With the sinking of the "Strasbourg", the most tragic scene in naval history occurred.
Before scuttling, Admiral Rappold issued a "self-sink" order to all warships via radio.
Five minutes after the "Strasbourg" sank, the cruiser "Colbert" exploded and sank.
Then came the light cruiser "Algeria" and the cruiser "Marseillaise". The fire ignited by the "Algeria" burned for 20 days.
When the sailors opened the sea valve at the bottom of the cruiser "Diplex", the German army finally arrived at the port.
There is another episode here. The German army lost its way when entering the port of Toulon and arrived at the port an hour later, which gave the sailors plenty of time.
The navy sailors responsible for guarding the port did not let them go immediately. They blocked the German troops from the port on the pretext of checking documents. They were not forced to let them go until the German tank troops arrived.
German soldiers boarded the cruiser "Diplex", drove the crew off the ship, and closed the sea valve.
Captain Moreau, the captain of the USS Duplex, took the initiative to ignite the explosives, causing the torpedoes on the ship to explode. The fire burned for ten days.
The battleship "Dunkirk" and the battleship "Provence" also sank subsequently. This was the second time the battleship "Provence" sank in just two years.
During the ballista operation two years ago, the "Provence" was sunk by the British army for the first time. The French later salvaged the "Provence" and repaired it. This time the French scuttled the "Provence" with their own hands.
When the "Provence" began to sink, the German troops had already arrived.
The captain of the "Provence" and the German officers delayed time by chatting until the battleship sank completely.
The French navy used its tragic sinking to express its indignation against the world. Vichy France was unable to protect the French navy, and the proud French naval officers and soldiers refused to cooperate with Britain in any form.
The aircraft carrier in the fleet was supported, and carrier-based aircraft were sent to fly to Toulon port at the last moment, but it had lost all meaning.
At this time, the Port of Toulon below was shrouded in fire and thick smoke caused by the explosion of the warship, which could be clearly seen dozens of kilometers away.
The Germans tried their best to save the fleet, but only three disarmed destroyers and four severely damaged submarines were captured by the Germans.
However, three submarines took advantage of the chaos to escape from Toulon, arrived in North Africa, and then joined the Free France.
When the news reached North Africa, de Gaulle gave a speech on the radio, highly praising the French navy's unyielding spirit and calling on more French people to take up arms to fight the German invaders.
In the following six months, approximately 8,000 French naval officers and soldiers arrived in North Africa to join the Free French.
As the supreme leaders of the Allied Forces, Roosevelt, Roark, and Winston also gave public speeches on different occasions, giving high praise to the French navy.
De Gaulle took the opportunity to ask Southern Africa and the United States for more aid to Free France.
Forget it about Britain. Even if Britain gave the latest battleship "King George V" to Free France, De Gaulle would not want it. No Frenchman would be willing to serve on a British warship.
Roque and Roosevelt respectively responded to de Gaulle's request. While Southern Africa returned two "Richelieu" class battleships to the French, it also assisted the French with four light cruisers and six submarines to help rebuild Free France.
French Navy.
Roosevelt was also generous. At the end of last year, the U.S. Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act, which cleared the way for U.S. military assistance to Europe.
The Lend-Lease Act was introduced for a reason.
In 1935, the U.S. Congress passed the Neutrality Act, which stipulated that when a war breaks out or is ongoing between two or more foreign countries, the president shall declare this fact, and then any action with ordnance, ammunition, or
It shall be unlawful to export war-ready goods from any part of the United States or any part of its possessions to that belligerent, or to any neutral port used by any belligerent.
The restrictions of the Neutrality Act were limited to ordnance, munitions, or war supplies.
This left a back door for American companies to trade in raw materials instead of directly trading arms. The United States then made huge war profits under the banner of trade in raw materials.
In the third year of the World War, the European economy was greatly damaged, and the Neutrality Act was no longer sustainable. It was not that European countries did not need raw materials, but that they had no money to continue to purchase raw materials.
