French Helplessness (Please Vote)

Southern France, Toulouse. It had become the French government's temporary seat. Previously, the French government had moved to Bordeaux, but when German Navy warships appeared in the nearby waters, the French government's high officials had been like startled birds, shrieking as they took flight from the woods and fleeing in a puff of smoke straight to Toulouse.

Toulouse was also the last major city in southern France. If this place, too, came under threat, then if the French government wanted to continue moving south, it would likely have no choice but to cross the Pyrenees Mountains and seek refuge in Spain. But if that happened, could the French government still be called the French government? It would be more like a government-in-exile. Besides, the Spanish government probably would not dare accept French exiles at all.

Germany was about to win World War. At a time like this, helping the French would not that be seeking one's own death?

Toulouse City Hall had become the French government's temporary workplace. As more and more territory fell and more and more troops were scattered by the German military, France was now merely dragging out an ignoble existence. No one knew how much longer it could hold on.

The reason the French government gritted its teeth and persisted was that it was waiting for the decisive battle between the Combined Fleet and the German Navy. If the Combined Fleet won, they would still have a thread of life. If the Combined Fleet lost, then there would no longer be any reason for them to hold on.

In President Poincaré's office, the Cabinet's high officials had all gathered, awaiting news of the naval battle. Although everyone was exhausted after waiting for an entire day, they still held on. At most, they smoked one more cigar