WesWorld

Summary

April 1
The Tour de Normandie bicycle race began today.

April 3
The naval cargo ship Aitné departed Marseilles today, bound for the Indian Ocean in order to establish a permanent scientific research station on Kerguelen Island. The station will eventually host approximately forty scientists and workers.

April 4
The cruiser Temeraire and the fregate Tran Nhat Duat departed Vladivostok today following the completion of port calls to Japan and eastern Russia. The two ships will cruise together back to Indochina.

April 5 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say, Editorial Section: "Having withdrawn deep into their corner of Europe, Italy now seems poised to withdraw still further with their departure from the AEGIS alliance structure. In the opinion of the editors, this is a strange state for Europe's third-largest democracy."

April 6
Major-General Martial Valin was promoted today to become the Chief of Staff of the Armee de l'Aire.

April 9
France celebrates Easter.

April 10
In a surprise move today, President Theisman spoke before the French press to issue what he called a "comprehensive policy statement" declaring that the Republic of France would interpret any attack on Iberian territory in Southeast Asia as a indirect strike at French interests and soil. Theisman explained the policy had been an active but unstated part of French strategic planning since the formation of SAER many years ago, and the French position of support was made clear to Madrid in discussions in 1937.

April 12 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say (Editorial): "Is it not enough to be chained to the defense of our own outremer territories - ungrateful Asians and Africans all - but to commit also to the defense of Iberia's unwashed masses in Asia? Eight millions inhabit San Hainando, and while it is true they are a willing and Iberian-speaking part of Madrid's confederation, whether or not they remain that way is no concern of ours!"

April 14
Beuchat has introduced a new type of gun designed for spearfishing by divers.

April 15
Gendarmes arrested two men who attempted to break into the Louvre with the intention of stealing art. The thieves were captured after they attempted to overcome a security guard, who knocked them unconscious with his kickboxing skills.

April 17
The hydrographic ship Ingénieur Elie Monnier departed Toulon today with the research submersible CNRS-1. The Monnier, under the command of Lieutenant de vaisseau Jacques Cousteau, will serve as mothership to the CNRS-1 for its first official dive in the Mediterranean.

April 18
The planned first flight of the Arsenal VG.640 Graouilly jet fighter was postphoned today when the turbojet ingested a wooden block during preliminary engine testing. The engine sustained relatively minor damage, but repairs will take several weeks.

April 20
Responding to comments from reporters, President Theisman acknowledged that he had been briefed about Germany's arrest of a spy-ring. The president stated that he had "no comment at the present", but admitted that the French government had been informed about the nationality of the ring's alleged spymasters. However, Theisman repeatedly declared that he was "not at liberty to release that information".

April 29
The destroyer Forbin arrived today at the Nordish port of Saint Johan in Vinland, the first of many stops it will make on its tour-de-force of North America.

May 1
Aubert et Duval commissioned the nation's newest drop forge today, a massive machine capable of developing forty thousand metric tonnes of force. The new forge, built for Aubert et Duval by the Delattre-Levivier firm, is one of the most powerful in the world, capable of producing large and complex metal structural elements for use in aviation and other fields.

May 2
The Forbin arrived today in Saint Pierre, the capital of the French overseas territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, to a tumultuous welcome by the local population.

May 5 - Editorials:
- Le Figaro: "Accused spy Heinrich Eichenlaub declared that he worked for over twelve years to betray German military secrets to Great Britain. Surprising that Britain should expend such efforts to spy on an erstwhile ally - although they were not so when Eichenlaub started his treason."
- L'Humanité: "Eichenlaub's confession comes as no surprise to those experienced in international politics. We express our surprise that our prediction about the nationality of the spies - in fact, our guess that that they worked for our own Dieuxeme Bureau - was inaccurate."
- La Croix: "If Britain spies on Germany, an erstwhile ally, might Britain also be engaged in spying on France? We believe this is so."
- Le Matin: "Once again, we see the grave danger in the policies and beliefs of world socialism. Encouragement of treason, destroyers of the state of peace! J'accuse!"

May 6
Research submarine CNRS-1 and mothership Ingénieur Elie Monnier returned to Toulon today following a series of three successful dives in the Mediterranean Sea. The Monnier's captain Jacques Cousteau declared to the press that the expedition, and those to follow, would massively expand the knowledge of humanity about the seas of the world.

May 8
The French destroyer Forbin, engaged in a long tour of North America, reached the Canadian city of Quebec City today.

May 8
The Graouilly jet fighter completed its first test flight today under the controls of Capitaine Charles Clary. The aircraft's first flight, originally scheduled for March but delayed first by engine delivery issues and then by minor damage during taxi trials, proceeded smoothly, with the VG.640 achieving a registered airspeed of 650 km/hr (351 knots).