So with the push of American businesses, the U.S. Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act.
The essence of the Lend-Lease Act is that you don’t have to worry if you don’t have money, and you don’t have to worry if your military industrial capabilities are declining. We can rent military supplies to you on a lease basis, and the rent can be paid in installments.
So now you understand why in another time and space, the United States has military bases all over the world after the war.
If you can't pay back the rent, you will naturally have to repay it in other ways.
Providing services to the U.S. military is also one of the ways to pay off debts.
In this time and space, because of the existence of southern Africa, the role of the Lend-Lease Act is obviously not as great as in other time and space.
Even European countries are more willing to accept assistance from southern Africa than to accept aircraft and tanks from the United States.
To be honest, there was a real gap between American technology during this period and Southern Africa. The aircraft produced in the United States were not even as good as the German BF109, and their performance was far less reliable than Southern African fighter jets.
The same goes for tanks.
The U.S. Army is a well-known "beggar" force, with nothing to offer.
Southern Africa is a traditional army power. During the last world war, Southern African tanks had already demonstrated their skills in Europe, which left a deep impression on European countries.
Compared with southern Africa, the only advantage of the United States is that its trading methods are more flexible and the prices of weapons and equipment are lower.
In this regard, Britain and Free France are still more inclined to accept aid from southern Africa.
Only the exile governments of some allied countries will reluctantly accept the so-called "aid" from the US government.
Roosevelt took de Gaulle's request very seriously and not only agreed to assist the Free French with a number of warships, but also agreed to assist the Free French with two aircraft carriers and two battleships.
This condition was too tempting for de Gaulle.
France's "Richelieu" was originally going to build four ships, but due to the outbreak of the war, only three ships were started. The third ship, "Clemenceau", is still lying on the slipway of the Brest Shipyard.
The Americans promised to help Free France complete the "Richelieu" construction plan. As for the two aircraft carriers, they were mass-produced escort aircraft carriers by the United States, and their actual combat capabilities were not strong.
"This is the situation. Free France is in a difficult situation now. Most of the soldiers refuse to cooperate with the British. Businessmen hope to gain profits through trade with Americans. American lobbyists are lobbying our government officials, hoping that Free France can strengthen
Cooperation with the United States." Leonard Capet personally came to Pretoria to explain to Roque face to face, and he was also a threat.
If Southern Africa does not increase aid to Free France, then Free France must consider strengthening cooperation with the United States.
Roque has a headache. An old colonial country like France is still very wise in survival.
"Is the aid the Americans give you free?" Roque is not optimistic about the cooperation between the United States and France.
"Of course not, Americans are not philanthropists." Leonard Capet is still sober. The more free something is, the more expensive it is.
Although the relationship between Southern Africa and France has always been good, and Roque and the Capet family have a deeper connection, this does not affect Leonard Capet's efforts to strive for the interests of Free France.
Rock and Ada exchanged a tacit look, this is where the butt determines the head.
When Leonard Capet was a businessman, he accepted the demands of southern Africa without any objection.
Now that Leonard Capet is the Prime Minister of Free France, he considers issues more from the perspective of Free France, and bargaining is normal.
In other words, Southern Africa gets more from France.
Therefore, it is reasonable to give France more help.
"Dear brother, have the restaurants in Paris finally decided to serve rude and rude Americans?" Ada was not polite at all when talking to Leonard, and she immediately exposed her shortcomings.
Leonard Capet looked innocent. There is no tradition in France of "eating what you don't eat until you ask for it".
"What are the conditions for Americans?" Ada has been the finance minister for decades and knows everything about Americans.
"Developing French mainland and French overseas territories for American goods" Leonard Capet was crestfallen, and the Americans' conditions were harsh enough.
This is acceptable to Rock.
Isn’t it fair competition? As former foreign trader Roque is all too familiar with, as long as we don’t preset any positions, Southern African products can beat the United States in any aspect.
