French defeat 1940 (Corporal Parkinson Diary) (November 1940)

Bloody French. Army tried to fight, but that scandalous republic of theirs is so feeble they never had a chance. They hated each other more than they hated the Hun. Problem is now we are getting some of that blame. Montreal is not Paris. We are not French. We are Canadian. The French abandoned Canada 150 years ago. Our French Canadians are Canadian, and most of them don't even like the French. Problem is now we have to find a way to fight on without them. We can throw those damn so called Aryan supermen back into the sea if they try to take us on here. The fly boys are doing a good job. But how the hell are we going to take the war back to them? They finally got the message back home. Big influx of volunteers, big expansion of all three services. Seems we are now to have at least two more Canadian divisions come over. Good thing. The Brits got a bashing; we need more Canadians over here. Even that dolt Mackenzie King gets that. But we will never be enough. If we don't get the Yanks into this, I wonder how we will ever win this war. And we might be stuck on this damp ugly island forever, with warm beer, cold women, and no hockey. All the boys think the same way.

Aldershot, 8 November 1940

Newsreel (September 1940)

Battle of Britain (September 1940)

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister of Britain

Date: 15th September 1940

Finally, the day has arrived! At 4 p.m. today, a time when most British are settling down for their afternoon tea, news broke that the Battle of Britain was won! And as this news came as a surprise to many, it was received by most of us especially the RAF, as a relief. Just yesterday, did Hitler announce that due to the Luftwaffe’s exemplary performance, victory for the Germans would be achieved in a few days! Such arrogance! Hitler will finally be forced to acknowledge that the Royal Air Force is much more superior to his beloved Luftwaffe and that he has underestimated us for far too long.

Yesterday, the Luftwaffe launched two heavy attacks on London and earlier today, air raids had been carried out and this culminated to the climax of daylight battles on London. This was mostly expected as the Germans were bound to take advantage of the improvement of the weather today. Knowing this, I decided to make a trip down to the Group 11 Fighter headquarters, in Uxbridge, in hope of witnessing, the conduct of an air-battle, first-hand.

The tense, stressful and urgent atmosphere was unforgettable. Air Vice-Marshal Park was present and we owe much to him and Dowding, both of whom have been working, strategizing and planning ceaselessly even before the war started. Without their hard work and direction, and of course the efforts and sacrifices of all the RAF pilots, the future of Britain would be unimaginable.

The speed at which the observers with their field glasses and portable telephones, carrying the precious information about the enemy planes flying overhead to us. Suddenly, the display indicating the number of enemy planes entering British airspace started flashing with the numbers constantly increasing! Our squadrons were dispatched in quick succession. But the German planes kept coming in new waves and all our planes were already in combat or refueling. It was therefore one of our principal objectives to direct our squadrons so as not to have too many on the ground refueling or rearming simultaneously during daylight. The situation was very tense and everyone in the room seemed to be sitting on a thread. The odds were great, our margins small, and the stakes infinite. It seemed to be, at that moment, that the fate of Britain could go either way.

Park notified me that our defenses had been compromise and German bombers continued infiltrating London, although several had been shot down. Later that day, my heart sank, when John Martin, my Principal Private Secretary notified me that delays had occurred in various undertakings elsewhere and that there had been disastrous results in the Atlantic. However, he added, the RAF had managed to shoot down 183 German planes for a loss of less than forty, and my heart soared. Never had I felt so relieved, overwhelmed yet at the same time bursting with pride at the resilience and bravery of the British!

Now, we will have to wait and see what Hitler’s next choice of action will be and I have no doubt that we will be able to counter his advances!

Battle of Britain (September 1940)

German Luftwaffe Junker Ju-87 Pilot

15^th September 1940

Attacks were concentrated on the East of London, so that we were able to target a large population so that the panic that would ensue would cause the British government to rethink their position in this Battle. We have received reports by the Propaganda Ministry that England has become a blazing metropolis. We bombarded London with a huge formation of nearly 1000 aircraft and caught the RAF unaware. Only after the main force had bombed London, did the RAF pull the full strength of the Fighter Command into action. We had managed to plan counter-attacks for each type of British attack and have chosen to fly at around 16 000-20 000 feet so that our movements are unnoticeable from the ground. However, the weather changed for the worse, and it got increasingly harder for us, pilots, to keep our morale up, although the bad weather acted as a cover for our daylight raids.