May 9
The third issue of Voisin et Hennequin, a comic series about two French fighter pilots, was released today. Picking up where issue two left off, Lieutenant Claude Nicolas Hennequin escapes from the camp of Galila el-Hakim and flees into the Er-Reg of Côte Rocheuse. Meanwhile, his friend and comrade Lieutenant Wenceslas Voisin finds the traitor who has been sabotaging the French fighter planes. The issue ends with Voisin flying over the desert, searching for his missing friend.

May 10 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say: In this week's editorial cartoons, Albion Perfide is depicted reading secret dispatches while ironically saying "Spying? I'd never do such an ungentlemanly thing."

May 11
Her Serene Highness Princess Antoinette of Monaco has announced the birth of a son, to be christened Louis Christian Grimaldi. The Princess, older sister to Monaco's reigning Prince Rainier III, only recently married an architect and gambler by the name of Sébastien Barbarigo. The new prince will become Rainier's official heir until such a time as he produces his own.

May 12
The Indochinese Parliament voted today to increase funding to the Territorial Security Forces (FST) and the Indochinese Air Defense Force. The appropriations, estimated at three million piastres, shall be made out of Indochina's own autonomous budget. The vote included an official petition, which will be presented to the French Parliament by the end of June, to transfer one of the French Army's three colonial infantry divisions to the Territorial security Forces, effectively doubling the FST's strength. The French Army originally offered to transfer all three divisions to the FST in late 1942, but this was placed on hold when the Indochinese parliament could not provide assurance of sufficient funding and training.

For the Indochinese Air Defense Forces, the bill calls for the creation of a new Groupe de Chasse (Fighter Group) for deployment in the Red River Region, as well as an expansion of pilot training programs.

May 16
The new fleet submarines Rolland Morillot and Charles Drujon were completed today in the shipyards of Marseilles, and signed over to the Marine Nationale for acceptance trials.

May 15
The cruisers Duquesne and Gloire arrived today in the Argentine port of Bahia Blanca for a week-long port call. The cruisers will participate in Argentina's celebration of "Naval Day" on May 17th.

May 16
The Génissiat Dam on the Rhone River is completed by the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône. The dam, which began construction in 1937, is one of the largest hydroelectric power generation stations in Europe.

May 17 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say: In this week's editorials, leaders of the Socialist Left comment on the creation of an official petition by Indochina to transfer one of the French Army's three colonial infantry divisions to the Territorial Security Forces.

May 19
The French destroyer Forbin arrived today in the American city of Chicago, on the American Great Lakes. The ship previously called at Cleveland on her route through the Great Lakes. Forbin will stay at Chicago until the 22nd of this month before departing to call at Detroit, which the ship bypassed earlier on her route to Chicago. After that, the destroyer will steam to Toronto.

May 20 - Paris-Soir
In a formal ceremony held today outside Paris, Avions Dewoitine delivered the first of ten pre-production D.800 jet fighters to the Armee de l'Aire today. The company's owner and chief designer Emile Dewoitine hopes the delivery will spark further orders for France's first turbojet-powered fighter. However, the company's optimism contrasts with a more jaded view by several knowledgeable sources interviewed by Paris-Soir. "The D.800 shows promise for the future," said a source who wished to remain anonymous, "But it is still inferior in many crucial ways to propeller-driven aircraft."

May 22
The frégate de surveillance Fidji was launched today in Marseilles. The new ship is the second in the Polynésie class, and shall be used to patrol the French Pacific Ocean Territories.

May 23
A spokesman for the Societe Miniere du Tonkin has announced that it had committed to spend 290,000 piastres to increase activity at the Co Din mine in Tonkin. The spending will cover upgrades to mining machinery, purchase of new heavy transport trucks, and transport infrastructure.

May 24
The destroyer Forbin arrived today in Detroit, the next stop on her North American tour.

May 26
Forbin arrived at the Canadian city of Toronto.

May 29 - L'Humanité
The French Parliament voted to approve a subsidized loan of 7.9 million francs to fund President Theisman's proposal to link the three meter-gauge railways of French West Africa. A number of construction companies have already been lined up to begin clearing and grading the surveyed route, with substantial construction to begin before the end of the year.

May 30
The four ships of the 2nd Flotilla Escorteurs (composed of the ships Le Breton, Le Normand, Le Boulonnais, and Le Lorrain) arrived today at the Irish naval base of Haulbowline today to begin Exercise Orion, a joint antisubmarine exercise to be held off the southwest coast of Ireland. The four ships of Ireland's Shannon class, and several Irish submarines and aircraft, shall participate in the weeklong naval exercise.

May 31
Forbin arrives in Halifax.

June 1
A spokesman for the Armee de l'Aire and the Groupe pour la Défense Aérienne Indochinoise announced that the Northern Sector Command would be hosting units from the Philippine Air Force for an extensive international training exercise over the coming few weeks. With war in East Asia, the aerial defenders of Indochina have substantially increased their numbers and training tempo to be prepared in the event of threatening war...

June 3
The French destroyer Forbin arrived today in Boston.

