France under chaos and anarchy after the German invasion of Belgium faces a coup d'état from the communist leader Maurice Thorez, the 25th of May 1940. The French president Edouard Dalladier is shot by the insurgents, his head is paraded through Paris, in this way avenging their comrades killed and imprisoned under the great anti-communist repression perpetrated during the "drôle de guerre" period (when the French knew the Soviet treason and alliance with the Nazis, the Communists were declared ennemy of the State).
Maurice Thorez, new leader of the French Government:
Paris is taken by the new communards and the Red flag flies on the top of the Eiffel Tower!
Communard insurgent
A young military leader known as the Colonel Fabien, is appointed general in chief of the Armies which already sworn allegiance to the new Communist government.
The Communists represented a solid political force, as most of the French working class were affiliated to the PCF, picture during the Front Populaire of 1936
This unexpected event is destabilizing the geopolitical situation of Europe:
- the 26th of May, Great Britain revokes its alliance with France, and evacuates the BEF.
- USSR leaders are torn by two opposed feelings: the news of a new socialist state such as France are very good news, furthermore Maurice Thorez is a close friend of Stalin. However, the current alliance and current Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact does not allow the Soviets to directly help their French comrades. The Soviets send secretly some military advisors and supplies to France.
- Germany advances are made even easier as the French Army has no longer leadership, generals such as De Gaulle are fleeing France to London, some right wings affiliated generals as Marshal Pétain create a battalion of anti-communists. As during the first French revolution of 1789, France faces a civil war and at the same time an invasion from outside.
- The US temporarly stops their diplomatic relations with France.
- Spain under Franco, is clearly worried by the current political situation of France, which may ignite new republican/communist uprising. The Spanish army is gathering all across the Pyrenees.
- Italian socialists who have not been yet slaughtered by the Fascist regime have a renewed hope, some comandos are scuttling and bombing some strategic military places.
New political situation of Europe (excepting Spain which is Nationalist not Communist)
The new official French Flag, representing the blood shed by the population, the five-pointed red star representing the five fingers of the worker's hand, as well as the five continents. And the historical symbol of France: La Fleur-de-lys.
Edited 4/25/2015 11:15:18