WesWorld

[SIZE=3]Q3/1941 SUMMARY[/SIZE]

July 1
Air France opened service from Paris to New York City today, flying via Shannon Airport in Ireland and Vinland with a new Bloch MB.970 Transatlantique, the F-IGP. The aircraft was rigged for sleeper berths rather than high-capacity seating, and fifty-eight passengers, including a number of journalists, boarded the aircraft in Paris.

July 2
The battlecruisers Dunkerque and Strasbourg arrived in Casablanca today on the first stop of their planned midsummer cruise. A three-day port call is planned before they steam onward.

July 3
The Tour de France began today in Paris. Twenty teams of nine riders, all representing a country or region, started in Paris today on the twenty-one day race. They are preceded by the publicity caravan, a group of forty-five advertising vehicles.

July 4
The Republic of France offers their best wishes to the United States for their independence day, and their condolences to the British Empire.

July 5
The Dunkerque and Strasbourg departed Casablanca for their next call at the port of Dakar.

July 6
The Armee de l'Aire announced that it had reached an agreement with the Greek government to deploy a company of the AdlA's airfield construction specialists to train a similar Greek unit. As part of the agreement, the AdlA's 1ère Compagnie d'ingénierie d'Air and support elements of the Marine Nationale's 2e Demi-Brigade du génie naval would deploy with the newly-created Greek unit to Cyprus to build a new military and civil airfield at Nicosia. According to the plans, the new Nicosia airport will be a fully modern civil airport, capable of handling large airliners like the Douglas DC-4.

July 7
Paul Theisman was officially sworn in today as the President of the Republic of France. In his inaugural address, Theisman said that he would work to spread the values of freedom, justice and representative democracy, and would work with the FAR allies and other like-minded states to maintain the peace of Europe and the world.

July 8
The new production facility at Hispano-Suiza's Bois-Colombes factory was officially opened today. The new facility is reportedly capable of manufacturing a hundred new aero-engines and an unknown quantity of automobile engines per month, substantially raising the total production capabilities for the French aeronautical industry. The facility's opening comes as a relief to Hispano-Suiza, which has seen extremely high demand for HS-12Z engines, due in no small part to the large orders of VG.60 Revenants ordered this year by the Armee de l'Aire. The various VG.60 manufacturers have reportedly placed orders in excess of 2,700 units for delivery between 1941 and mid-1942, a figure which swamped the existing Hispano-Suiza factories at Bois-Colombes and Tarbes.

In related aviation news, Société des Avions Marcel Bloch announced that it was in the process of delivering MB.1050 Milan carrier fighters for the Atlantean Navy. The aircraft are partially assembled in France at Bloch's factory, then shipped crafted to Bloch's Atlantean sister firm of Ripon, which finishes assembly and adds an Atlantean-produced radial engine, believed to be the Roth R-1800 currently in widespread use by the Atlantean Navy as the power unit of the Accrisius Avenger.

July 8 - Il est Midi (Dakar newspaper, evening edition)
The battlecruisers Dunkerque and Strasbourg, two of the premier fast units of the Marine Nationale entered the harbor today, to the welcome of thousands of observers. The two battlecruisers, the premier fast capital ships of the Mediterranean Fleet, are engaged in a series of port calls and maneuvers that will take them quite far afield from their normal cruising grounds. The two ships will be open to local visitors tomorrow and Thursday before moving on Friday morning, their next destination believed to be the naval base at Abidjan.

In related news, it was announced that the cruisers Duquesne and Gloire would call at Dakar on their return trip from Djibouti, where they have been on extended deployment since late November.

July 9 - Le Matin
The first of the mountain stages of the Tour de France began today, with an ascent of the Col du Tourmalet. Belgian rider Sylvère Maes, the winner of the 1936 and 1939 Tours, has established a comfortable lead in earlier stages, but has been challenged today by Japanese rider Hashimoto Sato, who closed in on Maes but was unable to take the yellow jersey. Two riders withdrew during the stage. Karl Litschi of the Swiss-Luxembourg mixed team (the Swiss road-race champion) reportedly collided with a dog and fell from his bicycle. Although he re-mounted and tried to continue, Litschi reported severe pain from his knee and withdrew shortly thereafter. An Irish rider, reported to be team leader Eoin Miller, was found unconscious on the road.

July 10
In surprising events on the Tour de France, leading rider Sylvère Maes of Belgium lost the yellow jersey to German cyclist Otto Lieberman after the German team launched a challenge in another of the mountain stages. Observers noted that Lieberman, as with most of the German bicyclists, are very strong mountain-riders.

July 11
Dunkerque and Strasbourg have departed Dakar.

July 12
French cyclist Jean-Pierre Hagen was rescued by gendarmes after being accosted by a small party of individuals during the Tour de France. Hagen, a junior cyclist riding on the French Sud-Est team, was ejected from the 1940 Tour de France for using cocaine and alcohol to improve his performance during the Tour. Hagen was banned for nine months but returned for the 1941 Tour. Witnesses reported that Hagen was knocked off his bicycle by "several angry spectators" who jeered at him about his use of drugs during the previous Tour, and prevented him from getting back onto his bicycle. After the gendarmes intervened and arrested three people, a shaken Hagen continued on, having lost an estimated eight minutes of time.

July 14
France celebrates Bastille Day. See here for the Bastille Day Military Parade.

July 14 - Le Matin
In a hard day's riding today on the Tour de France, German Otto Liebermann fended off attempts by Belgian Sylvère Maes to take the yellow jersey.

July 14
The battlecruisers Dunkerque and Strasbourg have arrived at Abidjan, receiving a loud welcome from the port city's population. The battlecruisers, decorated for Bastille Day, entered the port at noon, surrounded by small fishing boats of the local population.

July 16
With ten days left in the Tour de France, the nine riders of the French Ouest team began a concerted push on the leaders. The Ouest team is composed of some of the best riders in France, and for the last three years has traditionally reserved themselves for the latter half of the race, as they did in 1940 when rider Jean Darracq won the Tour. However, among the leaders, Belgium's Sylvère Maes assumed leadership of the peloton and the yellow jersey, but German rider Otto Liebermann kept it a very close race, and Japanese rider Japanese rider Hashimoto Sato remained in third place.

July 18
Thousands braved the weather to watch today's stage of the Tour de France in Brittany, where French rider Jean Darracq seized the yellow jersey, with his teammate Jacques Dezobry taking up second place. Read more...

July 19
The Carrousel de Saumur opened today at the grounds of the École de Cavalerie in Saumur. Read more...

July 21
Germany's Otto Liebermann powered himself back into the lead and the yellow jersey in today's leg of the Tour de France. Hashimoto Sato of Japan fell back several ranks while Jean Darracq and his teammate Jacques Dezobry held second and third place. Liebermann's lead is tenuous, however, as he holds only ten seconds' lead over Jean Darracq.

July 23
The transport ship Daman left Toulon with elements of the 2er Regiment Ingénieurs de l'air of the Armee de l'Aire. The Daman is bound for Greece, where the 2nd Regiment will aid in training a Greek construction battalion.

