When the British Expeditionary Force temporarily stopped attacking, the French army did not stop attacking. However, the French army was not efficient and suffered heavy casualties. From the time the British Expeditionary Force stopped attacking in July, the French army's casualties increased by another 135,000 people.
, and then not much breakthrough was achieved. The Germans knew that the French hated them, so they would rather lay down their weapons to the British Expeditionary Force than surrender to the French.
After the negotiations began, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson seemed to play an increasingly important role and frequently contacted the German government. The German government agreed to withdraw from the war based on the "Fourteen Points" proposed by Woodrow Wilson. However, this
It also encountered opposition from the United Kingdom and France. The reason for the British opposition was the colonial part of the "Fourteen Points", and the reason for France's opposition to the "Fourteen Points" was that the punishment for Germany was too light.
If we follow Georges Clemenceau's vision, even if Germany is not divided into a dozen small countries, its military capabilities should be completely restricted, so as to reduce Germany's threat to France.
On June 25, Woodrow Wilson claimed in a telegram to the German government: If it is still Germany's war manipulators and imperial dictators who will talk to the U.S. government in the future, then the United States will stop talking to Germany.
Contact, no longer engage in peace negotiations with Germany, but demand direct surrender from Germany.
The German government seriously considered this threat. Before the German government could make a decision, on June 27, Munich declared the establishment of a republic and then unilaterally withdrew from the war. Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria, who was still directing operations on the front line, suddenly
There was no home for a while.
On July 1st, the German government asked Wilhelm II to abdicate.
Wilhelm II rejected the German government's request. Not only did he not want to abdicate, he also wanted to return troops from the Western Front to Berlin to maintain his rule.
The person who succeeded Ludendorff as Chief of General Staff was General Groner. After receiving a secret telegram from Wilhelm II, General Groner asked the German generals for their opinions. A total of 39 generals responded, including 15 generals.
The attitude was ambiguous, and 23 generals made it clear that it was impossible. Only one general agreed to lead his troops back to Berlin to continue to maintain the rule of Wilhelm II.
General Groener clearly reported this situation to Wilhelm II. Wilhelm II decided to abdicate and went to the Netherlands. The Queen of the Netherlands agreed to take him in.
Looking at it this way, the Netherlands did not get involved in the world war, which seemed to be a retreat prepared by Wilhelm II for himself.
Roque came to the Compiègne Forest on July 10th to study the peace conditions offered to the German army.
Roque's request was the simplest, requiring only that German troops withdraw from France and Belgium, withdraw from Alsace and Lorraine, and return Alsace and Lorraine to France.
Pétain's demands were more stringent. In addition to Alsace and Lorraine, Pétain also demanded the area east of the Rhine. This was the rhythm for Germany to cede territory and pay reparations now.
Pershing had the most demands. The U.S. military finally captured the Liege Fortress, but before they could set foot on German soil, Germany was forced to seek peace.
The United States ultimately lost 700,000 people at the Liege Fortress, of which 156,000 died.
Among the entire Allied Powers, only Japan suffered fewer deaths than the United States, but Japan gained a lot.
About 300,000 people died during the world wars in the Kingdom of Romania and Serbia, twice as many as in the United States.
1.8 million people died in Russia, 1.6 million people died in France, and 1.5 million people died in Britain, of which nearly 1 million people were killed in southern Africa.
In addition, the Kingdom of Italy lost about 578,000 people, Germany lost 2 million people, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire lost 1 million people. The World War broke out in August 1913 and lasted for 48 months until the end in July 1917.
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On July 12, a delegation led by Matthias Ozberg of the Catholic Center Party arrived at the Allied headquarters in the Compiègne Forest. At this time, Berlin was in great danger and Wilhelm II abdicated.
The provisional government that had just been formed could be overthrown at any time. The order given by the provisional government to Ozberg was that in order to withdraw from the war, it could accept any conditions proposed by the Allied Powers.
Foch made it clear that the current German government was not qualified to participate in negotiations. In order to give the Allies time for negotiation, Foch agreed to a temporary truce for 30 days, but required that Germany must withdraw from the lands it occupied after the outbreak of the world war within 14 days.
Withdrew to the east bank of the Rhine River, canceled the Brest-Litovsk Peace Agreement, retreated on the eastern front to the border on August 1, 1913, and required Germany to hand over 5,000 artillery pieces and 3,000 mortars.
artillery, 30,000 machine guns, and all aircraft, and gave up its colonies in Africa.
