Missellier said that he had asked de Gaulle to reply as soon as possible, and that if de Gaulle rejected the proposal, he would inform the British government that he and his fleet had completed combat deployment and were ready to go to war – but not as a force commanded by General de Gaulle! After lunch, the conspirators returned to Missellier's apartment to draw up a decree detailing the plan, which was intended to be submitted to de Gaulle for signature and "approval by His Majesty's Government."

Naris's voice was unhurried, and he said everything he knew.

De Gaulle, who had already received the truth of all the talks and had insight into the attitude of the British, had already made up his mind. He ignored Misselier's "note" and "draft decree" and instead carefully plotted his next move at Carlton Garden. Misellier was so impatient that on the third night he could not bear it any longer, so he invited Rabat to meet de Gaulle. De Gaulle told them pleasantly that there was no problem in establishing a committee, which would be chaired by himself. The general welcomed Missellier and Rabat to the committee, but flatly refused to allow Molay to replace Passy. Missellier and Rabat immediately stated that they could not accept the option of De Gaulle continuing to be in charge and Passi being in charge of intelligence and that they refused to join the committee.

The unconscious Miscellier thought that this would force de Gaulle to back down. The next morning, he called Deschamps, who was in charge of the political cabinet, and asked if the general had changed his mind. Deschamps replied that the general was in fact preparing to announce the list of appointments to the National Council, which did not include either Misseri nor Molay and Rabat. Miserier was furious and said: In that case. The Navy "will come out on its own and continue to fight"! Then he informed the British Admiralty that he was ready to hand over his fleet to them.

De Gaulle was furious when he learned that Miscellier had gone further and further down the divisive path. Nevertheless, however, he gave Misserier an ultimatum of righteousness: "You have informed me of your decision to break with the Free France, that you and the Navy are abusing the military command conferred on you, and it is intolerable that you are abusing the military command conferred on you by doing so, and I give you 24 hours to consider it in order to regain your sanity and perform your duties." Otherwise, I will take all necessary measures to ensure that you do not cause harm. And make your deeds public, that is, you will be spurned by the people. I must also inform you that I am sure that I will have the support of our British allies, who will recognize me as the leader of Free France. “

Then. De Gaulle met with Churchill at 1 p.m. to report on the situation. Churchill was taken aback, because the matter had come to this point, and it was obvious that it had seriously jeopardized the common interests of Britain and France!

That same evening. The British Cabinet held urgent consultations. Decided to do its best to mediate. Eventually, Missellier had to give in, and de Gaulle accepted him into the newly formed Council of Nine, because "he was undoubtedly a naval officer of par excellence, and was still able to serve Free France in his post!" ”

"General de Gaulle's success in defusing this crisis with my intelligence, but he soon ushered in the third Miserier crisis," Naris, sneering, continued:

"The severity of this incident, if I hadn't reported it to General de Gaulle, maybe General de Gaulle would have resigned by now"

Menzies nodded silently. Yes, the third event brought the Anglo-French alliance almost to the point of a complete rupture. Even, this has involved the United States and completely disrupted the overall plan of the British government

On the coast of Newfoundland in North America, there are two small French islands: Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and the more than 5,000 inhabitants of the islands have no good opinion of the Vichy government. But the Vichy government had a powerful radio station on the island, which they used to broadcast propaganda to the United States and also to inform German submarines of the location of Allied fleets sailing in the Atlantic. Therefore, these two inconspicuous islands occupy a very important strategic position. The United States and Canada have long wanted to control it, but they have been hindered by the old Pétain's affection. Since the surrender of France, President Roosevelt, Secretary of State Hull, and Undersecretary of State Wells have spared no effort to maintain close relations with the Vichy government in Petain, hoping to encourage the elderly marshal to hold his head up, not to hand over the French fleet to the Germans, and to one day persuade and lead North Africa to take up arms against the Germans.

De Gaulle had long wanted to recover the two islands, but this had to be agreed upon by the United States and Canada. When de Gaulle presented his message to British Foreign Secretary Anthony . When Aiden informed him of his intention to do so in the fall of 1941, Aiden explained the above problem to him. Getting permission from Canada is a no-brainer, but getting the consent of the United States is another matter entirely.

Since the outbreak of the war, de Gaulle has always had great confidence in the United States. Like Churchill, he was convinced that the United States would eventually enter the war, and that its involvement would be decisive. Unlike Churchill, he hoped to use the United States as a counterweight to British influence on France. To this end, he sent several missions to Washington, D.C., repeatedly offered to cooperate with the US State Department, and even agreed to allow the US military to make full use of the Free French naval bases in Africa. However, the United States did not react.

In President Roosevelt's view, de Gaulle was "merely a French general." And the French generals, since the French signed the surrender on June 22, 1940, have lost their former honor and brilliance.

