NationStates Jolt Archive

Convential Long Form: The Third French Republic
Convential Short Form: France
Government Form: Democracy
Chief of State: President Raymond Poincare
Head of State: Premier Georges Clemenceau

Capital: Paris
Population:
France - 42 million, Africa - 100 million
Languages: French
Ethnicities: French
Land Area: ~495,630 sq km
Border Nations: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany ~440 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km

Allies: Russia(surrendered), Serbia(surrendered), Greece(surrendered)
Enemies: German Empire, Italian Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Chinese Empire(in process of peace), Japanese Empire(in process of peace)
Neutral friends: Britain, United States


History of France

The French Third Republic was created following the defeat of France by Prussia in 1871. After the war, the leader of the new unified Germany, Otto von Bismarck, was able to take Alsace and Lorraine, Strasburg and the great fortress of Metz from France.

The new French parliament established after the Franco-Prussian War, comprised an indirectly Senate and an elected Chamber of Deputies. In 1914 Raymond Poincare was President of France and Rene Viviani was his prime minister.

In the first decade of the 20th century France was still an overwhelmingly agricultural country and was self-sufficient in food. France was one of the world's leading trading nations but industrial production was lower than both Germany and Britain.

The French government considered Germany to be the main threat to its territory. This was reinforced by Germany's decision in 1882 to form the Triple Alliance. Under the terms of this military alliance, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy agreed to support each other if attacked by either France or Russia.

France entered the war on the side of Russia, which was its partner in the Triple Entente. Britain betreayed the alliance, but France attacked Germany anyways, driving back German troops which were strongest in the east and capturing several old French towns including Metz, driving within sight of Strasbourg before the war settled down into a stalemate with a German defensive hold.

French Military

Army:

4 million French soldiers engaged on western front,
+250,000 colonial troops

800,000 Fench soldiers engaged in Italy
+150,000 Colonial troops

186 divisions organized in 35 regional corps

Possible Future Conscription: 1 million in extensive training

670,000 soldiers fighting in Africa, Asia having been lost
Half Colonial

Navy:
French Navy 1917, Alternate

Battleships

OLDER PRE-DREADNOUGHTS
Devastation Class Barbette Ships
1. Devastation April 1879 SCRAPPED
Terrible Class Barbette Ships
2. Caiman May 1885 SUNK
3. Indomptable Sept 1883 SCRAPPED
4. Requin June 1885 SCRAPPED
Admiral Baudin Class Ship
5. Admiral Baudin 1883 SCRAPPED
Marceau Class Battleship
6. Magenta April 1890 SUNK
7. Marceau May 1887 SUNK
8. Neptune May 1887 SUNK
Brennus Turret Battleship
9. Brennus October 1891 SUNK
NEWER PRE_DREADNOUGHTS
Charles Martel Battleship
10. Charles Martel August 1893 ACTIVE
Carnot Battleship
11. Carnot July 1884 SUNK
Jaureguiberry Battleship
12. Jaureguiberry Nov 1893 SUNK
Massena Battleship SUNK
13. Massena July 1895
Bouvet Battleship ACTIVE
14. Bouvet 27th May 1896 SUNK
Charlemagne Class
15. Charlemagne 17th October 1895 SUNK
16. Gaulois 8th October 1896 ACTIVE
17. St Louis 8th September 1896 SUNK
18. Henry IV 23rd August 1899 SUNK
19. Suffren 25th July 1899 ACTIVE
Republique Class
20. Republique 4th September 1902 ACTIVE
21. Patrie 17th December 1903 SUNK
Liberte Class
22. Democratie 30th April 1904 SUNK
23. Justice 27th October 1904 SUNK
24. Verite 28th May 1907 ACTIVE
DREADNOUGHTS
Danton Class
25. Condorcet 20th August 1909
26. Danton 4th July 1909
27. Diderot 19th April 1909 SUNK
28. Mirabeau 28th October 1909 SUNK
29. Vergniaud 12th April 1910
30. Voltaire 16th January 1909 SUNK
Courbet Class
31. Courbet 23rd September 1913 SUNK
32. France 7th November 1911
33. Jean Bart 22nd September 1911
34. Paris 28th September 1912
Bretagne Class
35. Bretagne 21st April 1913 SUNK
36. Lorraine 30th September 1913
37. Provence 20th April 1913
Normandie Class
38. Flandre 20th October 1914 SUNK
39. Gascoigne 20th September 1914
40. Languedoc 1st May 1916
41. Normandie 19th October 1914
42. Calais 24th June 1915
43. Nantes 17 August 1916
Lyon Class
44. Duquesne 7th March 1915
45. Lille 14th November 1915
46. Lyon 14th January 1916
47. Tourville 21st September 1916
48. Caen 14th December 1916
49. Cherbourg 29th February 1917
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
50. 1918
51. 1918
52. 1918
53. 1918
54-68. 1919-1922