June 5
The Manurhin Modèle 44 automatic rifle entered service today with the Légion étrangère.

June 6
Marines stormed ashore on beaches near Algiers and Oran to simulated gunfire today in a joint GA amphibious exercise. The exercise, code-named "Torche", is one of the largest amphibious exercises on record. Over a hundred warships from the Marine Nationale joined with participating units from Germany, Atlantis, Russia, and Chile to undertake the exercises.

June 8
The Tour de France started today in Amiens.

June 9
The 2nd Flotilla Escorteurs returned to Brest today following the conclusion of Exercise Hercules with the Irish Naval Service.

June 9 - Les Échos
Manufacturer Georges Huard founded the Jouef brand today in Champagnole, France with the goal of producing model trains.

June 10
Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini presided today over the European premier of Heitor Villa-Lobos' Symphony No. 6 - Montanhas do Brasil at the Salle Pleyel in Paris.

June 10
Emissaries of the French and Romanian governments were present in La Rochelle today to officially launch the hull of the battleship Tapae, under construction for the Romanian Navy.

June 12
The destroyer Forbin arrived today in the city of Philadelphia, following a successful port call in New York City.

June 14 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say: In this week's edition, Minister of Commerce Jean Desrosiers received scrutiny for his spending habits on an official junket to meet with his Nordish counterpart.

June 17 - Le Figaro
The Salon des Tuileries art exhibition opened today in Paris.

June 19
Jean Cassegrain, owner of a Paris tobacco shop, announced today the formation of the new Jean Cassegrain et Compagnie, which will market leather goods to smokers. As the name "Jean Cassegrain" is already in use by another firm, however, all goods will be marketed under the Longchamp brand name.

June 21
The Forbin arrived in Charleston, South Carolina today.

June 23
The French heavy cruisers Jean Bart and Jeanne d'Arc participated in today's Royal Fleet Review held by the British Royal Navy in the port of Spithead, in honor of King Edward VIII's 50th birthday.

June 24
The 24 Hours of Le Mans starts today.

June 25
Pierre Veyron and Yves Giraud-Cabantous narrowly triumphed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Driving their Type 73C Bugatti, Veyron and Giraud-Cabantous faced serious opposition from American drivers Carroll Shelby and Jim Roper in their Lincoln, and Roget Carron and Rudolf Caracciola (of Switzerland and Germany, respectively) driving a Mercedes-Benz.

June 26 - Saigon Times
Special Representative Nguyen Tang Viet arrived in France today, where he was greeted by French Prime Minister Gaston Monnerville and Minister of National Defence and War Jean-Marie Lemaréchal. Representative Nguyen bears with him an official petition from the Indochina Governing Council. The petition requests that one of the three Colonial Infantry Divisions currently deployed in Indochina - manned by a mix of Indochinese recruits and European and Indochinese officers - be transferred to the control of the Territorial Security Forces. President Theisman has agreed to provide Representative Nguyen with a firm answer by the time he returns to Ha Noi in three weeks.

June 27
Forbin pulled into the American port of Miami, Florida, where the ship received a warm welcome from the local city leaders, in addition to a warm welcome from the local weather system.

June 28 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say: in the cartoons, the artists lauded the special election of Socialist candidate Suzanne Malraux to become Mayor of Nantes.

[SIZE=3]Special Article: Schweizer Panzer[/SIZE]
Article from Le Spectateur militaire.

Only in recent years has the Swiss Army started to pay attention to the development of armoured and mechanised infantry units, reflecting changes in the understanding of armoured warfare within harsh terrain.

Development of Doctrine
Until recently, the Swiss Army saw almost no need for an armoured force of the type currently being refined by the armies of the Great Powers. However, Swiss observation of military exercises undertaken by European militaries convinced a number of influential observers, including Lieutenant General Ludwig Jacob, that tanks could operate in mountainous terrain long thought to be highly disadvantageous to armoured forces. General Jacob thus championed the creation of the first Swiss armoured unit in 1941.

Jacob's experimental unit was a company-sized squadron of eighteen tanks, organized in five troops: four tank troops (each with four tanks) and one command troop, with two tanks and a supply section. The tanks were fifteen-ton Renault AMC-35s on loan from the French Army - the vast majority of that type ever produced - and they served as useful exemplars for training young Swiss tank commanders, as well as developing a doctrine.

More crucial to the Swiss armoured arm, however, was their study of the League of Nations tank operations in Afghanistan. In autumn of 1941, Czech Lieutenant General Helidor Pika, second in command of the force, spoke to the Swiss Army staff college about the League's experiences in Afghanistan, where he highlighted the fluid roles that Irish and Czech armoured vehicles played in the successful execution of the campaign goals. The experience General Pika shared was at the same time causing the reworking of the Czech armoured forces. Pika's experience, and his insistence that tanks could contribute to fighting even in hostile terrain, convinced many senior Swiss commanders that it could in fact be done.