However, Leonard Capet's next words made Luo Kerumang feel guilty: "The Americans hope to join forces with us in East Asia to jointly safeguard our interests in East Asia."
Compared with commodity competition, this condition seems to be more dangerous.
Americans should also be aware by now that the expansion of southern African power in East Asia will seriously threaten U.S. interests in East Asia.
This proposal is very tempting to the French.
De Gaulle certainly did not transfer France's power in French Indochina to Southern Africa willingly. Maybe De Gaulle regrets it now. It is just that Free France still needs the help of Southern Africa, so it does not dare to reverse its commitment.
"Oh, in that case, will France's overseas territories still belong to France?" Ada said it was not serious enough.
If Free France cooperates with the United States, France itself may become a dumping ground for American goods.
It is difficult for American products to compete with southern African products.
It is still very advantageous to compete with French products.
"We Chinese have a saying called seeking skin from a tiger, and another saying is opening the door and bowing to the robber. If you decide to cooperate with the Americans, it will be similar to asking for skin from a tiger." Rock said bluntly, Angsa people are all virtuous, and do not fear intimidation.
Wilder.
Leonard Cappe didn't know what "seek the skin of a tiger" meant. After Ada translated it, Leonard Cappe couldn't laugh or cry.
Cooperating with Americans is like seeking skin from a tiger.
How much better could cooperation with southern Africa be?
"Please tell President de Gaulle that my door is open to him at any time. If he wants to come to my place as a guest, please give me a call." Roque also had to consider the mood of the French and put Roque in De Gaulle's position.
Roque might be more fickle than de Gaulle.
That's not right, it should be both sides.
After all, Leonard Capet is the uncle of Ada's children, which determines that even if Free France cooperates with the United States, it will not completely turn to the United States, and its relations with southern Africa will still be maintained.
Especially for Leonard Capet himself.
Cooperating with the United States is for the sake of free France, and maintaining relations with southern Africa is for the benefit of the Capet family.
After Leonard Capet became Prime Minister of Free France, the ties between French North Africa and Southern Africa were strengthened.
Although Leonard Capet had moved most of his factories to French North Africa before the war broke out, compared with southern Africa, the industrial capacity of French North Africa was still not strong enough.
Various industrial raw materials from French North Africa continued to flow to southern Africa.
Southern African goods sell well in French North Africa.
Otherwise, the United States would not be jealous of the benefits that southern Africa gained from French North Africa.
"Francois is very emotionally unstable now. He hopes that the Allies can open a second battlefield on the European continent as soon as possible. Our soldiers are also ready to expel the Germans from France at any time." Leonard
Capet was in a desperate mood. France was in a very dangerous situation and was gradually becoming a second-rate country.
Some time ago, when Roosevelt proposed the establishment of a new international organization to replace the League of Nations, heated discussions broke out in the media of the Allied countries about whether France was qualified to continue to be a permanent member.
Most British media believe that France, which has actively ceased resistance, has lost its qualifications to become a permanent member of the Security Council, and that Southern Africa should replace France as the new permanent member.
In this way the situation becomes very clear.
Even the British admit that southern Africa and the United States should become new permanent members.
Both of these countries were once British overseas colonies. Although they are now independent, they still have inextricable ties with Britain and are their own people.
The French certainly don't recognize this.
Especially after the French navy scuttled itself in the port of Toulon.
Although the French navy was previously neutral, the Free French still regarded the French navy as their own.
Now that the French navy has scuttled, the British domestic media has started a new round of carnival. As long as they see the French being unlucky, the British are happy.
It's not just the French who remember Operation Ballista.
The British are even more guilty.
If the French navy regains its power, the French will definitely take revenge.
Not afraid of suicide, but also afraid of death in battle!
"Dear brother, understand that France's enemies are not just the Germans." Ada and Roque's positions are completely the same. The opening of the second battlefield will have to wait until the Germans and Russians die together.
