Post Numéro: 12 de Enrico Cernuschi 28 Mai 2009, 18:41
Pardon, mais les documents anglaises sont formel.
1st March 1939, Sir Roger Backhouse, Chief of Naval Staff, wrote to the Cabinet that: "a series of hard blows against Italy at the start of hostilities could turn the whole course of war in Britain's favour". (PRO CAB 16/209, SAC1st Meeting 1st March 1939, CID Strategic Appreciations Sub-Commitee, p. 12. On 27 March 1939 the Join Planning Commitee stated that "during the next war against Germany and Italy the Royal Navy would have little difficulty in blockading Italy and attacking her shores" (PRO CAB 55/15, JP 382 Allied Plans against Italy, 27 March 1939).
Now the point is: every source says that the French had a quite modest enthusiasm the day of the declaration of war against Germany on 3 Sept. 1939 and the mood did not change later.
All the British documents about the next war gives as granted the French enthusiastic support at the coming next war at least since 23 January 1939, the day of the planned meeting between Admiral Bourragué and Captain Holland, the Royal Navy attaché in Paris, debating both happy the fact it was possible, at least, "to speak easy about the next war against Italy".(Archives de la Marine Française, Chateau de Vincennes, Pavillon de la Reine, Paris, EMG 2, TTE 28).
According the documents the alternatives are two only:
a) the French were enthusiast at the idea of a swift campaing against Italy confiding that the Germans would remain neutral or that Der Fuherer would be removed by an Allies symptetic putsch.
b) The British were sure that the French government would rally at their will as a single man as soon as they will whistle to fight both Italy and Germany.
In the b) case, anyway, it would be necessary to appreciate what induced Whitehall to be so sure in such a serious affair as a new European war about the Paris' attitude in spite of the recent people benevolent appreciation of the Munich settlement BEFORE the Prague invasion by the Germans.
Blackmail against some key members of the Daladier government of many menbers of the French parliament?
Sincerely
EC
PS Let me suggest you a reading of Williamson Murray, The role of Italy inn British Strategy 1938-1939, RUSI, Journal of the Royal United Services Institute for defence Studies, Vol. 124, No. 3 September 1979.
PPSS "Miroton, miroton, miroton...c'est le chat qui fait ron-ron"