It was difficult to predict the condition and strength of the RAF Fighter Command. Just when we had completed an unintercepted air raid and were led to believe that the Fighter Command had been successfully wiped out, we would encounter yet another huge formation on the next raid. Our Intelligence Officers had reiterated that the Fighter Command was on the brink of extinction, but yet, it seemed to revive continuously. The never-ending last fifty Spitfires of the RAF.

On the 15^th, Kesselring sent 400 fighters, for a high-altitude sweep ahead of the bombers, and served as a bluff. However, when we were up there, we came face to face with a huge RAF formation that confirmed my suspicions that the RAF was far from destroyed. Alas, our hope of securing dominance over Britain had failed and it seems that Operation Sea Lion would have to be postponed until the situation is ideal for a navy invasion into Britain.

It is a relief though, that at last, the Luftwaffe is able to take a breather. In due course, we will be employed and will serve Germany and the Fuhrer!

Battle of Britain (September 1940)

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister of Britain, 

Date: 11th September 1940

Since the 7th, the German attacks have been centered on London, first by daylight and now, by night. It seems that Hitler has been angered enough to reverse his initial order forbidding raids on London. He announced, “Since the British attack our cities, we shall wipe out theirs.” The RAF raids on Berlin must have threatened him. His empty promises to the German people that “no enemy bomber would darken their skies”, yet we have successfully bombed Berlin, the very heart of Germany, even though the flight there is five times the distance German pilots have to fly from France or Belgium to London. Such is the supremacy of the RAF! 

Invasion is imminent, but I have full confidence in the RAF. It is the strongest it has ever been and is equipped with modern technology that will lead us to victory. The efforts of the Air Raid Precaution services of London are commendable, particularly the Fire Brigade, whose task is so dangerous.

Everyone in Britain, every man and every woman, is dedicated to our cause. With utmost confidence and devout I say: Let God defend the Right. More men have come forward to volunteer with the military and even women are also playing a huge role. The whole nation has rallied together to face this threat. Road signs, anything that might provide the enemy with directions if he landed, are being torn down and thousands of motorists have parked their cars haphazardly over fields to deter German troop-carrying aircraft from landing. Though many may not have in expertise or training, what we have is sheer determination and will. The spirit of defiance!

As I have declared,” We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

Hitler has underestimated our capabilities. He has underestimated the Royal Air Force. He has underestimated the Home Guard. And most unfortunately for him, he has underestimated the spirit of the British nation and the resilience of our people! We will derive inspiration and the means of survival from this suffering, and victory shall be achieved, not only for this generation, but also for the next and many more to come.

Battle of Britain (September 1940)

Hugh Dowding

RAF: Commander in Chief of Fighter Command

6^th September 1940

The Critical Period is upon us. Attacks have been raining down upon Group 11 airfields and nonstop air activity along Britain’s coastline has led to confusion over the formations of the German airplanes and the inability of the RAF to counter these attacks.

Rivalries between leadership within different groups in the RAF, has caused friction in the course of defending airfields. The airfield in Debden, Essex was left undefended and the pushing of blame ensued. The conflicts between Park and Leigh-Mallory, commander of Group 12, meant that no help was given to the airfields that Park was designated to defend.

Fighter Command is so close to destruction. The sector airfields of Group 11 are the only ones that are send orders from sector controllers to the fighters in the air, as the rest do not have the Operations Room, which is necessary for this.

A bomb was dropped on London on the 25^th and Churchill instructed a raid on Berlin to be carried out immediately. The Bomber Command now has their hands full with carrying out raids on German cities. I wonder if this will infuriate Hitler enough to increase the attacks on Britain, or even launch a full-blown raid on London.

On a brighter note however, Park’s strategy of allowing the German fighters to fly unchallenged over English skies has been rather successful. We have managed to preserve our Spitfires and Hurricanes, while the Germans are losing many aircraft and pilots. I simply cannot comprehend the rivalry between Park and Leigh-Mallory! Their selfishness has resulted in the destruction of Kenley and Biggin Hill airfields, when Leigh-Mallory’s Group 12 fighters let a Staffel of Junkers Ju 88s through. The next raid rendered our radar stations in the area, ineffective, as it hit our precious electricity supply. Unfortunately, raids have been ceaseless since then.