July 24
President Theisman has announced that the French ambassador to Germany, Michel Herry, will be stepping down from his post due to medical reasons. Theisman has requested the longtime ambassador to Germany, André François-Poncet, to take up the post again. François-Poncet was ambassador in Berlin from 1931 to 1938, and currently serves as the interim ambassador to Italy. There is no news about who will replacy François-Poncet in Rome.

July 26
Otto Liebermann pedaled his way to victory in the Tour de France today, with Japan's Hashimoto Sato barely edging out Jean Darracq for second place. Belgium's Sylvère Maes placed fourth, while Jacques Dezobry placed fifth.

July 29
Plans to build the Akesombo Dam and Tema Aluminum Smelter in Côte-de-l'Or were discussed in the French Parliament today despite continued protests over the high cost and the environmental effects. The Akesombo Dam project will create one of the largest manmade lakes in the world, and if built, could substantially improve the economy of French West Africa.

July 30
One of the four Farman F.400 heavy bomber prototypes crashed today while taking off for flight testing. Witnesses at ONERA said that the plane had achieved approximately two hundred meters of altitude when debris reportedly separated from the aircraft. The plane entered a sharp port turn and rapidly lost airspeed. Although the pilot visibly tried to level the plane, the F.400 had lost too much airspeed and hit the ground. ONERA reported that there were two survivors of the six-man crew, although both are in extremely serious condition.

July 31
French automaker Delahaye sparked controversy today when it requested to re-submit their entry for the French Army's lightweight utility car. The previous Delahaye entry, called the Delahaye 171, was approved for a second round of testing despite being nothing more than a paper study with a mock-up model. Delahaye was reportedly unable to meet the French Army's request for a working vehicle by the end of the year, and in a controversial move, quickly purchased a production license for the American Bantam "Jeep". Delahaye's representative pointed out that the US-designed "Jeep" barely missed the Army's first-round cut because, quote "It was not French enough." Delahaye noted that they still plan to develop the 171 as a commercial vehicle, but don't believe they can push that development fast enough to meet the Army's requirements.

August 1
In response to media commentary about the recent crash of the F.400 heavy bomber prototype, ONERA announced that the plane was fitted with a Hussenograph or in-flight data recorder. The F.400's Hussenograph was damaged in the crash, but ONERA said the data on the recorder was recovered and being analyzed.

August 2
The Grande Semaine d’Aviation de la Champagne (Grand Week of Aviation in Champagne) began today at the Reims-Champagne Air Base, which was opened to the public for visitation. Read more...

August 4
Four Lioré et Olivier LeO-400 seaplanes have left Toulon for Tunisia with a flying boat of the Aeronavale on the first leg of their tour to Eastern Europe. From Tunisia, the LeO-400s will fly to Yugoslavia for demonstration, to be followed by visits to Bulgaria and Romania. After leaving Romania the aircraft will fly overland to visit Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Nordmark, after which point they will return to France.

August 7
The Indochinese Gendarmerie has arrested three men who attempted to assassinate Governor-General candidate Truong Van Bao. The three accused men reportedly prepared a roadside ambush to kill Van Bao before a campaign rally in Hanoi, but were betrayed to police by an accomplice. Police arrested the three men and confiscated homemade grenades and small arms.

August 8
Police revealed that the three men arrested yesterday for an attempted assassination attempt on Governor-General candidate Truong Van Bao were motivated by Van Bao's rejection of "extreme independence and communist ideals". Read more...

August 9
The battlecruisers Dunkerque and Strasbourg have anchored in Djibouti following a passage of the Mozambique Channel and the Indian Ocean.

August 11
Government spokesmen announced today that President Theisman will be traveling to St. Petersburg and Cleito over the course of the next month in order to meet with the Atlantean and Russian heads of state and key members of their government. President Theisman has also indicated his wish to meet with other key heads of state in Europe, with Britain, Germany, and Italy being named.

August 14
President Theisman arrived in Cleito today by air, calling on the chief members of the Atlantean government, including the King and the members of the Atlantean cabinet. The president reportedly planned to discuss economic, political, and military issues related to the FAR Alliance.

August 15
Four LeO-400 floatplanes of the French Aeronavale landed today in the Yugoslavian port of Bar, together with their flying-boat mothership, following a long flight from Tunis. The aircraft are on a promotional tour of Europe.

August 16
President Theisman left Cleito this evening en route back to Paris. In a press conference held at the airport shortly before his departure, Theisman praised Atlantean hospitality and thanked the Atlantean people for being "our oldest and firmest ally and friend".

August 19
French and Thai troops finished nine days of extensive joint training in southern French Indochina. The training exercises involved land, air, and sea forces from both countries. Speaking from Paris, Minister Jean-Marie Lemaréchal (National Defense and War Minister) said "Exercise commanders report success, all goals achieved." Read more...

August 19 - Le Matin
President Theisman arrived at the Russian capital of Petrograd today for talks with high-ranking members of the Russian Federation government.

August 20
Société Clerget-Blin et Cie confirmed rumours today that they were in high-level negotiations with an Atlantean firm, believed to be Roth-Packard, to form an Atlantean-based company to build licensed Clerget turbo-diesel engines for the Ripon Transatlantique.

August 21
President Theisman departed Petrograd late this afternoon, speaking to reporters briefly before boarding his chartered Air France airliner. In his remarks, he praised the Russian government for its rock-solid dedication to maintaining the peace of Europe and Asia, and thanked the Russian people for their welcome. After leaving Petrograd, Theisman flew to Berlin, arriving at Templehof just after sunset. He plans to meet with Chancellor Adenauer and other prominent German officials in the morning.

August 22
The Lioré et Olivier demonstration team departed Bar, Yugoslavia today, flying to the Bulgarian seaplane base at Lake Chaika, outside Varna, on the second stop of their demonstration tour.

August 23
President Theisman departed Germany late this evening after a busy day of discussions with German officials. Theisman held a joint press conference with Chancellor Adenauer where both leaders spoke on their desire to improve the Franco-German relationship. In response to a reporter's question, Theisman commented "For the last century our nations have fought over the control of the rudder of continental Europe. My grandfather once told me that 'Europe is too small for both France and Germany'. Twenty-three years ago, I returned to what had once been my home in Metz and saw the result of that attitude. It no longer matters who first was to blame; it matters that we stop and reconsider our course for the future before we do something we - and the rest of the world - would regret. Even now in Germany there are voices crying to avenge the result of the Great War, and in France there are people who, fearing just that, think we ought to weaken and isolate Germany to prevent it. These people do not know what would ensue from their lack of foresight. Chancellor Adenauer and I agree that the time is right for both of us to act together to create a less imperfect world for our children. If history remembers us, let it be for this."

August 25
The French Army reported that the Mecanique-Aviation-Traction (Matra) company of Vélizy-Villacoublay, which was selected earlier this year to perform aftermarket modifications to Berliet GBC-6 trucks to install rocket-launching rails, received an additional contract today to assemble 132mm and 200mm artillery rockets.

August 27
The Lioré et Olivier demonstration team left Bulgaria and made a short flight to Romania in order to demonstrate their aircraft to the Romanian military.

