It is ironic that the "Toulon Raid" on the night of May 12, 1940, turned out to be the last shot of the Battle of France, a battle started by Germany and ended with a surprise attack by the British on France.

But from the early morning of May 13, the Franco-German war ended for a month and three days. The sound of gunfire, artillery and bomb explosions ceased to sound, and it seemed to many in Europe and around the world that the Second World War was coming to an end and that an era of peace was soon coming.

However, on May 15, he received a knight's iron cross, and officially became chief of the general staff, Hersmann (Marshal Hamestein, the hero of the conquest of France, had been ill and had requested to retire after the defeat of France, and had been approved by the emperor, and was given the title of marquis), not only was the Second World War still too early to end, but even the struggle between France and Germany had not really ended - only the struggle had been partially transferred from the battlefield to the negotiating table in Geneva.

"Ludwig, are you really going to Geneva for the peace conference?"

On the morning of the 15th, while Hessman was having breakfast at Tsosen's estate, his wife, Chloe, who was about to give birth, asked him a little strangely.

"Yes," Hersman looked at his wife apologetically, "and I may not be able to be with you when the child is born." ”

After officially becoming Chief of the General Staff, Hersmann became the head of the General Staff, handing over the business of the General Staff to the Second Quartermaster General, General Manstein (Harder was promoted to First Quartermaster General). But he did not do his job properly and participated in the Geneva peace negotiations.

In fact, the Geneva Peace Conference itself was the result of Hersmann's all-out push – and if it had not been for his manipulation over the past decade or so, Germany, Italy, the Soviet Union, and Japan would have now withdrawn from the League of Nations. Naturally, there is no possibility of concluding a European peace treaty within the framework of the League of Nations.

And now, France, as a permanent member of the League of Nations, has been defeated and surrendered. Among the Seven Heroes of the League of Nations (Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and the Soviet Union), only Britain was still fighting against Germany, and the League of Nations was naturally a tool of Germany.

With such a tool as the League of Nations with its own righteous attributes, how could Hersman not use it?

"It doesn't matter," Chloe smiled, "it's not the first time I've had a baby, and you don't know how to do such a thing." ”

Chloe paused for a moment, "I'm just wondering, you are the chief of the general staff, shouldn't the leader and the foreign minister be in charge of the peace negotiations?" ”

Hersman shrugged and laughed, "But haven't I, a soldier, been doing diplomats' errands?" Ever since we went to Russia together to help Lenin seize power, I have been a political soldier. And I was the father of the European Community, and I went to Geneva to help give birth to this huge baby. That's what only I can do, so I have to go to Geneva. ”

According to Hersmann's vision, the Geneva Peace Conference was to resolve more than just the Franco-German Peace Treaty. It would also be necessary to use the League of Nations resolution to repudiate a series of treaties derived from the Paris Peace Conference, in order to find an international legal basis for the restoration of the original international order in the Balkans for the most part, and finally to move the European Community from a vision to a reality.

……

"Prime Minister, I think we have to leave the League of Nations."

In the cabinet room at 10 Downing Street, Winston Churchill is gathering his cabinet members to study issues related to the Geneva Peace Conference. At the very beginning of the meeting, Viscount Halifax, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, put forward a proposal to "withdraw from the League of Nations".

"Exit the League of Nations?" Winston. Churchill smiled, "Why should we quit?" ”

"It is obvious," said Viscount Halifax, "that we cannot recognize the French government in Tours, the Belgian government in Brussels, and the Polish government in Warsaw. But they all have representatives at the Palais des Nations in Geneva! ”

It cannot be recognized that these three governments can represent France, Belgium and Poland for sure! Not only because Britain now supported the Free French movement, the Belgian government-in-exile, and the Polish government-in-exile, but also because Britain sent planes to bomb the French High Seas Fleet in Toulon on May 12.

This is a total act of war! And it was an act of war without the authorization of the British Parliament! If Britain continues to recognize that Pétain's government represents France, then there is no doubt that these men in Churchill's cabinet are guilty of rebellion and should be arrested by Scotland Yard, rather than sitting here to decide the fate of the British Empire.

"But that is not a reason for us to withdraw from the League of Nations," Churchill said with a smile, "and it is the representatives of the illegitimate French, Belgian and Polish governments who should withdraw." ”

"But how are we going to get them out?" Viscount Halifax shrugged his shoulders and said helplessly, "Switzerland is surrounded by German and Italian troops." ”

"That's not right!" Churchill had already pulled out a cigar and lit a fire as he said, "The headquarters of the League of Nations is under the threat of force from Germany and Italy, which will seriously affect the supra-sovereign status of the League of Nations." The headquarters of the League of Nations should be moved to a safe area away from the threat of force from Germany and Italy. ”

The "safe zone" that Churchill referred to was preferred by Canada, but also the United States...... If the United States is willing to abandon isolationism and join the League of Nations.