1^st September: I started to realize that I could no longer rotate my squadrons, as they were not getting sufficient time to rest and to be refitted, before being brought south to join the 11 Group. In a desperate bid to gather enough planes and pilots, the squadrons in the quieter parts of Britain will be prepared and trained to supplement the 11 Group.

German attacks have been ceaseless and I hope that we will have enough trained pilots, aircrafts and workable airfields to pull through. Only two airfields have been undamaged thus far, Tangmere and Kenley, and this has jeopardized the efficiency of the radar system. Morale is also low, with some pilots even refusing to intercept bombers unless they are able to reach a certain altitude, as they know that it would be suicide. In the past 2 weeks, I have lost a quarter of my pilots and if the situation continues, we may not be able to postpone the imminent German invasion to 1941.

Battle of Britain (September 1940)

Hugh Dowding

RAF: Commander in Chief of Fighter Command

5^th September 1940

The daylight bombings have centered on London. Hitler has officially announced that terror raids on central London could begin. Goring had just announced over the radio that he has taken command of the Luftwaffe’s battle for Britain. He speaks too highly of himself! One man alone will not orchestrate the outcome of the Battle of Britain!

I had not been aware of this intended assault prior to arriving at the Fighter Command HQ. Leigh-Mallory’s unilateral behavior also seriously impeded the cooperation between the Groups. This is extremely infuriating as 11 Group sometimes had to stand by and watch the Germans evade the big-wings with no way of helping the interception except by sending messages through Fighter Command. This added to the confusion and panic due to the bombing of London when the Luftwaffe decided to test its new 3600 lb H.E. bomb. What’s more, four Germans landing ashore on a rowing boat, prompted the Joint Intelligence Committee to declare that a German invasion was imminent! What a bunch of imbeciles!! The whole system was in chaos and London was burning to the ground.

13^th September: Leigh-Mallory’s erratic behavior continues and I can only rely on Park’s sensibility to execute appropriate actions and strategies. Our storage units are at an all time low, with only 80 Hurricanes and 47 Spitfires available. It was up to Park and I to plan the number of aircraft and at which juncture should they enter the battle.

15^th September: Daylight battles today are more intense that ever before. A collection of sources, known as the Y service, has notified us of a two-wave attack from the Germans. The onus is on Park to get his squadrons refueled and replenished as fast as possible in order to engage in the follow-up attack. Furthermore, the Germans have chosen this time to experiment with new formations that are flying higher and this has caused us to figure out new strategies to counter these attacks. Could it be that they have figured out that the radar cannot detect planes above 20 000 feet?

That stubborn and selfish Leigh-Mallory once again refuses to follow orders and participate in my strategy, letting his planes fly south as far as London while leaving London completely vulnerable from the North. If we lose this battle, he will pay the price! Who does he think he is, that he can toy with the sovereignty of our country and the lives of the British!

Despite this, certain squadron leaders have had the sense to ignore Leigh-Mallory’s ridiculous big-wing theory and take a more sensible course of action. I sense that the RAF may be near victory, but the Fighter Command has been badly damaged and the pilots’ morale is low, with some pilots heading back after seeing the Germans turn away.

Thankfully, we, the Fighter Command and RAF, have managed to remain intact and the Battle of Britain has been won! Germany would not be able to secure command of the air and so there will be no chance for them to launch a seaborne invasion into Britain.

Churchill’s message to me, “ … aided by Czech and Polish squadrons and using only a small proportion of their total strength, the Royal Air Force cut to rags and tatters separate waves of murderous upon the civil population of their native land.’ May this serve as a warning to Hitler that the RAF and Britain are not to be trifled with!

Winston Churchill (August 1940)

20th August 1940

Battle of Britain (August 1940)

German Luftwaffe Junker Ju-87 Pilot

18^th August 1940

Finally, Adlerangriff has arrived! In July, the Luftwaffe monitoring service and the German Post Office established listening units along the Channel Coast, and so have come to realize that the mysterious, 350 feet tall, masts along the English coast are the source of the radio activity along the area.