General Jacob spent much of late 1941 and early 1942 developing Technical Instruction SP-48842, the official doctrine for the development and use of a Swiss armoured unit. Although this document is classified, it resulted in the creation of the Schützenpanzer Regiment (also known as the Regiment Inter-Armes in French and the Reggimento Motomeccanizzata in Italian).

Combined Arms Forces
The Schützenpanzer regiment is in fact a battalion-sized combined-arms unit, similar in many ways to the Battlegroups used in Afghanistan by the League troops. Each battalion has two mechanized infantry companies and two tank companies, for a total of thirty-six tanks. A regimental train, an artillery company with six self-propelled guns and nine mortar carriers, a headquarters company and a reconnaissance company round out the Schützenpanzer Regiment.

Compared with the armoured divisions fielded by most of the first-rank nations, the Schützenpanzer Regiment is small, lacking in sheer overwhelming firepower. But in the Alps, neither the Swiss nor any potential attacker would be able to find the necessary room to employ such massive units. The sheer size of an armoured division plays against it in restricted terrain. The Swiss have sensibly chosen to keep their tank units integrated with the infantry on a much lower level than is usual in Europe. The Schützenpanzer units thus incorporate at the battalion level all of the major elements of a modern army: armour, infantry, artillery, reconnaissance, and combat support. This microcosm of mixed forces is perfectly sized for operations in rough and constricted terrain, where the units possess a more intimate working relationship. Although it lacks staying power in a large fight, the Regiment's small size allows it to react quickly to developments, either on the attack or the defense.

In order to accomplish this closer pairing of infantry and armour, the Swiss followed the lead of other nations in outfitting the two rifle companies with armoured carriers. However, this is where the similarity ends. Unusually, the Swiss chose to procure fully-tracked infantry carriers for use by their infantry, whereas most nations use a more economical half-track or wheeled truck conversion. This allows the infantry the surety of supporting the tanks in whatever terrain they should find themselves.

Experimentation by General Jacob's test units, as well as studies composed in France, Germany, and elsewhere, has proven that combined operations between infantry and armour are the keys to successful utilization of armoured units in closed terrain. In open terrain - for instance, the European plains or the North African desert - armour may lead the way, with infantry moving in close support. The tanks, with their mobility and long-range guns, become the dominating force of the battlefield - but this does not reduce the need for infantry to come up in support. In closed terrain, this calculus must change. The infantry must lead, while the tanks follow in support. This follows the general methodology used by the League forces in Afghanistan - although it does not prevent the on-scene commander from exercising his prerogative to change tactics. In both cases, adherence to one methodology or the other may be fatal: cooperation and flexibility by combined arms units is demanded.

Materiel Component
The first Swiss tanks were retired AMC-35s leased from France, but it soon became clear that these vehicles were both insufficient for Swiss requirements (lacking mobility and potency) and already well-aged. Through 1942 and early 1943, the Swiss sought out tank designs for evaluation. Development of an indigenous Swiss tank was considered, but rejected; the Swiss evaluators determined that the country lacked sufficient design experience to build their own tank, and estimated that a homemade design would not be able to benefit from sufficient economies of scale to be financially sound. However, the greater number of required armoured carriers made this a possible field for Swiss innovation. Thus, the Swiss adopted a two-pronged approach.

First, in late 1942 the Swiss acquired a set of used Czech LT.38 light tanks, which they converted at the Swiss Federal Constructions Works (EFW) into prototype armoured infantry carriers, dubbed the Schützenpanzer 42. A license for local production of the basic LT.38 chassis was shortly acquired, and the new vehicle, dubbed the Schützenpanzer 43, is now being manufactured by EFW, with an initial order for two hundred and sixty vehicles. At just under twelve tons, the SP-43 can carry a crew of two and a slimmed-down squad of eight riflemen. Once the troops are unloaded into battle, the SP-43 remains on the battlefield, providing fire support to the infantry with its 20mm gun.

In November 1943, the Swiss Army selected the Czech LT vz. 42 as the main Swiss tank, picking it over offers made by larger European firms such as Renault and Fiat/OTO. CKD/Skoda was just finishing up the LT vz. 42 production run for the Czechoslovakian Army, and they quickly transitioned into building tanks for the Swiss. These vehicles received a slightly different armament from the Czech tanks, adopting the longer-barreled 75mm/L48 M40 gun, manufactured in Yugoslavia. This potent weapon is capable of penetrating ten centimeters of armour at ranges up to a kilometer, which the Swiss believe is sufficient to deal with most of the light and medium tanks currently found in Europe.