As for Charles de Gaulle, the particular French brigadier general, according to the report provided by Admiral Lehi, the American representative to Vichy France, who was deeply influenced by Petain, he was not only a "traitor to France", but also a "puppet of England", and even had fascist dictatorial tendencies; In addition, the defeat of the Dakar is enough to show that he will not be able to make it. Thus, the Roosevelt administration had been currying favor with the Vichy regime with futile, but admirable, patience, and was not willing to pay any attention to de Gaulle.

They categorically disagreed with de Gaulle's action against Saint-Pierre and Miquelon; On the other hand, it is intended that "Canada will send personnel to manage the radio stations on the island". In this way, a military plan has become a question of foreign interference in French territory. This, of course, cannot be tolerated by the interests of the French nation.

Thereupon. In early December, de Gaulle ordered Admiral Miscellier to go to Canada to inspect the Free French naval forces stationed there. On Christmas Eve, he categorically ordered Missellier to capture the two islands at once.

Roosevelt and Churchill didn't pay much attention to it at first, but Secretary of State Hull did not. "Although these two islands are relatively unimportant. But their forcible occupation by force by the Free French caused us great trouble, which could seriously affect our relations with the government of Marshal Pétain. ”

He issued a communiqué to express his indignation: "The preliminary reports we have received indicate that the landing of the warships of the so-called Free French on the island of Saint-Pierre was an arbitrary action, which violated the agreements of the parties concerned, without prior notice or consent from the United States. The United States Government has asked what steps the Government of Canada intends to take to restore the status quo on the island. ”

But the Canadian government's response was: "Canadians are pleased with de Gaulle's actions. American public opinion also very much appreciated this action and expressed great indignation at the statement made by Hull about the "so-called Free Frenchman", and countless sarcastic and insulting letters from the "so-called Secretary of State" and "the so-called State Department" flew to his desk. Hull was unwilling to give up, and he tried to persuade Churchill to support him in forcing de Gaulle to withdraw from the island. Churchill, however, dismissed "Mr. Hull as a complete fuss", for the British Foreign Office had sent a telegram stating that any attempt to force de Gaulle to evacuate would "inevitably cause an unbelievable upheaval." We will not be able to explain it to the public".

De Gaulle also sent a telegram to Churchill, clearly stating that "the current different attitude of the US State Department towards the Free France and the Vichy regime will greatly damage the fighting spirit of France and elsewhere, and that the public expression of this preference by the US Government towards those responsible for surrender and those guilty of collaborating with the enemy will create a regrettable impression on public opinion in the Free French troops and territories and in the occupied areas". Therefore. Churchill not only did not support Hull in persecuting de Gaulle. Instead, at a joint meeting the next day, they condemned the capitulated Vichy regime and defended de Gaulle.

But Secretary of State Hull is equally stubborn. He first drafted a face-saving statement, and after Churchill refused to sign it, he drew up a new draft agreement, proposing that all armed forces be withdrawn from the island, which would be jointly administered by the United States, Britain, and Canada, and threatening Roosevelt that he would resign if the president did not give him more resolute support in this matter.

Roosevelt was helpless. He had to persuade Churchill to put pressure on de Gaulle and hint that he would not hesitate to use force. Churchill was rather embarrassed. He had to force de Gaulle to accept Hull's plan, and he could not pull this face himself, so he had to urge Foreign Secretary Aiden to act as an intermediary again.

Now that things have come to this point, de Gaulle, of course, can't buy anyone's face. He thinks that a person may have friends, but a nation cannot have friends! And he is already the protector of the interests of the nation. Therefore, he must not compromise.

Aiden hinted: "The United States is thinking about sending a cruiser and two destroyers to the island of Saint-Pierre, what will you do then?" ”

De Gaulle replied: "He will be very happy that the warships of the Allied powers will be anchored outside the territorial waters of the island, and that the American admiral will come to the island to have lunch with Missellier." ”

Aiden asked, "But what if the American cruiser sails into French territorial waters?" ”

De Gaulle replied coldly: "Our men will tell them to stop advancing, as is customary!" ”

Aiden asked, "What if they still drive forward?" ”

De Gaulle still said quietly: "Then the most regrettable thing will happen, because then our men will have to open fire!" ”

This uncompromising attitude made Chancellor Eden's lobbyist unbearable, and he had to go back and report truthfully to Churchill. Churchill was even more torn. Objectively speaking, the United States is indeed the backbone and backing of the Allied forces with its abundant resources, abundant economic strength, and advanced science and technology, and he really cannot be offended. He again persuaded de Gaulle to give in, citing himself as an example: "Look how I can bend and stretch and turn around!" ”

De Gaulle replied flatly: "You can do that, I can't do it!" Because you are on the basis of a solid state, with a united nation, a united empire, a huge army. But what about me! Where are my resources? But I, you know. I am responsible for the interests and destiny of France. This burden is too heavy. I don't have the conditions to bow my head, and the environment doesn't allow me to bow my head! ”

This was De Gaulle's bitterness, and it is also true. Churchill, of course, could no longer press de Gaulle. Thereupon. This seasoned diplomat once again displayed his superb diplomatic genius and mediated in many ways, and finally the matter dragged on for more than a month, and the excitement on both sides gradually cooled, and finally acquiesced in the reality of the two islands.