4 Converted Aircraft Carriers
22 Cruisers
90 destroyers
61 Submarines
132 smaller ships

Under construction: 18 battleships, 20 cruisers, 40 destroyers

The bulk of French shipping, warships has been switched to the Mediterranean Fleet.

Combined Fleet
17 Dreadnoughts
10 Pre-Drednoughts
22 cruisers
90 destroyers
50 submarines
120 smaller ships


Air Force:
572 planes
French Army Air Service (Aéronautique Militaire) was formed in October 1910. France led the world in early aircraft design and by mid-1912 they had five squadrons (escadrilles). This had grown to 472 machines (38 escadrilles) by 1914.


French Weaponry:

Rifle: In 1886 the French Army introduced the Lebel rifle. It was the world's first modern, mass-produced magazine rifle. Another innovation was the use of smokeless gunpowder. The ammunition was contained in the tubular magazine beneath the barrel.

with: M 1866 pattern French Chassepot sword bayonet. The overall length of the bayonet is 27½ inch with a blade length of 22½ inch. Back edge of blade is marked Tulle October 1872.

Machine Gun: Hotchkiss 8mm M1914 machine gun. Although it proved reliable in use it was unquestionably heavy at 23kg (40kg with its mounting). Initially adopted in 1900 a number of models were produced until a gas-powered, air-cooled model was unveiled in 1914.

Grenade: Foug "Grenade Citron"

Artillery: French model 1897 75m (shrap), 11.75, 9,000 yds, French Schneider 105mm howitzer, 35, 6,000 yds, French Schneider 155mm howitzer, 95 10,500-13,300, Stokes mortar

Is your entire fleet blockading Germany?

The Chinese Empire, having heard of a French offer for the cessation of hostilities, and war between the two nations.

China is willing to open the door for such an endeavour.

forget about the blockading thing

IC: To Beijing:
France believes that the continuation of hostilities with the Empire of China serves no purpose, despite our anger at the events that occured. France proposes a peace with China that will return relations to normal that France had a desire for in the first place. In exchange for France's recognition of and official cessation of the occupied Indochinese provinces, China will pay and indemnity of 400 million dollars (I am guessing what would be fair for the teritory) as a sale to France.

In addition, all French citizens captured by the Chinese government and any who wish to come to France will be allowed to leave by French naval forces. China will receive the territory it wishes for and will receive peace and trade treaties with France to develop Indochina.

TO; Paris, France
FROM; Foreign Ministery, Tokyo, Japan

We are willing to discuss a ceasefire. Maybe a conferance can be held together with China?

French troops movements and general locations of the majority of French forces as of February 1, 1918. Some locations are withheld as secret (Marseilles).

Western Front
Betwen Belgian and Swiss Borders

3.9 million French troops
300,000 Colonial troops

Paris(Deep Reserves/Leave)
70,000 men

Italian Front
Between Swiss Border and Mediterranean Sea

700,000 French troops
100,000 Colonial Troops

Marseilles

220,000 French troops
150,000 Colonial troops

African Front

Libyan Front
400,000 French troops
250,000 Colonial troops

Tunis
10,000 French troops
20,000 Colonial troops

Algiers
12,000 French troops
20,000 Colonial troops

Dakar
10,000 French troops
30,000 Colonial troops

Bamako-Niamey
10,000 French troops
40,000 Colonial troops


COLONIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Algeria: 120,000
Benin: 17,000
Burkina Faso: 5,000
CAR: 4,000
Chad: 9,000
Congo: 21,000
Ivory Coast: 14,000
Mali: 46,000
Mauretania: 61,000
Morrocco: 89,000
Niger: 18,000
Senegal: 75,000
Tunisia: 104,000

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Contingency plans for sending troops north quickly to stop a German invasion of Belgium have been drawn up. Also contingency for and Italian attack en masse