Appendix I: Panzer 44

Quoted

Panzer 44 / CKD LT vz. 42 Tank
[SIZE=1]The LT vz. 42 tank was designed in Czechoslovakia between 1939 and 1942 as the successor to the LT vz. 38 light tank and the ST vz. 39 medium tank. In April 1943, the Irish Army ordered thirty-six regular tanks and two training tanks to replace worn out Crusader cruisers. The Swiss Army ordered one hundred fifty tanks at the end of 1943 to form their new armoured branch.[/SIZE]

Specifications
[SIZE=1]Dimensions:
-- Length: 6.13m (hull)
-- Width: 3.2m
-- Height: 2.755m
Weight: 22.7 tonnes
Armament:
-- 75mm/L48 (modified M40 gun)
-- 7.5mm machine gun (Coaxial)
-- 7.5mm machine gun (pintle mounted)
Protection:
-- Turret face: 45mm (sloped)
-- Glacis: 25mm-45mm (sloped)
-- Sides: 25mm
Crew: 4
Engine: Two Tatra V910 V-12 diesels, 180-207hp each
Speed: 55kph (road)
Range: 250km (road)
Transmission: Manual
Suspension: Torsion spring pendant arms
Power to Weight Ratio: 18.23 hp / tonne
Constructors: CKD (primary developer), Skoda[/SIZE]

Appendix II: Schützenpanzer 43 and Variants

Quoted

CKD / ŠSkoda LT Schützenpanzer 43

Specifications
[SIZE=1]Dimensions:
-- Length: 4.65 metres (15.25 ft)
-- Width: 2.2 metres (7.2 ft)
-- Height: 2.65 metres (8.7 ft) (overall)
Weight: 11.7 tonnes
Armament:
-- 1x 2 cm ŠMG
Protection:
-- Glacis: 12mm
-- Sides: 5mm
Crew: 4
Engine: Tatra V910 V-12 diesel, 180 hp
Speed: 42 km/h, 26.1 mph (road)
Range: 250 kilometres (160 mi) (road)
Transmission: 5 + 1 Praga-Wilson Typ CV
Suspension: Leaf spring
Power to Weight Ratio: 15.4 hp / tonne
Constructors: CKD (primary developer), ŠSkoda[/SIZE]

Appendix III: Schützenpanzer Regiment Order of Battle

Quoted

Swiss Schützenpanzer Regiment: 991 men, 4 60mm mortars, 9 120mm mortars and carriers, 64 field cars, 43 motorcycles, 4 light trucks, 27 medium trucks, 11 scout cars, 6 self-propelled guns, 36 tanks, 54 infantry carriers
---- 1 headquarters squadron: 48 men, 2 medium MGs, 6 field cars, 2 light trucks, 6 medium trucks, 2 scout cars, 2 infantry carriers
---- 2 tank squadrons: 98 men, 1 field car, 2 medium trucks, 18 tanks
---- 2 mechanised infantry companies: 182 men, 2 60mm mortars, 16 field cars, 3 motorcycles, 2 medium trucks, 18 infantry carriers
---- 1 artillery company: 163 men, 9 120mm mortars and carriers, 14 field cars, 3 motorcycles, 5 medium trucks, 10 infantry carriers, 6 self-propelled guns
---- 1 reconnaissance squadron: 102 men, 3 field cars, 10 motorcycles, 2 light trucks, 4 medium trucks, 9 scout cars, 6 infantry carriers
---- 1 regimental train: 118 men, 7 field cars, 24 medium trucks

A perceptive and thought-provoking item.

As a mobile blocking force the Schutzenpanzerregiment can delay an attacker so that preparations in mountainous terrain can be completed, or it can spearhead local counterattacks where the terrain is favorable. If the enemy has no tanks, even a few tanks can be decisive at the point of contact.

Two very interesting vehicle designs too.

April 1
The Tour de Normandie bicycle race began today.

April 3
The naval cargo ship Aitné departed Marseilles today, bound for the Indian Ocean in order to establish a permanent scientific research station on Kerguelen Island. The station will eventually host approximately forty scientists and workers.

April 4
The cruiser Temeraire and the fregate Tran Nhat Duat departed Vladivostok today following the completion of port calls to Japan and eastern Russia. The two ships will cruise together back to Indochina.

April 5 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say, Editorial Section: "Having withdrawn deep into their corner of Europe, Italy now seems poised to withdraw still further with their departure from the AEGIS alliance structure. In the opinion of the editors, this is a strange state for Europe's third-largest democracy."

April 6
Major-General Martial Valin was promoted today to become the Chief of Staff of the Armee de l'Aire.

April 9
France celebrates Easter.

April 10
In a surprise move today, President Theisman spoke before the French press to issue what he called a "comprehensive policy statement" declaring that the Republic of France would interpret any attack on Iberian territory in Southeast Asia as a indirect strike at French interests and soil. Theisman explained the policy had been an active but unstated part of French strategic planning since the formation of SAER many years ago, and the French position of support was made clear to Madrid in discussions in 1937.



Notes:
- Note [1]: Since the Korean War is so woefully behind, I don't know if it's still even being fought at the moment. If it is, then the two ships will be conducting a sort of neutrality patrol on their way home, shepherding French and neutral shipping in the region.