August 28
President Theisman arrived in Rome today for general consultations with the Italian government, including Duca d'Aosta (leader of the Italian senate), Prime Minister Galan, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Grandi.

August 31
President Theisman left Rome this afternoon after several days meeting with Italian leaders, as well as a visit with the Pope. Theisman, in his remarks to the press on leaving Rome, declined to comment in substance about the discussions, but noted they'd discussed both international security and economic issues.

September 1
Close on the heels of his return from Rome, President Theisman flew to London, where he met with British Prime Minister Sir Howard Kingsley Wood, as well as King Edward VIII.

September 2
A technical committee reviewing the July 30 crash of a Farman F.400 bomber prototype released their findings today. According to the committee, a compressed oxygen bottle in the port wing root exploded, severing a main wing spar and all of the aircraft's portside controls, resulting in the aircraft spearing violently out of control. A prompt reaction by the pilot managed to partially redress the loss of the portside controls, but lack of altitude and airspeed prevented any further actions.

In the aftermath of the crash, however, ONERA's chief test-pilot, who flew another F.400 prototype both before and after the crash, drew up a list of over eight hundred faults with the aircraft's design and performance, thirty-one of which were listed as "critical issues". As a result, ONERA has recommended that the F.400 be grounded until Avions Farman has corrected all of the critical issues identified so far.

September 2 - Le Matin
Some advance voting has begun in Indochina on the regional elections for Governor-General and other key positions. The general elections are scheduled for September 7.

September 3
The AIAI IA.30 Épouvantail counter-insurgency aircraft developed in conjunction with Thailand made its first flight today in Saigon, becoming the first modern aircraft ever developed in Southeast Asia. The twin-engine aircraft was jointly developed by AIAI (under the umbrella of Loire-Nieuport) and Thailand's TNAC. The Thai-built version of the aircraft is expected to fly within a few days. This represents a major advance of capabilities for aviation in Southeast Asia.

September 4
Deliveries of the production 1942 Citroen 2CV began today. Citroen has been working to increase production to address the backlog of orders, with a two year estimated waiting list before the car even entered production.

September 5
The 3rd Cannes Film Festival began today in the Riviera town of Cannes. Among the films being shown is Séraphin, a Franco-Atlantean production filmed by a cast of bilingual French and Atlantean actors; the movie was a major hit when released earlier this summer.

September 7
Voters across Indochina have gone to the polls to elect a governor-general, as well as representatives to the 35-seat Indochina Governing Council.

September 8
Initial results from the Indochina elections appear "too close to call", and colonial officials declined to comment further.

September 9
Nguyen Van Minh of the Viet Dan Party conceded the Indochina Governor-General election to Truong Van Bao of the Viet Tan Party early this morning, accepting the results of a surprisingly close election. According to election officials, Nguyen Van Minh only trailed Truong Van Bao by a margin of four thousand votes in the region, with both candidates receiving approximately 41% of the total vote. The remaining percentage of the votes went to minor candidates.

However, the Viet Dan, to the surprise of many, have seen the election of nineteen party members to the Indochina Governing Council, winning a majority of the thirty-five open seats in the Council. [1] This body is capable of forcing the resignation of the Governor-General through a vote of censure (a capability shared by the French Parliament). The French Parliament will receive, later this month, the official certified results of the election and will vote whether or not to confirm Van Bao as Governor-General Elect. If the French Parliament does so, then Van Bao will take office on November 8th.

September 11
In a memo made public earlier today, highly-placed individuals in the Armee de l'Aire's research and development office requested permission to investigate fallback options in the event that the Farman F.400 Ourse fails to materialize.

September 12
The Lioré et Olivier demonstration team has left Romania bound for the Baltic States. Reportedly, the team's long stay in Romania was prompted by a high level of Romanian interest, and Lioré et Olivier's spokesman acknowledged that the Romanian Navy is seriously discussing purchasing the plane.

September 15
Air France, in collaboration with LAN Airlines, announced that they have received the permission of the Brazilian government to form an international holding group to purchase three small bankrupt Brazilian airlines and merge them into a major Brazilian airline, to be named Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul (Southern Cross Airline). Cruzeiro do Sul will continue service to all locations previously-served by their smaller predecessors, but will double their locations served, and will cooperate with Air France and LAN Airlines to offer international service. The new company will be majority-owned and operated by Air France for an undisclosed period of time, eventually opening the stock up for purchase by Brazilian investors, under the scope of the agreement. Cruzeiro do Sul's air fleet, composed of aircraft acquired by the parent companies before the merger, is composed of two Dragon Rapides, on Ju52, and three DC3s. As part of the deal, Air France shall transfer three MB.970 Transatlantiques to Cruzeiro do Sul for use on a Brazil-to-Europe and Brazil-to-US joint service, and will oversee some comprehensive modernizations to the Sao Paulo airport, with the expectation of turning it into the largest and most modern airport in South America.

September 16
The French Parliament has received the certified results of the September 7th Indochina election for their confirmation.

September 18
The Indochina election results were formally confirmed without modification today by the French Parliament, following a reading of the results and a minor debate about several technical issues. In Saigon, Governor-General Elect Truong Van Bao thanked his supporters and acknowledged that he would begin naming individuals for his cabinet within the next week. These positions will include Agriculture and Industry, Commerce, Education and Health, Finance, Justice, Public Works and Transportation.

September 19
The Congregation of Maronite Lebanese Missionaries (or Kreimists), headquartered in Jounieh, Lebanon, has announced their intention to send a mission to Valparaiso, Chile, in order to support the growing population of Maronite Lebanese emigres in that city.

September 22
High drama occurred today in Grenoble when an individual entered the lower station of the Téléphérique de Grenoble Bastille (Grenoble-Bastille Cable Car) with a gun and a box which he claimed was filled with explosives. The individual, not identified by police, ordered the cable cars stopped, trapping a number of tourists above the city; he threatened to blow up the lower station unless the police met his demands. After lengthy discussions with a police negotiator, the individual demanded the release of two imprisoned friends, a million francs in cash, a fast car, and his name in the history books. Police negotiators agreed to deliver the individual's two friends, along with a car, to the lower station; but requested several hours to gather a million francs. According to police, the gunman decided to take a nap while he waited for his friends to arrive, and the incredulous cable car operator slipped away and signaled the police, who disarmed the tired gunman and relieved him of his pistol. The box, allegedly filled with explosives, instead contained a half-dozen ham sandwiches and three bottles of red wine, apparently reserved to toast a successful getaway. The gunman, awakened from his nap, soon joined his friends in prison.

September 23
Governor-General Elect Truong Van Bao named four of his six cabinet minister positions. Lan Khiem was nominated to be the Indochinese Minister of Agriculture and Industry, Nguyen Phi was nominated Indochinese Minister of Finance, Ho Le Hung was nominated Indochinese Minister of Justice, and Jacques de Rosnay as Indochinese Minister of Public Works and Transportation.