"Mr. Prime Minister," Halifax asked thoughtfully, "I suppose you must mean another League of Nations, right?" ”

"Not a separate one," Churchill corrected, "but a restoration of the legitimacy of the League of Nations." ”

Viscount Halifax asked: "Then who will join this League of Nations that has restored its legitimacy?" ”

"Peace-loving and right-believing nations of the world will join." Churchill took a cigarette in his mouth and folded his short, thick fingers, and said, "Free France, the Belgian government-in-exile, the Luxembourg government-in-exile, the Polish government-in-exile, the Czechoslovak government-in-exile, the Republic of Iceland, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and the governments of all the countries that are part of the British Commonwealth, and the countries that are willing to maintain good relations with Great Britain and the United States, will join this truly just League of Nations." ”

He pondered for a moment, "We should unite as soon as possible with some countries willing to re-establish the League of Nations and jointly announce a statement denying the legitimacy of the illegal Geneva puppet League of Nations held by Germany."

In addition, the various international tribunals and arbitration tribunals established in The Hague of the Netherlands should also be moved away from the German threat as soon as possible, so as to ensure that the system of international law is not controlled by Germany. ”

"But there are still many nations in the world......," asked Viscount Halifax hesitantly, "what shall we do if all nations are unwilling to join the legitimate League of Nations?" ”

This is a question, League of Nations, it can't be a Commonwealth country except for the government-in-exile, right?

"Many nations will join," Churchill said lightly, taking a puff on his cigarette, "and as long as the British Empire rules the seas, many nations will follow us." And the United States will support us on this issue, I am completely sure of that. ”

"Mr. Prime Minister," Viscount Halifax finally asked, "should the Soviet Union and Japan be included among those countries that follow us?" ”

Hearing about the Soviet Union and Japan, even Churchill's coarse nerves couldn't help but have a headache. Not so long ago, Britain instructed France to bomb the Batumi oil refinery in the USSR! Now they are clamoring every day for France and Britain to compensate the Soviet Union for all its losses......

Japan, on the other hand, began its attack on French Indochina on May 13, and also called the invasion liberation.

Although Germany and the Soviet Union had long issued the Declaration of the Liberators, they only shouted slogans and did not really liberate anyone. Japan, on the other hand, is practicing this "Liberator's Declaration", and the "liberation" of French Indochina is likely to be the first domino to fall.

If they acquiesced in their invasion of French Indochina in order to win Japan into the "League of Nations," then separatism in Burma, Malaya, India, and the Dutch East Indies could be encouraged.

Churchill thought for a moment, and then said to Viscount Halifax: "Viscount, it is necessary for you to make a round-the-world trip, the first stop is the United States, then Japan and the Soviet Union...... I believe that Japan's demand for expansion should be met, but the direction of their expansion cannot be Southeast Asia. Similarly, the Soviet Union's sphere of influence and border security in the East had to be ensured so that they could safely advance westward and come into conflict with Germany.

Therefore, we and the United States must push Japan to retreat from French Indochina and then move westward. At the same time, it led to the division of spheres of influence between the Soviet Union and Japan on the East Asian continent. At the same time, both the Soviet Union and Japan should boycott the Geneva Peace Conference. ”

……

"Comrade General Secretary, German leader Adolf Hitler said yesterday to Comrade Kollentai that the question of French reparations to the Soviet Union could be discussed at the Geneva Peace Conference. At the same time, Germany also considered the Treaty of Bessarabia to be illegal, but the current situation in the Bessarabian region must also be taken into account, preferably resolved through friendly negotiations between the Soviet Union and Romania. Hitler took the same position on the Finnish question.

In addition, Hitler hoped that we would sign a "non-aggression pact" with Japan and ensure that their traditional interests on the East Asian continent would not be violated......"

Just as Churchill was preparing to send his foreign minister to visit the Soviet Union, Stalin, the father of the Soviet Union, was listening to Molotov's report on the latest developments in diplomatic work in the Kremlin.

At present, the focus of the Soviet Union's foreign work is three: 1. Victorious end to the Soviet-Finnish war; Two. recovery of the Bessarabia region; Three. The signing of the "Non-Aggression Agreement" with Japan -- Of course, it was not signed on the premise of sitting back and watching Japan's large-scale westward expansion, and the purpose of signing the treaty with Japan was not to fight Germany in the west, but to expand in the direction of the Balkans and the Middle East...... (To be continued.) )