Quoted

Originally posted by Brockpaine

April 10
In a surprise move today, President Theisman spoke before the French press to issue what he called a "comprehensive policy statement" declaring that the Republic of France would interpret any attack on Iberian territory in Southeast Asia as a indirect strike at French interests and soil. Theisman explained the policy had been an active but unstated part of French strategic planning since the formation of SAER many years ago, and the French position of support was made clear to Madrid in discussions in 1937.

...why?

Quoted

Originally posted by The Rock Doctor
...why?

It's something CG and I talked about when I first took over France. In terms of timing, this occurred now because Italy withdrew from AEGIS. It's part of a continued French effort to keep good relations with Iberia, prevent Chinese encroachment on the flanks of Indochina, and preserve the status quo in Europe and Southeast Asia.

April 12 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say (Editorial): "Is it not enough to be chained to the defense of our own outremer territories - ungrateful Asians and Africans all - but to commit also to the defense of Iberia's unwashed masses in Asia? Eight millions inhabit San Hainando, and while it is true they are a willing and Iberian-speaking part of Madrid's confederation, whether or not they remain that way is no concern of ours!"

April 14
Beuchat has introduced a new type of gun designed for spearfishing by divers.

April 15
Gendarmes arrested two men who attempted to break into the Louvre with the intention of stealing art. The thieves were captured after they attempted to overcome a security guard, who knocked them unconscious with his kickboxing skills.

April 17
The hydrographic ship Ingénieur Elie Monnier departed Toulon today with the research submersible CNRS-1. The Monnier, under the command of Lieutenant de vaisseau Jacques Cousteau, will serve as mothership to the CNRS-1 for its first official dive in the Mediterranean.

April 18
The planned first flight of the Arsenal VG.640 Graouilly jet fighter was postphoned today when the turbojet ingested a wooden block during preliminary engine testing. The engine sustained relatively minor damage, but repairs will take several weeks.

April 20
Responding to comments from reporters, President Theisman acknowledged that he had been briefed about Germany's arrest of a spy-ring. The president stated that he had "no comment at the present", but admitted that the French government had been informed about the nationality of the ring's alleged spymasters. However, Theisman repeatedly declared that he was "not at liberty to release that information".

April 21
French destroyer Forbin departed from the port of Brest today to begin a series of port calls in North America. The ship's itinerary includes no fewer than twenty-three stops in Vinland, Canada, and the United States, as well as the French territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

April 24
The Armee de l'Aire confirmed that it had placed an order for an unspecified quantity of B-32 Dominator heavy bombers with the American aircraft manufacturer Consolidated. These aircraft will likely replace the last of the Bloch MB.161 bombers in the French Air Force. Observers within the aviation community believe the number of aircraft ordered is likely under three hundred machines.

April 25
The new passenger motorship Blaise Diagne was launched today from the yards of Société Nouvelle des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée. The Blaise Diagne, named for the former mayor of Dakar and the first black African elected to the French Chamber of Deputies, was launched by his son Raoul, a noted football player on the French National Team.

April 26 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say: In this week's edition, the editors address speculation about the origin of the alleged Kraft Spy Ring in Germany, with the trial to start tomorrow.

April 28
The Indochinese frigate Tran Nhat Duat arrived today in Manila, opening the second port call in the short history of the Indochinese Patrouille Navale.

April 29
The destroyer Forbin arrived today at the Nordish port of Saint Johan in Vinland, the first of many stops it will make on its tour-de-force of North America.

May 1
Aubert et Duval commissioned the nation's newest drop forge today, a massive machine capable of developing forty thousand metric tonnes of force. The new forge, built for Aubert et Duval by the Delattre-Levivier firm, is one of the most powerful in the world, capable of producing large and complex metal structural elements for use in aviation and other fields.

May 2
The Forbin arrived today in Saint Pierre, the capital of the French overseas territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, to a tumultuous welcome by the local population.

May 5 - Editorials:
- Le Figaro: "Accused spy Heinrich Eichenlaub declared that he worked for over twelve years to betray German military secrets to Great Britain. Surprising that Britain should expend such efforts to spy on an erstwhile ally - although they were not so when Eichenlaub started his treason."
- L'Humanité: "Eichenlaub's confession comes as no surprise to those experienced in international politics. We express our surprise that our prediction about the nationality of the spies - in fact, our guess that that they worked for our own Dieuxeme Bureau - was inaccurate."
- La Croix: "If Britain spies on Germany, an erstwhile ally, might Britain also be engaged in spying on France? We believe this is so."
- Le Matin: "Once again, we see the grave danger in the policies and beliefs of world socialism. Encouragement of treason, destroyers of the state of peace! J'accuse!"

[SIZE=3]Literature Review: La nécessité d'un Missile Intercepteur[/SIZE]
Article from Le Spectateur militaire. Literature Review is a monthly feature which reviews literary works of interest to military readers.