September 24
Truong Van Bao named the final two ministers for the Governor-General's cabinet today, but followed it up with an interesting surprise. Ham Van Loc was nominated Indochinese Minister of Commerce, while Thich Anh Hung was nominated Indochinese Minister of Education and Health. Van Bao then nominated Nguyen Van Minh, the leader of the Viet Dan opposition party, as Minister Without Portfolio. Van Minh's surprising nomination lends substance to rumors that the Viet Dan party leader cut a deal not to contest the extremely close Governor-General election in exchange for a stronger voice in the post-election Indochinese cabinet.

July 1
Air France opened service from Paris to New York City today, flying via Shannon Airport in Ireland and Vinland with a new Bloch MB.970 Transatlantique, the F-IGP. The aircraft was rigged for sleeper berths rather than high-capacity seating, and fifty-eight passengers, including a number of journalists, boarded the aircraft in Paris.

[SIZE=3]Le Spectateur militaire - "Preparing to Fight the Last War"[/SIZE]
Incorporating the Lessons of Past Combat into Future Military Planning

I. Preparing for the future by planning for the past
It is a common saying in the Western world that militaries often prepare to re-fight the war they last fought. While this saying is often offered as a criticism of the conservatism of military leadership, learning from the victories and defeats of the past is a vital part of an officer's task. It is not enough for a military to merely study its campaign histories and draw on a list of lessons learned: the military must make those lessons applicable forward into the future as well.

II. Doctrine and its foundational assumptions
Military doctrine is, in brief, "the way armed forces plan and prepare to fight" or "the central idea of an army" [1]. Doctrine reflects the character - both strengths and weaknesses - and foundational assumptions of a nation-state. A study of doctrine is not as glamorous as the study of tactics, because doctrine incorporates not only a study of tactics but of strategy, logistics, training, and socio-political factors. Doctrine does not tell an armed force about how to fight, but how to think about fighting.

Each nation develops their own doctrine for their armed forces through a series of self-evaluations of their own needs and desires. A small but industrialized country may develop a doctrine emphasizing mobility or technical prowess in order to exact horrific casualties against a numerically larger but less industrialized opponent. Two evenly-matched powers may develop a doctrine to emphasize some of their perceived national advantages in order to more easily defeat the other. In developing a doctrine, a nation must develop an idea of their own identity and mission, then analyze how to carry out their mission.

When a nation's commanders understand their doctrine, they understand how to be versatile while still working towards the overall goals of their military.

Conflict offers armies the ultimate crucible in which to test their doctrine. Inevitably, a nation will discover new things about themselves and their enemies, and potentially the greater nature of war, thus challenging their own doctrine. If the army does not react to these discoveries, then even if they have proven victorious in the struggle, they have lost a particularly valuable educational experience that may result in defeat in a later war.

III. How militaries learn lessons from war
Prominent French military writer Alain Kaprisky, noted for his comprehensive work on the Franco-Prussian War and the Guerre mondiale, has written "the surest way for an army to learn is to let them survive a major defeat; the surest way to continue in ignorance is to let them win only easy victories." Kaprisky reasoned that a victorious army with bad doctrine, tactics, or equipment has little initiative to consider change, as their current doctrine has proven sufficient so far. On the other hand, Kaprisky points out that "defeat wipes the slate clean; ignorant theories are discarded, antiquated generals are forced to retire, old destroyed equipment is replaced with new, and experimental new ideas are belatedly considered."

In the aftermath of their defeat and withdrawal from the World War, the Russian Army underwent a series of major changes intended to rebuild the strength and capabilities of the armed forces. New doctrine was written and new equipment acquired, leading to the strong Russian Federation Army of today. In a similar way, the German Heer, though first limited by treaty, rebuilt itself phoenix-like into a modern and highly flexible fighting force, showing particular ingenuity in developing armoured forces. They have proven so efficient at this task that other armies, even Entente powers which contributed to the German defeat, have moved to emulate them.

However, defeat is not the only means for an army to learn new lessons of war. In many circumstances, armies may learn due to - or in some cases in spite of - their successes. An example in point is Atlantean Marshal Thule-Saulius's campaigns of the World War, which prominent continental strategists regard as one of the first campaigns of the "modern mechanized war", and which counterbalances the Western European ideas of the bloody static front. The Atlantean Army learned very different lessons from this theater of war, and their experience, together with the Hundred Days Campaign and Allenby's decisive triumph at Megiddo, reportedly inspired the German school of thought for mechanized warfare.

One of the most important tools adopted by the French Army to help learn the lessons of combat is the Revue d'action militaire or RAM (tr. "Military Action Review"). This incorporates the experience of all the participants of a battle, exercise, or other major event, clearly narrating the course of events, analyzing the lessons learned, and proposing solutions for problems encountered. During the Rif-Atlas War of 1937, the French Army's analysis of their RAMs contributed substantially to a shift in overall French military doctrine.

IV. Learning from the wars of others
An army in a period of extended peacetime is obviously unable to draw on the lessons of combat. It is important, therefore, that armies take the opportunity during peacetime to analyze the actions of other countries involved in combat. This first began in the 19th Century, and became well-known during the Crimean War and more particularly the American Civil War. Many European states sent observers to report on the events of either the Union or Confederate armies - or in some cases both. Many observers returned to Europe to pen some of the classical accounts of the American Civil War, even though in many cases their observations suggested that the lessons were not applicable to modern European strategy. (See Blanchard, Les observateurs militaires et la guerre civile américaine, 1929 for further discussion.) The practice of military observers has nevertheless continued into the 20th Century, though not all combatant nations have been open to formal military observers. One of the most recent examples was the Western Afghanistan deployment by the League of Nations, which eventually saw an unusually high number of military observers.

In other cases, nations may have to depend on hearsay from the combatants, or even engage in active espionage to learn about the conduct of battles. While events analyzed using these methods may become clearer over time, a major concern in the short is the accuracy of the data received. For instance, during the recent Persian Civil War, the combatants attempted to use the western press to disseminate their own version of combat, with the goal of seeking foreign support and undermining aid to their opponents. The intelligence agencies of both sides thus conducted serious counter-espionage operations aimed at establishing an incorrect but politically-palatable version of events. While such deception operations are more difficult in the west due to an active free press, if a government is able to marshal a sufficiently commanding majority of news sources, it can establish an "authoritative version" of events. Such actions, while militarily necessary, can all seriously hinder or mislead a neutral power's attempt to learn from another country's war.

V. Learning the wrong lessons
Inevitably, a military may look at a series of events from within their own set of national assumptions and take away an incorrect lesson from the event. Oftentimes, this comes through a misinterpretation of the available information. Just as individuals evaluate new information through their own preconceived notions, so do armies. For example, in the aftermath of the Great War, a number of highly prominent French officers espoused a theory of defensive war intended to recreate the bloodbath battles of 1916, but entirely to the terms of the French defender. This plan, which focused on a line of fortresses, supported by artillery and massive tanks, ignored the lessons of 1917 and the so-called "Hundred Days" campaign, and the equally-important fluid operations of Field Marshal Thule-Sauilius. This is a classic example of an army's leadership learning the wrong lessons from a war, and discarding one of the greatest rules of warfare: the purpose of war is the defeat of the enemy, and not merely to avoid your own defeat.