Our Commander has notified us, that these radio-telephone ground stations control the RAF bombers and so they can only fly within a certain perimeter of their respective stations. This is good news, as it means that the attacks we could expect to encounter would be limited to local fighters. General Martini, Chief of Luftwaffe Signals, has ordered attacks on those Funkstationen mit Sonderanlagen (Radio Stations with special installations), and the eve of Adlertag has been dedicated to the bombing of these radio stations. The success of this operation will act as further confirmation of General Martini’s prediction.

The newly formed Erpobungsgruppe 210, flight evaluation group, has been tasked to pinpoint bombing attack on the four radio stations. This new group is highly skilled and although I’ve heard that their original task was to evaluate the Messerschmitt Me 210A-O under battle conditions, they have been tasked to head this important operation. Their aircraft, the Bf110s showcased their fighter-bomber capabilities by attacking all four radio station targets. I simply cannot imagine being in their position! Having their task changed at the last minute, thankfully they seem to be well prepared enough!

Despite our efforts, reports that the British radio stations have not ceased their signals and none of the masts have been destroyed are causing us much worry. There is confusion among us, as there seems to be no clear target that must be destroyed at all costs. Initially it was the RAF fighter command, but the way to do so was also unconfirmed if it should be done by bombing, or by bringing its fighters to battle in the air. We do not have a comprehensive understanding of the RAF’s defensive system, and I fear that this may cost us victory in this Operation.

On the 15^th, 2 Staffeln of von Brauchitsch’s Ju-87s were assigned to dive-bomb the RAF airfield at Hawkinge and more were to attack Lympne. However, in the South but the Ju-87s are too vulnerable and despite the protection provided by the Bf 109s there have been serious casualties to our squadron.

The attacks on radio stations have been futile and I hope that Goring has a better strategy up his sleeve. Right now, the British seem to be too strong and their intelligence network too superior.

Battle of Britain (August 1940)

Hugh Dowding

RAF: Commander in Chief of Fighter Command, 

18^th August 1940

The 12^th of August 1940 was the eve of Aldertag, or Eagle Day. Prior to the 12^th, there had been reports from the RAF listening service that a combination of raids on the radar stations, was to be carried out by the German Luftwaffe. Also, these attacks were to be on a larger scale than before. I presume that this is because they have sensed the importance of these stations to our defense. I am much more confident in the RAF, as there have been 3 additional squadrons with 6 others under training, including 3 ‘foreign’ squadrons, two Polish and one Czech. Our rate of aircraft production is also significantly higher than Germany’s.

Despite this, we suffered heavy losses and damages to the radar stations. Thankfully, we managed to repair most of the damage and get the radar stations up and running in a few hours, and have caught the Germans by surprise. We shot down 31 German aircraft, but 22 RAF fighter planes were destroyed and 11 pilots killed. The poor weather conditions these past days have led to the delay of full-scale attacks by the Luftwaffe. All they have managed to do so far has barely scratched the surface. They are playing games with us and I believe that something is building up. 11 Group Commander Park agrees with me on this, and he has assured me that we shall regain full operational strength in 12 hours. Park and I aim to engage the enemy as soon as possible. I hope that this proves to the Germans that British resilience and capabilities should not be underestimated.

On the 15^th, the first bombs landed on London. Our 111 Squadron Hurricanes did not manage to stop the German Bf110s before they attacked. I pray that what happened during the French campaign does not repeat itself, and to do so, ill-chosen forays over Britain with fighters flying en masse must be avoided at all costs.

The Fighter Command, especially No 11 Group is currently under a lot of strain due to heavy attacks that have been launched. I am certain that maintaining squadrons in the North will be crucial in countering any German attack there. Thankfully, only temporary and minor damage has been done to the Chain Home Link radar stations and so our operations have not been hampered. Our heavy reliance on the radar system has brought us tremendous worry over possible destruction of the stations by German Luftwaffe.

Churchill has showed much interest in the air war and visited the Fighter Command Headquarters on the 15^th. It seems that my efforts thus far have been generally received, partly due to the success of the Dowding System. I hope that support of the Air Force continues and that discontent over my leadership will be quelled.

Battle of Britain (July 1940)

German Luftwaffe Junker Ju-87 Pilot

11^th July 1940

The attack on Britain has begun! The only country in all of Europe that is still resisting the Führer, will not survive for long. To Britain’s north and west is open sea and though it is still under the control of the Royal Navy, German submarines have successfully infiltrated the waters have already sunk many warships and merchantmen. To Britain’s Northeast, East and South are the newly occupied German territories of Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium and France.