La nécessité d'un missile intercepteur (Eng.: "The Necessity of an Interceptor Missile") was recently published by Birkhäuser in Switzerland. This anonymous volume saw significant controversy within the last few months following a claim by a Swiss socialist newspaper that the French military attempted to sue the publishing house to prevent the volume's appearance. This was denied by both Birkhäuser and the French military, but successfully bolstered public interest in the volume. As a result, the thousand-volume run sold out within three days of its appearance.

Despite the book's apparent popularity, most of the one hundred and thirty page volume is a dull mathematical treatise discussing the interception of bombers. The book's anonymous authors, identified by Birkhäuser only as an English expatriate and a retired French military officer, spend a great deal of time developing their central thesis. The rising cruise speed and operational altitudes of both heavy and medium bombers means that the window for defending fighters to intercept inbound strategic bombers narrows substantially. Similarly, increasingly large anti-aircraft cannon must be deployed in order to try to shoot down attacking aircraft.

"The crux of the matter," writes the authors, "Is that it becomes increasingly difficult every year for fighters to shoot down strategic bombers." The authors address efforts to continue making fighters perform at ever-faster speeds and higher altitudes in response - research in jet aircraft are specifically cited - but note that any aeronautical advances applied to interceptor aircraft will inevitably be countered by similar developments within the bomber force.

The solution, claims the authors, is to develop an unmanned, autonomously-guided missile system to shoot down attacking strategic bombers. The French Air Force and Navy have reportedly engaged in research into such vehicles, with... We're sorry, but your free web preview of Le Spectateur militaire archives has ended. Become a member to read the full text of this and other archived articles.

The Air Ministry and War Office may have equally wanted to sue Birkhäuser over the release of La nécessité d'un Missile Intercepteur if the expat Brit has revealed anything.

Cripes, where did I leave those Brakemine plans lying around? Phew still here. *innocent whistling*

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
The Air Ministry and War Office may have equally wanted to sue Birkhäuser over the release of La nécessité d'un Missile Intercepteur if the expat Brit has revealed anything.

Cripes, where did I leave those Brakemine plans lying around? Phew still here. *innocent whistling*

Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Maybe he's not even an expat Brit, for that matter, but an American with a bad accent. Or a Hungarian...

Rumor has it that about a tenth of the print run was snapped up by the German military attaché. Of course, no one is confirming or denying it.

May 6
Research submarine CNRS-1 and mothership Ingénieur Elie Monnier returned to Toulon today following a series of three successful dives in the Mediterranean Sea. The Monnier's captain Jacques Cousteau declared to the press that the expedition, and those to follow, would massively expand the knowledge of humanity about the seas of the world.

May 8
The French destroyer Forbin, engaged in a long tour of North America, reached the Canadian city of Quebec City today.

May 8
The Graouilly jet fighter completed its first test flight today under the controls of Capitaine Charles Clary. The aircraft's first flight, originally scheduled for March but delayed first by engine delivery issues and then by minor damage during taxi trials, proceeded smoothly, with the VG.640 achieving a registered airspeed of 650 km/hr (351 knots).

May 9
The third issue of Voisin et Hennequin, a comic series about two French fighter pilots, was released today. Picking up where issue two left off, Lieutenant Claude Nicolas Hennequin escapes from the camp of Galila el-Hakim and flees into the Er-Reg of Côte Rocheuse. Meanwhile, his friend and comrade Lieutenant Wenceslas Voisin finds the traitor who has been sabotaging the French fighter planes. The issue ends with Voisin flying over the desert, searching for his missing friend.

May 10 - Le Canard enchaîné
What the Bird Has to Say: In this week's editorial cartoons, Albion Perfide is depicted reading secret dispatches while ironically saying "Spying? I'd never do such an ungentlemanly thing."

May 11
Her Serene Highness Princess Antoinette of Monaco has announced the birth of a son, to be christened Louis Christian Grimaldi. The Princess, older sister to Monaco's reigning Prince Rainier III, only recently married an architect and gambler by the name of Sébastien Barbarigo. The new prince will become Rainier's official heir until such a time as he produces his own.

May 12
The Indochinese Parliament voted today to increase funding to the Territorial Security Forces (FST) and the Indochinese Air Defense Force. The appropriations, estimated at three million piastres, shall be made out of Indochina's own autonomous budget. The vote included an official petition, which will be presented to the French Parliament by the end of June, to transfer one of the French Army's three colonial infantry divisions to the Territorial security Forces, effectively doubling the FST's strength. The French Army originally offered to transfer all three divisions to the FST in late 1942, but this was placed on hold when the Indochinese parliament could not provide assurance of sufficient funding and training.

For the Indochinese Air Defense Forces, the bill calls for the creation of a new Groupe de Chasse (Fighter Group) for deployment in the Red River Region, as well as an expansion of pilot training programs.

May 16
The new fleet submarines Rolland Morillot and Charles Drujon were completed today in the shipyards of Marseilles, and signed over to the Marine Nationale for acceptance trials.