Notes:
Note [1]: J.F.C. Fuller

Quoted

[SIZE=3]Case Study I: French Light Aviation Forces in the Atlas-Rif Revolt[/SIZE]
The Situation: The rebellion of Berber tribesmen in Morocco saw the Armee de l'Aire handed an unusual challenge. The Armee de l'Aire had, through the 1930s, focused on what it saw to be the most likely sort of coming air-war, with strategic bombing supported by air-defense and reconnaissance operations. This theory appeared to be reinforced by observation of the South American War, although the supposed inviolability of strategic bombers was reevaluated. The Atlas-Rif Revolt, however, had no occasion for the strategic bomber, and light aviation assets were required to deal with small bands of nomadic, desert-dwelling rebels. In addition, the Armee de Terre required cargo aircraft to drop parachute troops. This was a particular weakness for the Armee de l'Aire of the day.

The Lesson Learned: The lightest bombers in the French arsenal, the Breguet 690 and the Loire-Nieuport LN.401 dive bomber, both saw immediate service in the conflict. The LN.401 lacked the payload to be truly useful, carrying only 225kg of bombs. The larger Breguet 690 was more expensive to operate but proved more useful and survivable, and sparked further orders for the type. Another unique innovation during the war was the use of helicopters, specifically the Dorand G.IIb. A group of these helicopters, purchased to equip a trials group in 1937, arrived in Morocco in 1938 and proved themselves in spite of their mechanical woes. One to two Dorands often accompanied military convoys, and on at least a dozen certified occasions, the presence of the helicopter proved decisive in disrupting a Berber ambush. The tribesmen often fired on the helicopter, thus giving away their position, or fled the scene upon the helicopter's overflight. The Armee de l'Aire also demonstrated a marked weakness in cargo aircraft, but this shortcoming proved hard to overcome in the short term; the military often had to lease civil aircraft in order to accomidate their own needs.

The Response: The Armee de l'Aire took immediate steps to acquire new aircraft based on the lessons of the Atlas-Rif Revolt. The Nord Normandie, a four-engine transport first conceived in 1936 and ignored by the Air Force, abruptly received a much higher level of official support, although as of the date of writing the Normandie has not yet entered production. The Armee de l'Aire also acquired the license to build the Swiss C-3603 ground-attack aircraft, some of which appeared in the late stages of the Revolt and showed excellent versatility. However, inter-service rivalry between the Armee de Terre and the Armee de l'Aire led to the foundation of the Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT) in early 1939, with the new organization being responsible for operating helicopters and light spotting aircraft. ALAT's relatively junior status and the limited development work to date on helicopters has prevented the organization from exerting much influence, however. Purpose-designed ground attack aircraft are currently in development, including a counter-insurgency aircraft being jointly designed with Thailand, and other designs proposed by Arsenal, Bloch, and Breguet.

Quoted

[SIZE=3]Case Study II: The Chilean Navy's Amphibious Force[/SIZE]
The Situation: In 1937, when war broke out between the Peruvian government on one side, and the Colombian and Chilean allies on the other side, the Chilean forces faced a difficult opponent: not the Peruvian armies, but the geography of the border. In the high, dry regions of the Andes, Atacama and Altiplano, supplying troops for an overland campaign would prove unimaginably difficult. While the Chileans could count on a railway connection for defense within their own borders, they knew they could not supply any troops attempting to move north into Peruvian territory, where no railways or high-capacity roads existed. Instead, the Chileans depended on their time-tested method: the "naval descent", as practiced in the War of the Pacific, moving up the coast with navy-supplied landing forces. However, times had changed since the 19th Century, and the Chilean military identified several factors they saw as crucial to the success of a "Naval Descent": naval supremacy, aerial supremacy, and a tenable, high-capacity landing zone. While the Chilean Navy quickly worked to achieve naval supremacy - and achieved aerial supremacy with the help of the Atlantean and Chilean Air Forces - it was the third requirement that proved difficult. The long coastline of Peru is often rocky or desolate and there are few deep-water ports, all of which were defended by Peruvian forces. The Chilean commanders, after testing the Peruvian defenses during the Pisco Raid, discovered to their alarm that they lacked the capability to disembark ground forces sufficient to achieve decisive success in a "naval descent". The war ended before Chilean forces could resolve the difficulties they faced.

The Lesson Learned: By the end of 1937, the Chilean Navy had analyzed the results of the Pisco Raid and their own inability to conduct their expected "naval descent". The problem they found was twofold. While the Navy had four old destroyers converted to troop transports, these were at best suitable for landing small opposed raiding parties. Landing in wooden surfboats was a wet, dangerous affair, with the troops exposed to enemy fire as they landed. Further, there was no capability to land the larger accoutrements of war - artillery pieces, tanks, and trucks full of supplies. Only through an uncontested coup-de-main (as occurred in the Pisco Raid) could the Chileans hope to seize the sort of port necessary to land and supply follow-on units. The Chileans determined they needed a method of landing a sufficient body of men, as well as their supporting mechanized or motorized elements, on a contested open beach. This capability required both specialized ships specifically designed for the purpose and a substantial change in Chilean doctrine.

The Response: At the end of the war, the Chilean Navy consulted closely with both allied navies and ASMAR, the indigenous Chilean shipbuilding firm, then conducted a number of theoretical staff exercises to build a new doctrine. Requests went out to civil industry for possible equipment to re-equip the Chilean Marines to improve their capabilities. By the end of 1939, the Chileans ordered three modern landing craft capable of discharging troops or light vehicles, evaluating them for future orders, and in 1940, ASMAR laid the keels of two landing ships, and after evaluating the landing craft, placed a sizable order. These light landing craft can be launched from merchant ship lifeboat davits, allowing the Chileans, in emergencies, to convert civilian steamers into troopships. As of the date of writing, the Chilean Navy boasted three purpose-built landing ships with three more under construction; the Chilean Marines also started receiving deliveries of an amphibious truck that can swim ashore with troops or cargo. This activity has not been relegated solely to new equipment, but also to training. In 1938, the Chilean Marines published a new doctrinal handbook, then revised it in 1941. Amphibious exercises were conducted in January, and further exercises are in the planning stages for later this year. The Chileans have also continued very close cooperation with their allies, seeking further experience and knowledge.

Quoted

[SIZE=3]Case Study III: Czechoslovakian forces in Afghanistan, 1940-41[/SIZE]
The Situation: As part of the League mission to aid the Kingdom of Afghanistan in driving out rogue Persian Nationalist elements, the Czechoslovakian Army agreed to contribute a composite force consisting of a cavalry regiment, a motorized infantry battalion, an artillery regiment, and an armoured battalion. Experience in combat soon demonstrated to the Czech leadership that their composite force, which the Czech leadership hoped would offer flexible alternatives to all possible missions, was ill-equipped to work together. The pairing of horsed cavalry and tanks proved a particularly disastrous failure, as the tanks were either limited to the advance of the horsemen or deprived of their support. In turn, the motorized infantry could follow the tanks on the road, but rarely across country. The Czech commanders swiftly addressed organizational shortfalls through ad hoc reorganizations and unit retaskings, and are set to complete their deployment and return to Europe in the next few months.