This is just the condition Foch offered for the armistice, not withdrawal from the war. This means that if Germany wants to end the war, it will have to pay a greater price.
Although the conditions proposed by Foch were extremely harsh, Ozberg still signed the temporary armistice agreement. However, Ozberg was assassinated shortly after returning to Germany. The assassin believed that Ozberg had betrayed Germany.
In any case, the fighting on the Western Front was temporarily suspended, and it looked like peace was on the way.
Within the next week, both Winston and Woodrow Wilson came to Paris to prepare for the Paris Peace Conference to be held in Paris. France sent invitations to all participating countries, but the real decision-making power must be in the hands of a few people.
inside.
After meeting Winston, Rock made it clear to Winston that the Southern African Expeditionary Force should be withdrawn to southern Africa in batches.
"Are you so anxious? I thought you wanted to experience the occupation army in Germany." Winston didn't care, the world war was about to end, and the British troops recruited from the colonies and overseas territories would all return in batches, not only
In southern Africa, the Anzac Corps and the Canadian Corps are also returning in batches. The Indian Corps is the first to leave and has already received orders to prepare to leave the UK and return to India.
Winston's tolerance for the Indian Army has reached its limit. There are now 1.2 million Indian troops in France. The role played by the Indian troops is not even as good as that of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, which has only 210,000 people. However, the consumption of materials by the Indian troops is
But it is about ten times that of the Anzac Corps.
This is still the result of Roark's strict control. If it were not for Roark's strict control, the Indian army's demand for supplies would have soared. In the words of Sidney Milner, who is in charge of logistics: Every Indian has an unfathomable
With their appetites, they can always eat the most food at the fastest speed in the shortest time, and then digest all the food in the shortest time.
It’s simply a bottomless pit!
"Okay, I plan to withdraw the professional army and conscripts first, and the African division can stay in Germany and continue to perform tasks." Rock is still determined to reduce the African population, especially those Africans who participated in the World War in Europe.
, if they are allowed to return to southern Africa, then some uncontrollable unexpected situations may occur.
In any case, these African troops were also part of the British Expeditionary Force. These Africans enjoyed the treatment that normal people should enjoy in Europe. They defeated the troops composed entirely of white people and saw the weakest and most miserable side of white people.
, so after these African troops return to southern Africa, it will be difficult for them to accept the status of Africans in southern Africa.
Roque means to keep these African troops in Europe to harm the Europeans. If that doesn't work, then Roque will throw these Africans into the Kingdom of Congo or the Congo Free State. Roque will definitely not let them return to southern Africa anyway.
This was originally part of Rock's plan.
"You seem to be very prejudiced against Africans!" Winston looked at Rock with a mocking look.
Rock was simply surprised that you, a colonial leader and a racist, had the nerve to laugh at Rock for his prejudice against Africans!
See you soon!
"If you like, you can leave those Africans in the UK. They are all elite troops who have experienced war. Believe me, they are definitely more useful than the Indians." Roark had no bad intentions and quietly sent a message to Winston.
Dig a hole.
"Humph, although I don't know why, I know there must be a reason for you to do this, so don't even think about it. You can go to President Poengale. President Poengale must like those Africans very much.
." Winston is not stupid. Although those Africans now seem to be honest and hardworking, but Roque doesn't like them, then Roque must be right.
Although Winston does not like India, the British Empire still has the confidence in human resources from India, so Winston has the confidence to reject Africans.
Compared with the UK, France has no choice in this regard.
The world war caused 200 billion francs in losses to France. About 10,000 companies were damaged and lost, and 900,000 houses were turned into rubble or unusable. France originally hoped to recover its losses through compensation from Germany, but now Germany has also been
After being beaten into ruins, there would definitely be no money to compensate the French, so the problem faced by France was far more serious than that of Britain.
Before the outbreak of the World War, France had a population of 41.6 million. During the entire World War, millions of people were injured in France, 1.6 million were killed, and millions more were left homeless.
The world war caused France to lose an entire generation. In another time and space, in 1936, on the eve of the outbreak of World War II, France had only a population of 41.9 million, which was only 300,000 more than in 1913.
For a country with a population of 40 million, the population only increased by 300,000 in 23 years. What happened in France during this period?
Poengale has now begun to immigrate from Africa to supplement France's population decline caused by the world war. Don't forget that the 1.4 million people who died in France were all adult males with childbearing potential.
So if Roque goes to find Paengale, then maybe Paengale will really be willing to accept it.
Although Poengale is not stupid, France has no choice.
This is the special historical environment in a special period.