May 15
The cruisers Duquesne and Gloire arrived today in the Argentine port of Bahia Blanca for a week-long port call. The cruisers will participate in Argentina's celebration of "Naval Day" on May 17th.

May 12, Palais de Elysee
It had been six months since President Theisman had spoken with the Comte de Rochefort, the chief of the Dieuxeme Bureau. The Comte was not well-known; in fact, most members of the Dieuxeme Bureau would not have even known the name of their Director, perhaps instead naming the comte's deputy, André Dewavrin. de Rochefort holed up in his office for sixteen to eighteen hours a day, doing much of his own analysis, scrawling his notes in a language he invented solely to keep his notes secret.

Unfortunately, that does not make him easy to get along with, Theisman mused to himself. Him, the aristocrat of a long-dead monarchy; me, the conservative populist...

de Rochefort waited, silently. Theisman cleared his throat. "Can you tell me about this situation with the British spy ring in Germany?"

"Yes," de Rochefort answered.

There was a pause.

"Well?"

"I answered your question, Monsieur President."

Theisman sighed. "Please tell me everything of consequence about the Kraft Spy Ring Affair."

de Rochefort took out a notepad covered in esoteric symbols. Theisman always thought they looked like a mix of the Georgian alphabet and Kabbalistic symbols. Lines were drawn across the pages like inky spiderwebs, connecting squares filled with information. de Rochefort started talking, presenting facts and suppositions. Theisman simply listened as de Rochefort slowly built his chain of thought, like a prosecutor building up his case.

When the spymaster finished, Theisman drummed his fingers on his desk. "Do you believe the British are in fact responsible for the spy ring?"

"Yes."

"What do you believe the British response shall be?"

"The British will assume their ring was broken due to a leak within British Intelligence. They will attempt to shut the leak off. Canaris has told us nothing about the sources he used to break the Ring. I believe he did acquire outside information that allowed him to cross off the Ring. I believe the British will probably erase that line within six months."

"Do you have any suspicions about who provided the Admiral with his proof?"

"Yes." de Rochefort tipped his notebook towards Theisman, gesturing towards a single heavily-underlined word that Theisman couldn't read. de Rochefort didn't elaborate further, and Theisman frowned at the scribble.

"Do you have agents in Britain that could be endangered by a British spy hunt?"

"No. The Dieuxeme Bureau has not pursued direct espionage in Great Britain since the Entente Cordiale. Signals interception, skim off public access documents, the like. No agents integrated within their system."

"At least none you're willing to tell me about?"

de Rochefort shrugged. "Our focus has been elsewhere for the last twenty years. Do you wish for me to change that?"

Theisman considered. "I expect it will take quite awhile to build a network?"

"Ten years."

"Better start, then. What about British agents in France? If Britain spies on Germany, then might there be some here as well?"

"Certainly."

"Don't you think you should do something about that?"

de Rochefort smiled. "Yes, Monsieur President."

The Comte de Rochefort's estimate on the time necessary to build up an effective network may be conservative; but slow progress is more sound than a crash effort. It sounds by his tone however that he already has some suspects in mind regarding potential English agents in place.

Most interesting developments.

Everyone's spying now.

I wonder if the Comte knows about the Director's people in France.......

Come on who'd trust a crazy old aristocrat who overworks himself and invents crazy Kabbalistic-inspired languages because he has serious paranoia someone will read his innermost thoughts?

I must say, although there are British agents in France and some North African French territories they are aimed at Iberia and I long assumed such agents were there as co-operative efforts with the French. Likewise I'd have no problems with French agents in the British Empire spying on or passing false information to common enemies. As a SAER member and part of the Far East Combined Bureau created to share SAER intelligence its a fair bet France and Britain jointly plan such operations. Since such co-operation stretches back to the 1900s it goes a fair way to explaining why Britain has not spied on France itself but does on Germany. There has never been any close co-operation with the Abwehr and enough lingering suspicions of German intentions.

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
Come on who'd trust a crazy old aristocrat who overworks himself and invents crazy Kabbalistic-inspired languages because he has serious paranoia someone will read his innermost thoughts?

To cite Joseph Heller in Catch 22 , "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you"

Quoted

I must say, although there are British agents in France and some North African French territories they are aimed at Iberia and I long assumed such agents were there as co-operative efforts with the French. Likewise I'd have no problems with French agents in the British Empire spying on or passing false information to common enemies. As a SAER member and part of the Far East Combined Bureau created to share SAER intelligence its a fair bet France and Britain jointly plan such operations. Since such co-operation stretches back to the 1900s it goes a fair way to explaining why Britain has not spied on France itself but does on Germany. There has never been any close co-operation with the Abwehr and enough lingering suspicions of German intentions.

It would see as though there might be more than enough lingering suspicions to go around; or perhaps growing suspicions? Perhaps the Belgians are correct?