The Lesson Learned: The Czech leadership felt horsed cavalry would be most valuable and flexible for use in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan, and intended to support it with quantities of motorized infantry and tanks. The Czechs learned that the horsed cavalry was valuable for patrols emphasizing a light footprint or in close country, but was ill-suited for cooperation with mechanized units. As of current reports, the Czech troops have more regularly fought dismounted. By contrast, the motorized infantry battalion performed admirably, particularly in collaboration with and in support of the Czech tanks. The use of dedicated and well-trained sniper units also received high admiration. The Czechs and Irish also imitated the Yugoslavian Army in the creation of a Pandur unit for light infantry operations.

The Response: The greatest challenge for the Czechoslovakian leadership will be taking the lessons of the Afghanistan deployment and making them applicable to the modern battlefield of Europe. Already, the Czech Defense Department has indicated that they intend to fully motorize all their remaining horsed cavalry, and shall retain only a few small units for patrol and security operations, and will form their tanks into a number of armoured brigades. Skoda has begun work on an armoured infantry carrier similar to those designed in France, Germany, and elsewhere; and new tanks are reportedly being designed. The Army leadership has also proposed the idea of the "Motor Submachinegun Battalion", a truck-mounted infantry unit armed almost exclusively with automatic weapons, which would provide unparalleled firepower in close country. Regardless of the measures that are finally adopted, the Czechoslovakian Army clearly has already learned much but wants to learn more from their Afghanistan experience, and are demonstrating both industriousness and ingenuity in applying those lessons back to the defense of their homeland.

Letter to the Editor
Le Spectateur militaire

Allow me to complement your staff on the excellence of the July issue. The cogency and focus of the articles followed the best traditions of de Saxe and Jomini. The article, "Preparing to Fight the Last War", was particularly well thought out and was presented with clarity.


Friedrich-Carl von Pappenheim, Military Attache
German Embassy, Paris

Thanks. I'd normally say "It was fun to write" but in this particular case it was also frustratingly difficult at times.

Interesting write up Brock.

Quoted

Originally posted by Kaiser Kirk
Interesting write up Brock.

Thank you. I'm glad you found it interesting enough to read.

Very interesting .... well done Brock

July 2
The battlecruisers Dunkerque and Strasbourg arrived in Casablanca today on the first stop of their planned midsummer cruise. A three-day port call is planned before they steam onward.

July 3
The Tour de France began today in Paris. Twenty teams of nine riders, all representing a country or region [1], started in Paris today on the twenty-one day race. They are preceded by the publicity caravan [2], a group of forty-five advertising vehicles.

July 4
The Republic of France offers their best wishes to the United States for their independence day, and their condolences to the British Empire.

July 5
The Dunkerque and Strasbourg departed Casablanca for their next call at the port of Dakar.

July 6
The Armee de l'Aire announced that it had reached an agreement with the Greek government to deploy a company of the AdlA's airfield construction specialists to train a similar Greek unit. As part of the agreement, the AdlA's 1ère Compagnie d'ingénierie d'Air and support elements of the Marine Nationale's 2e Demi-Brigade du génie naval would deploy with the newly-created Greek unit to Cyprus to build a new military and civil airfield at Nicosia. According to the plans, the new Nicosia airport will be a fully modern civil airport, capable of handling large airliners like the Douglas DC-4.

July 7
Paul Theisman was officially sworn in today as the President of the Republic of France. In his inaugural address, Theisman said that he would work to spread the values of freedom, justice and representative democracy, and would work with the FAR allies and other like-minded states to maintain the peace of Europe and the world.



Notes
Note [1]: From 1930 to 1961 only teams representing a region or nation were admitted to the Tour de France; trade teams were banned. I've not outlined the participants, but if you wish for your country to be involved, PM me; I may randomly pick some participants to fill it out and then make a winner. Or maybe not, if there's no interest. Spots are first-come first-served until they're out, though I'll use some mixed teams.
Note [2]: As the cost of the Tour de France is paid by the organizers rather than the teams, the organizers make their money by selling spots in the publicity caravan to advertisers.

July 8
The new production facility at Hispano-Suiza's Bois-Colombes factory was officially opened today. The new facility is reportedly capable of manufacturing a hundred new aero-engines and an unknown quantity of automobile engines per month, substantially raising the total production capabilities for the French aeronautical industry. The facility's opening comes as a relief to Hispano-Suiza, which has seen extremely high demand for HS-12Z engines, due in no small part to the large orders of VG.60 Revenants ordered this year by the Armee de l'Aire. The various VG.60 manufacturers have reportedly placed orders in excess of 2,700 units for delivery between 1941 and mid-1942, a figure which swamped the existing Hispano-Suiza factories at Bois-Colombes and Tarbes.

In related aviation news, Société des Avions Marcel Bloch announced that it was in the process of delivering MB.1050 Milan carrier fighters for the Atlantean Navy. The aircraft are partially assembled in France at Bloch's factory, then shipped crafted to Bloch's Atlantean sister firm of Ripon, which finishes assembly and adds an Atlantean-produced radial engine, believed to be the Roth R-1800 currently in widespread use by the Atlantean Navy as the power unit of the Accrisius Avenger.

July 8 - Il est Midi (Dakar newspaper, evening edition)
The battlecruisers Dunkerque and Strasbourg, two of the premier fast units of the Marine Nationale entered the harbor today, to the welcome of thousands of observers. The two battlecruisers, the premier fast capital ships of the Mediterranean Fleet, are engaged in a series of port calls and maneuvers that will take them quite far afield from their normal cruising grounds. The two ships will be open to local visitors tomorrow and Thursday before moving on Friday morning, their next destination believed to be the naval base at Abidjan.

In related news, it was announced that the cruisers Duquesne and Gloire would call at Dakar on their return trip from Djibouti, where they have been on extended deployment since late November.

July 9 - Le Matin
The first of the mountain stages of the Tour de France began today, with an ascent of the Col du Tourmalet. Belgian rider Sylvère Maes, the winner of the 1936 and 1939 Tours, has established a comfortable lead in earlier stages, but has been challenged today by Japanese rider Hashimoto Sato, who closed in on Maes but was unable to take the yellow jersey. Two riders withdrew during the stage. Karl Litschi of the Swiss-Luxembourg mixed team (the Swiss road-race champion) reportedly collided with a dog and fell from his bicycle. Although he re-mounted and tried to continue, Litschi reported severe pain from his knee and withdrew shortly thereafter. An Irish rider, reported to be team leader Eoin Miller, was found unconscious on the road.