I have flown in the first raids on Britain and the Junker Ju-87’s ability to attack in a near-vertical dive will terrorize Britain, just as it had in Rotterdam and Warsaw. The British possess no bomber of this caliber.

Furthermore, our pilots we much more experienced and we have no difficulty in attracting a steady stream of well-trained pilots. Göring has ensured this by intentionally arranging excellent salaries, uniforms and conditions for the Luftwaffe.

We are now awaiting the Führer’s command for the Luftwaffe to launch its major offensive. The coordination of the army, navy and Luftwaffe, must be underway. The Supreme Commander will orchestrate this so that the British will find themselves paralysed, unable to defend themselves against the combined prowess of German might.

The tactics that we are employing have been honed through years of experience and training and its unlikely that the RAF will be able to merely replicate them. The loose Schwarmen that is being used has destroyed RAF squadrons. It comprises of 2 pairs of pilots, with each pair comprising of a leader and his wingman. The wingmen are responsible for guarding the tail, while the leaders are better marksmen and more experienced pilots. Also, the ingenuity of the formation, that each aircraft is at a slightly different altitude, helps to reduce the risk of collision. The British will come to realize that German might and experience are not to be trifled with.

Battle of Britain (July 1940)

Hugh Dowding

RAF: Commander in Chief of Fighter Command

11^th July 1940

The Air Ministry is hounding me to retire and has proposed five different dates for my retirement. Instead of letting me concentrate on bringing my squadrons to battle readiness, the Chief of Air Staff prefers to focus on the specific date of my retirement. They claim that I have been too blunt and disrespectful. But why should I have to sugarcoat my critique to those lower in rank than me?

Sir Cyril Newall, Chief of Air Staff, reasons that he has no other choice, as he needs to provide a path of promotion for others. The correspondence over this issue has dragged on for far too long, and proves the Air Ministry’s determination in appointing a new leader for Fighter Command.

My reluctance to retire at this crucial point is because there does not seem to be anyone who shares my determination to retain the current level and even increase the Defense Forces of Britain. I do not wish to have to continue diverting my attention from the defense of Britain, as this will compromise both my future and Britain’s.

Shipping has been disrupted due to attacks on British coastal convoys and air battles over the Channels. The Germans, led by Oberst Fink, have been presumably ordered to try to cut off our supplies. However, I am now in a dilemma. On one hand, if the RAF were to send fighters up to protect the shipping, then they would be involved in a battle of attrition and be worn out before the Germans launch Adlerangriff. Conversely, if RAF does not send any fighters up, then numerous British ships will be sunk. On 8^th July, the Fighter Command had a total of 58 squadrons, but 8 are still non-operational. My main priority is to ensure that Fighter Command is not destroyed or paralysed as this would grant German planes unobstructed access. Also, the majority of the German Air Force, more than 1000 bombers and 400 fighters, are a direct threat to the No 11 Group, comprising of 12 Hurricanes, 6 Spitfires and 4 Blenheims squadrons; and 553 fighter pilots. If I were to engage squadrons from other groups, the security of other areas will be compromised. At this point, it is almost impossible to determine German objectives.

Radar is not advantageous to us at this point in time, as the German fleet is able to fly out of range. The German fleet had been expected to arrive from the coast and as such, most of the Chain Home stations are facing the sea, rendering them useless once the planes have crossed the coastline. Furthermore, it requires only 5 minutes for planes to cross the channel but takes 15 minutes for a Spitfire to climb high enough to fight them.

Thankfully, there has been an endless stream of solo German aircraft today, and we were able to send lone aircraft up to meet them.

Hopkins (June 1940)

Harry Lloyd Hopkins

25th June, 1940

France has fallen into the hands of Germany. The people here in the United States are appalled... The American government has been adopting a largely isolationist stance through Germany's march of conquest. However, I doubt this will last for long. As much as the citizens of the United States do not want to get involved in this war, we cannot possibly just sit back and watch as potentially more Western countries get engulfed by the power-hungry Hitler. We do not need to be actively or directly involved in the war at this stage... especially because we do not want to upset our citizens. This does not mean that we will do nothing at all about the situation. Need be, there will be an implementation of new financial programs to help the affected countries in the Western Hemisphere pick themselves up to fight well in the war.

