italian North Africa, it joined Vichy France.
Since they are Allied forces, the Southern African Army will not attack Free France, and the German-Italian Allied Forces will not attack Vichy France.
As for Free France and Vichy France, although the two sides have declared war on each other, since France stopped resisting, there has never been a war between Free France and Vichy France.
Just last month, a court organized by Vichy France tried De Gaulle in absentia for treason and sentenced him to death.
On the same day, Vichy French President Pétain signed an amnesty order for de Gaulle.
So now stop saying that Britain is the biggest troublemaker in the world, France is.
"After the Third Army arrives in the Mediterranean, can't it get supplies from Cyprus?" De Gaulle was angry. In his opinion, Patton's move was a complete excuse.
"Cyprus belongs to the Mediterranean theater, and the Third Army belongs to the Atlantic theater. If the Third Army receives supplies from Cyprus after arriving in the Mediterranean, the coordination work will be very frustrating and inefficient." Patton is obviously an excuse. The French
His calculations are very shrewd, and Southern Africa is not stupid either.
The newly established Mediterranean Theater, Commander-in-Chief of the Theater Arthur, was under the jurisdiction of all the troops deployed in Cyprus and Port Elizabeth in southern Africa. These troops, together with the troops of the Sultanate of Najd, were reorganized into the Fifth Army.
The Fourth Group Army is at Changi Naval Base, and its commander is Angel, Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Ocean Theater.
The strength of the Fourth Army is not outstanding compared with the First, Second, and Third Army, and it is not even as good as the newly formed Fifth Army.
However, the Fourth Army has a powerful Indian Ocean Fleet and the East India Force with a total strength of more than 500,000. Its comprehensive strength can be described as "overbearing".
Angel is now waiting for the Japanese to attack Changi Naval Base.
If the Japanese really do this, then Angel will make the Japanese truly understand their true status in the world.
In the whole of East Asia, there are actually no tigers in the mountains and monkeys are kings. That is why the Japanese combined fleet is so arrogant.
Southern Africa has prepared more than 3,000 fighter aircraft for the combined fleet, of which the number of long-range strategic bombers alone exceeds 1,000.
Therefore, if the Japanese dare to attack the Changi Naval Base, An Qi will definitely give the Japanese a surprise.
"Well, we can lease some of the islands to southern Africa." De Gaulle settled for the next best thing. Buying or ceding them would be too ugly, so leasing would be much better.
"How many years can I rent it for?" Barton thinks it's okay. If it can be rented for a hundred or two hundred years, then southern Africa can also accept it.
In one or two hundred years, with the advancement of technology, perhaps the navy's warships will be able to complete a circumnavigation without supplies, and then supply ports will be meaningless.
"Ten years!" De Gaulle gave what he thought was a generous deadline.
The last world war only lasted four years.
Now De Gaulle is doubling it in one breath. When the world war is over, France will take back the leased ports, and it will also be able to get a number of perfect ports.
This calculation must be said to be very French.
"Haha, General, are you kidding me?" Patton was furious.
Leasing land is a very common form, usually for 99 years. France has many concessions in the Far East.
Now Southern Africa wants to rent French land, but de Gaulle is only willing to sign for ten years. If it were built by Indians, the land leveling work might not even be completed in ten years.
Therefore, what Patton requires is not only a 99-year period, but also after the expiration of the period, if Southern Africa still wants to rent, France must agree that even the rent cannot be increased.
Yes, since it is renting, there must be rent.
But there must be an explanation for how much the rent will be.
Most of the islands are barren land, and many islands don't even have permanent residents. After all, France has such a large colony in North Africa that it can't be filled even if all the French people move there. Who would want to settle on the islands?
Of course, some larger islands must be inhabited, such as Madagascar.
Facing the tough Patton, de Gaulle readily agreed to Patton's request without much insistence.
It doesn't matter if you disagree. De Gaulle has no bargaining chips. Based on France's current performance, if France wants to gain greater gains in the distribution of interests after the war, France will have to make some sacrifices.
With de Gaulle's agreement, the Third Army's advance speed suddenly accelerated.
On October 15, the 41st Division belonging to the Third Army boarded the ship from Walvis Bay and headed for Algiers.
As for the Third Army troops that have entered French North Africa, they still need to assist the Free French government in maintaining local order.
There was nothing we could do about it, Free France and Vichy France were in a state of war.
I don’t know why, but as long as there are troops stationed in southern Africa, the local security is safe.
As long as the southern African garrison leaves, Vichy France will incite the locals to cause chaos, so Free France has to rely on the southern African army to maintain colonial rule in French North Africa.
The Third Army moved very quickly, and on November 1, the 41st Division arrived in Algiers under the escort of the Atlantic Fleet.
Just before Commander Garfield of the Atlantic Fleet was about to order carrier-based aircraft to take off and launch an attack on Algiers, the colonial government of Algiers, which had previously vowed to resist to the death, suddenly sent a message and announced that it would join Free France and would no longer accept the influence of Vichy France.
lead.
Garfield was extremely sorry.
Now that Algiers has declared to join Free France, the Atlantic Fleet has lost its reason to attack Algiers.
"Smart Frenchman!" Garfield's smile was full of sarcasm on the bridge of the USS Congo, the flagship of the Atlantic Fleet.
Like Indian Ocean Fleet Commander Jackson Marshall, Garfield has actually passed the retirement age. After the world war, both Garfield and Jackson Marshall will retire.
"It's just a little cleverness. Even if France keeps its colonies, it will lose its status in the world." Liu Chengbi, chief of staff of the Atlantic Fleet, sneered. After Garfield retires, Liu Chengbi is likely to succeed Garfield and become the fourth commander of the Atlantic Fleet.
commander.
"A country with true self-respect will never surrender." Garfield was arrogant, and only a southern African was qualified to say this.
Britain has surrendered in history, the United States has surrendered in history, and Russia has also been conquered.
Only southern Africa has never been conquered by the world's great powers.
Liu Chengbi smiled and said nothing.
Being conquered is not scary. What is scary is the complete loss of the will to fight, as well as the confidence and confidence of the citizens of a powerful country.
"Boys, get ready to land. This old man like me also hopes to feel the sunshine of the Mediterranean. I hope the sunshine here can be brighter than the sunshine in the Bay of Whales." Garfield was in a good mood. If only the Germans could be as sensible as the French.