At present, I've used the following teams for the Tour de France:

Quoted

1. Ouest (France)
2. France (France)
3. Sud-Est (France)
4. Nord (France)
5. Indochine, Corse et Algerie (France)
6. Iberia
7. Denmark
8. Japan
9. Germany
10. Warsaw Pact Mixed Team (Bulgaria, Greece, Poland Romania, Turkey, Yugoslavia)
11. Belgium
12. Switzerland-Luxembourg Mixed Team

July 10
In surprising events on the Tour de France, leading rider Sylvère Maes of Belgium lost the yellow jersey to German cyclist Otto Lieberman after the German team launched a challenge in another of the mountain stages. Observers noted that Lieberman, as with most of the German bicyclists, are very strong mountain-riders.

July 11
Dunkerque and Strasbourg have departed Dakar.

July 12
French cyclist Jean-Pierre Hagen was rescued by gendarmes after being accosted by a small party of individuals during the Tour de France. Hagen, a junior cyclist riding on the French Sud-Est team, was ejected from the 1940 Tour de France for using cocaine and alcohol to improve his performance during the Tour. Hagen was banned for nine months but returned for the 1941 Tour. Witnesses reported that Hagen was knocked off his bicycle by "several angry spectators" who jeered at him about his use of drugs during the previous Tour, and prevented him from getting back onto his bicycle. After the gendarmes intervened and arrested three people, a shaken Hagen continued on, having lost an estimated eight minutes of time.

July 14
France celebrates Bastille Day.

An interesting set of developments, on both accounts. It will be interesting to see if Herr Liebermann and his team-mates can keep up the pace when the terrain flattens out.

[SIZE=3]Défilé militaire du 14 Juillet / Bastille Day Military Parade[/SIZE]
The 1941 Bastille Day Military Parade, traditionally an all-French event, saw a change with the invitation of a number of foreign military troops from Europe and around the world. This marked the first time foreign troops have participated in the parade since 1918, when the victorious Entente powers marched to celebrate their triumph in the Great War. The foreign contingent led this year's parade, starting with France's FAR allies, and followed by the other invitees from Europe and around the world. Most invitees were given the opportunity to send a unit of infantry or horse-mounted cavalry at their discretion, although the FAR allies received the opportunity to display armoured vehicles and aircraft as well. Even without the foreign participation, this year's parade proved to be the largest since the end of the Great War, with an estimated thirty-five thousand French troops from various divisions and branches of the military marching in the parade.

French officials, led by newly sworn-in President Paul Theisman and Prime Minister Gaston Monnerville, inspected the parade from the Place de la Concorde, accompanied by members of government and foreign ambassadors. A crowd of several million Parisians lined the Champs-Elysées to witness the event. The parade begin with the cadets of the military schools in order of seniority. A colour guard representing each of the participating nations followed the cadets, and the aerial flyover opened with the Morane-Saulnier MS.230s of the Patrouille de l'École de l'air. As is customary, the foot troops preceded the mounted units, who were in turn followed by motorized units.

The foreign troops received a great deal of interest, with commentators inevitably analyzing political statements from the units each country sent as their representatives. The presence of German troops in the parade was seen as indicative of a restoration of Franco-German reconciliation over the last decade. The recently-warring South African, Argentine, and Brazilians all were invited to join in the parade, and although none of the units marched near each other in the procession, some observers took that separation as a sign of potential friction. The South African troops in their ceremonial uniforms proved to be more picturesque, but most spectators agreed that so far as marching went, all three countries appeared to be equally competent.

One of the most striking statements visible in the parade came from the Irish troops of the 5th Battalion 1st Brigade, who were homeward bound from participating in the League's Afghanistan deployment. The Irish troops, mounted for the final time on the camels they'd used overseas, decided to wear their field dress which, it seemed, still had the Afghan dust on it; the Irish further marched with holes in their ranks, in honor of comrades fallen in the Field Force's deployment. Despite their comparatively shabby appearance, the point was not lost on the Parisian crowd, who gave the Irish soldiers a thunderous cheer.

One of the highlights of this year's parade was a look at some of the new military hardware being fielded by the French Army in the wake of its recent reorganization. The French Army Artillery Command displayed one aspect of that with four brand-new rocket-launching trucks equipped with the Russo-Atlantean designed 132mm rocket artillery system. The newly formed Armoured Cavalry Branch, which is now responsible for all French tank and mechanized infantry units, also displayed their new Montbrun medium tanks, which were manned by the men of the 1ere Brigade de Reaction Rapide. In the skies overhead, the Armee de l'Aire displayed no fewer than a hundred and fifty of their new VG.60 fighters, as well as four prototype VB.20 fighters and F.400 bombers. The Aeronavale also contributed to the flyover with the airgroup of the carrier St. Cyr, which was in the process of re-equipping following their return from Indochina in May.

Quoted

Marching Column
Cadets and Military Academies of France
- Military Polytechnic School
- National Gendarmerie Officer School
- Saint-Cyr Special Military School
- Military Inter-arms School
- Military Academy of the Technical and Administrative Corps
- Naval Military Academy
- Marine Commissariat Officers Cadet School
- Military School of the Air
- National Gendarmerie NCO Academy

Foreign Contingent
- Atlantis:
---- 1x company of the 2nd Battalion 1st Corsairs Brigade
---- 1x company of the Atlantean Zouaves Division
---- 1x battalion 35th Grenadiers Division
- Russia:
---- 2nd Naval Infantry Battalion, Baltic Fleet Naval Infantry Brigade
---- Main Military Chorus and Band of the Russian Defense Ministry
- Chile:
---- CEAA No. 1 (Compañía Especial de Asalto Anfibio) of the Chilean Marines (aka "Marine Cossacks")
---- 1x platoon drawn from each of the twelve infantry brigades and the two cavalry brigades (all marching on foot)
---- 1x platoon of the "Blue Berets" Paratrooper Battalion
---- 1x platoon of the Chilean Carabineros
- Colombia:
---- 1x composite battalion formed from a platoon each of the 1st through 9th Infantry Divisions
- Britain: 1x company of the Coldstream Guards
- Canada: 1x company of the 1st Battalion, Governor-General's Foot Guards, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, and 1x company of the 2nd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, 4th Canadian Infantry Division
- United States: C Company, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, and 1x company of the 1st Battalion 1st Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division
- Germany: 1x company of the Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 138 and the regimental band
- Brazil: 1x company of the Batalhão de Infantaria de Montanha and a platoon of students of the Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras
- Bulgaria: 1x company of the 13th Grenadier Regiment
- Yugoslavia: 1x company of the Army Demonstration Battalion
- Denmark: 1x composite company (1x platoon of the King's Jutland Foot Regiment, 1x platoon of the Danish Caribbean Infantry Regiment, 1x platoon of the Bissau Foot Regiment, and 1x platoon of the Danish Somalia Regiment)
- Belgium: 2x companies of the 1st Regiment, 3rd Liege Division
- Netherlands: 1x squadron Queen's Own Royal Guard Dragoons
- Greece: 1x company of the 5/42 Evzones Regiment.
- Nordmark: 1x company of the Livgrenadjärregementet ("Life Grenadier Regiment")
- Lithuania: 1x company of the Lithuanian Life Guards and 1x composite company (1x platoon Lithuanian Security Force, 1x platoon of the Lithuanian Police, and 1x platoon of the National Rifle Association)
- Luxembourg: 1x company of the Corps de la Garde Grand Ducale, plus the military marching band.
- Switzerland: 1x company of the Swiss Grenadiers Battalion 20.
- Iberia: 1st company of the 1st Marine Division
- Italy: 1x company of the Carabinieri
- Latvia: the Latvian Army Band and the Latvian Navy Band
- Romania: 1x company of the 1st Guard Division and 1x company of the Regiment Garda Mihai Viteazu
- Czechoslovakia: 1x company of the 11th Infantry Battalion
- Argentina: The 23 Tercio de Infantería de Marina.
- Hungary: 1x company of the 6th Light Field Division
- South Africa: 1x company of the Royal Black Watch of the Northwind Highlanders
- Siam: 1x company of the 2nd Infantry Division and 1x company of the 6th Infantry (Marines) Division, plus two war elephants with handlers