The fall of France has witnessed the sheer humiliation of the French. Germany's success in military strategy and tactic that enabled the swift progress through the low countries in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg is indeed remarkable, albeit stunningly threatening, especially due to the ideological threat that it holds against the West. France has undeniably performed poorly in its defense against Germany's invasion. From the outside, it looks to me like it was a huge problem in the leadership and commands given in the internal dynamics of French military coordination... this is quite apparent from Gamelin's dismissal in the French military. There was indeed plenty of indecisiveness in commands that led to what seemed to be confusion when Germany unexpectedly used Ardennes as a passage way to France.

The biggest fear that has been derived from the fall of France is that Britain now stands alone against Germany. The United States will have to intervene to some extent to help Britain should the situation get worse.

Winston Churchill (June 1940)

18th June 1940

Gamelin (May 1940)

General Maurice Gamelin

Supreme commander of French land forces

13th May 1940

Today I learnt about the German penetration in the Ardennes, I cannot deny that I am shocked as never did I anticipate such an invasion route. This is especially unfortunate as there was indeed parliamentary and staff concern over the poor defences over at the Ardennes. However, the damage has been done.

I had come up with the concept of the continuous front which would prevent a repeat of what happened in August-September 1914 when the Germans broke through to the outskirts of Paris. In addition, the Maginot line will be further constructed along the Franco-Swiss border. Four years ago, I had overseen preparations for French defence on Belgian soil.

Previously, I had anticipated for a war off French soil. This was particularly due to the bloodbath we had experienced on our soil during World War 1. I had a preference for war in the East... using Austrian territory for the war would have definitely spared our French people from the nightmare we had gone through in World War 1. That was then.

Two days ago, I had dispatched the best of my army through northern Belgium to Breda in Holland..whilst the Germans have come directly to French soil through the Ardennes. Not all of my best troops have been stationed there of course... I have maintained a significantly large force behind the Maginot line to fight a potential Italo-German invasion through Switzerland outflanking the line. All this has proved to be invalidated. 

There are several reasons for the failure in my planning.. a primary reason would have to be my absence from what was really going on. Another reason would be the division of decisions and actions made by me and General Alphonse Georges which may indeed have brought about much confusion.

What we face today is largely my mistake- but it does not mean that we should back down. Every soldier who might not be able to advance must let himself be killed on the spot rather than abandon the portion of national soil which has been confided to him. Today, we must conquer or die.

Daladier (May 1940)

Édouard Daladier

May 10, 1940

On January 29th I delivered my radio address to the people of France entitled – ‘Nazi’s Aim is Slavery’. I cannot emphasize any further how it is our duty to fight the Nazis. We will definitely not go down without a fight. I have been true to this stance from the very start… throughout the Munich negotiations in 1938, I was never agreeable with Chamberlain’s insistence of appeasement as a solution to preserve peace. If not for the post WW1 traumatic drain and the unenthusiastic attitudes of the French military and civilians towards fighting the Nazis instead of just giving in…I would have never allowed Chamberlain to have his way and would definitely have not signed the agreement. As much as I regretted signing the Munich Agreement the moment I signed it, I could not have possibly forgotten what France had went through in WW1. Indeed, most of the war was fought on our land and we had suffered immensely. I had to understand somehow that the French military and civilian were both weary and wary of yet another war.

My personal sentiments towards Hitler have been proven right after 2 years. He will stop at nothing. It is the duty of France to save liberty and human dignity from the madmen. Last year on the 6th of October, Hitler offered a France and Great Britain a peace proposal… I will not fall for it. I am fully aware of his true goal to dominate the world. His hunger for power is insatiable. I will not allow my failure to stop the Munich Agreement to stop me again. We will keep our arms up against aggression until peace is genuinely achieved once and for all. Although I am no longer the French Premier, I am confident of my strong base of support among the French. As Reynaud has decided to keep me in the cabinet as minister of war, I will do everything in my capacity to ensure that as France experiences war with Germany today, we will put in all we have- we must be forced to recover from our shock in WW1 so that we can save our nation today.

Today, France has been invaded by Germany. We must remain strong and fight until we achieve victory- and thereby, peace.