Unexpectedly, the admiral Miselier, who was not willing to be lonely, inexplicably provoked the incident and quickly expanded the situation into a political crisis between Britain and France.

He returned to England on 28 February, where de Gaulle welcomed him as a triumphant hero. He was immediately asked to lead a new combat operation, but Missellier uncharacteristically accused de Gaulle in public of damaging his relations with the Americans during the incident between the islands and angrily denounced de Gaulle's "dictatorial tendencies"; Three days passed. He went so far as to announce his resignation from the National Committee, to the astonishment of all his colleagues. When de Gaulle accepted his resignation, he declared that he would remain as commander-in-chief of the Free French navy; And this time, in addition to Molay, Rabat and others, he also had the full support of the British Admiralty Minister Alexander. What's more. All members of the wartime cabinet echoed Alexander. They even passed a resolution: "We must insist that Admiral Misserier remain in the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Free French Navy; If General de Gaulle does not agree with this opinion, we will have to take the necessary measures to give effect to this opinion. ”

In this way, an internal contradiction in Free France turned into an Anglo-French quarrel. Anthony. Aiden, a veteran of the first two Misserier incidents, was again called in to convey the cabinet's position to de Gaulle. But de Gaulle's intransigent intransigence hit him in the nail again. De Gaulle said that "he does not know whether the Minister of State is aware of the gravity of the situation" and that "as the leader of the Free French movement, he cannot allow his position to be shaken by the conspiracy of Miselier!" ”

Aiden asked him what he would do with the admiral, and de Gaulle said he would advise Miserier to "rest". Aiden advised the general to consider 48 hours before replying, which added fuel to the fire of de Gaulle. As soon as he returned, he convened a meeting of the National Council and decided to order Misserier to take a 30-day leave. During this period, he was not allowed to appear at the command of the Navy. The admiral was annoyed and refused to obey. He was sentenced to 30 days of house arrest. In accordance with the Anglo-French Judicial Agreement, de Gaulle also demanded that His Majesty's Government guarantee that the punishment would be enforced. The British Cabinet was so embarrassed that he would not reply, and de Gaulle ordered the cessation of all dealings with the British Government, and on March 18 he retired to the countryside.

Now the British cabinet had to give in again. For since de Gaulle's famous "June 18" speech, he has in fact become the spiritual leader of the resistance of all France, and the subsequent arduous efforts have enabled him to consolidate his position in Free France, which no one can replace. The Admiralty Chancellor was forced to make a compromise.

On 23 March, they informed de Gaulle that the British Government would no longer insist on the original opinion and had pledged not to allow the admiral to have any contact with the Free French naval personnel for 30 days

Since then, Misserier has disappeared from the political scene.

Although the US and British governments were forced to make compromises in this incident, they lost face and even met with countless domestic criticisms, while de Gaulle greatly enhanced his international prestige with the help of these three incidents.

However, no one expected that in the three "Misserier incidents", de Gaulle would have relied on Naris to completely grasp the attitude of the United States and Britain, so that he could fully put himself in the most advantageous position.

"Colonel, you can think about it." Naris's voice was not loud, but it was enough for Menzies to hear clearly:

"Every step that the United States and Britain take, and when will attitudes change, will General de Gaulle know so clearly? Had I not reported this information to him in time, he would never have taken such a tough stance, and would have even had to threaten Britain with his resignation. Because in my intelligence analysis, as soon as de Gaulle threatened to resign, then the British government and Prime Minister Churchill himself would have to accept all the demands of General de Gaulle. And the same is true of the United States. ”

Menzies snorted.

Yes, in the three "Miscellier incidents", the British government has always been very confused about de Gaulle's attitude, and every step they took seemed to be known in advance.

At first they thought that something was wrong with them, but after careful examination, they found nothing, and at last they could only think that de Gaulle did indeed have an extraordinary talent for perceiving everything.

But now, with Naris's explanation, the truth is clear.

"Can you be responsible for all these things you say? Even in front of General de Gaulle? Menzies asked in the last round.

"I can." Naris sighed, "At this point, do I have any choice?" I don't have a second path to go other than to work with you. Rest assured, I know what to say when I meet General de Gaulle. ”

Menzies was slightly satisfied: "Then, we will take you to a safe place where you can rest for the time being." (To be continued......)