French Navy:
- French Navy Naval Fusiliers
- French Navy Submarine Force
- French Navy Surface Forces
- French Naval Aviation
- French Navy Maritime Gendarmerie

French Army:
- French Army Armoured Cavalry Branch (represented by the 1ere Brigade de Reaction Rapide)
- French Army Parachute Forces Units
- French Army Infantry and Mountain Troops
- French Army Artillery Command
- French Army Engineers Command
- French Army Marine Troops
- French Army Transport Command
- French Army Materials and Quartermaster Command
- French Army Signals
- French Air Force Air Fusiliers
- French Air Force Air Gendarmerie
- French Air Force Logistics
- Interior Ministry Security Service
- National Firefighting Officer Commissioning Academy
- Paris Fire Brigade
- French Foreign Legion Foreign Engineers
- French Foreign Legion Foreign Cavalry
- French Foreign Legion Foreign Infantry

Mounted Column
- Atlantis: 1x squadron of the Imperial Cuirassiers (ceremonial horse troops)
- Russia: 4th Squadron, 2nd Regiment, 1st Cavalry Brigade, from Kiev Special Military District (mounted)
- Australia: 1x company of the Australian Light Horse
- Britain: 1x company of the Household Cavalry, the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards)
- Bulgaria: 1x mounted lance (platoon) of the Life Guards
- Ireland: 1x mounted company of the 5th Battalion, 1st Irish Guards Brigade
- Lithuania: 1x mounted platoon of the Lithuanian Security Force
- Poland: 1x Squadron of the 5th Regiment of Zaslaw Uhlans
- South Africa: 1x squadron of the Black Widow Company of the Wolf's Dragoons

French:
- Mounted Fanfare Band of the French Republican Guard
- Cavalry Regiment of the French Republican Guard
- 1x squadron Algerian Spahis

Mobile Column
- Atlantis:
---- 2x tank companies of the 3rd and 9th Tank Battalions
- Russia:
---- A Company, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Tank Brigade (10 T-40 tanks)
---- C Company, 4th Battalion, 1st Tank Brigade (10 BTR-35)
---- A Battery, 2nd Artillery Battalion (12 SU-40 122mm SP Guns)
---- B Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Independent Heavy Tank Brigade of the Western Special Military District (10x TT-37 tanks)
---- A Company, 1st Assault Gun Battalion of the Western Special Military District (10x ShU-40 assault guns)
- Chile: Composite company of the 1st Panzergrenadier Brigade (160 men, 8 M3 halftracks, 4 M41 tanks)
- Colombia: 1x company of the 5th Mobile Brigade

French:
- Motorcycle Squadrons, French Gendarmerie and French Republican Guard
- French Army Operational Force High Command
- Alpine Hunters Regiment, Army Mountain Troops
- French Army Transportation
- French Army Materials and Quartermaster Command
- French Army Motorized and Mechanized Infantry
- French Army Artillery Command
- French Army Armored Cavalry Branch (Spahis, Hussars, Dragoons, Cuirassiers and Tanks)
- French Army Engineers Command vehicles
- French Army Marine Infantry vehicles
- French Army Marine Artillery
- French Foreign Legion mobile vehicles (infantry and engineers)
- Paris Fire Brigade

Aircraft Flyover
- Atlantis:
---- 9th Strategic Bomber Squadron of the 23rd Bomber Regiment (Heavy) of the 1st Heavy Strategic Bombing Division (12x Spartan B4 Valiants)
---- 14th Fighter Squadron of the 4th Fighter Regiment (12x Spartan F-17 Vipers)
- Russia: 1st Regiment, 3rd Bomber Aviation Division from the Moscow Military District (15 ANT-35B four engine bombers)
- Chile: 1x flight I-02Ns (Navy), 1x flight Coatis (Air Force)
- Colombia: 1x squadron Spartan SP-20 "Corsair II" fighters from Comando Aereo de Combate No. 3
- France:
---- G.C. I/2: 76x VG.60 Revenants
---- G.C. I/3: 76x VG.60 Revenants
---- G.C.N. V/6: 76x MB.178CN night-fighters
---- G.B. I/50: 66x Lioré et Olivier LeO 451 twin-engine bombers
---- G.B. I/56: 66x Farman F.380 high-speed bombers
---- G.B. I/58: 66x Bloch MB.162 heavy bombers
---- G.B. I/57: 66x Bloch MB.162 heavy bombers
---- G.A.O. 506: 12x Caudron C.710 reconnaissance planes
---- 5e Groupement Aérien de Porte-avions: 32x Bloch MB.1050 Milans, 16x Latécoère Late-550 Épaulard torpedo bombers, 16x Breguet Br.890 Épaulard dive bombers
---- Flyover of four Arsenal VB.20 trials fighters and four Farman F.400 Ourse bombers
---- One Air France MB.970 Transatlantique airliner

Author's comments: yes. Yes, that is a LOT of marching men. I commented to Bruce on the IRC that I think, even if you just count the invited international troops, you could probably invade a few small countries.

Nicely written and quite extensive. Certain to draw comments from many quarters.

Holy heck! Is that a parade, or someones OOB?

Quoted

Originally posted by Sachmle
Holy heck! Is that a parade, or someones OOB?

It's a parade that OOBs fear meeting in dark alleyways.

Quoted

---- Main Military Chorus and Band of the Russian Defense Ministry

are the performers under Col. Aleksandrov's direction!

July 14 - Le Matin
In a hard day's riding today on the Tour de France, German Otto Liebermann fended off attempts by Belgian Sylvère Maes to take the yellow jersey.

July 14
The battlecruisers Dunkerque and Strasbourg have arrived at Abidjan, receiving a loud welcome from the port city's population. The battlecruisers, decorated for Bastille Day, entered the port at noon, surrounded by small fishing boats of the local population.

July 16
With ten days left in the Tour de France, the nine riders of the French Ouest team began a concerted push on the leaders. The Ouest team is composed of some of the best riders in France, and for the last three years has traditionally reserved themselves for the latter half of the race, as they did in 1940 when rider Jean Darracq won the Tour. However, among the leaders, Belgium's Sylvère Maes assumed leadership of the peloton and the yellow jersey, but German rider Otto Liebermann kept it a very close race, and Japanese rider Japanese rider Hashimoto Sato remained in third place.