The Franco-German war was a three-year long war between the nations of Germany and France . The first mobilization of French forces was on December 29, 1970 after a brief build-up along the Maginot line. The stint is recognized as being the final nail in the coffin for the CEL nations and the end of the alliance.
From political analysis of the conflict from a January 1st, 1971 issue of Kayhan, a Persian newspaper:
"It is thought that such an act stems from France's desire for revenge on the 1870 and 1914 wars, the first of which resulted in the loss of Alsace-Lorraine, a particularly rich industrial region, and the second of which incurred massive French casualties, which can still be felt in the country's demography. Both were German invasions, and this has made many French feel humiliated, and make them want to wipe this affront, as well as recover the lost regions.
"Aqa Abani, a noted European political analyst, says that the French government: "felt strong enough now to take on Germany, and clean this insult definitively." He also says that they might have allied with Germany to, "lull it into a false sense of calm, and divert its attention and forces from the border.""
December 29[]
The French had been building up for sometime along the Maginot line's defences to spring onto Germany which it percieved as "weak" and "inferior" to the French. Masterminded by the then current Prime Minister of France - Monsieur Greene - they shuttled supplies to the front over the weeks previous via train and truck.
On December 29, Paris ordered the mobilization of their built up forces on Germany , aiming for Manheim. In general fashion for the time, a total mobilization of armor, infantry, and artillery was ordered with supporting air-cover to target airfields and other possible military installations.
Elsewhere[]
Around the same time the French forces were moving on Germany, Greene ordered support for their Turkish allies and deployed several units by air to Turkish soil to assist the Ottomans in "defending their land against any invaders". As well, the French Navy was gearing up to set sail to New Guinea in the vein hope of relieving the Turks in their battle there.
Needless to say, the later wouldn't make it and soon returned home.
This move would mark a stretching of French forces during the events of the Franco-German war.
German Resistance, Manheim[]
Initial German defence was thin and under-prepared for the suddeness of the context-less invasion. Having not noticed the French build up native garrisons were caught off guard and only a limited number of armor and infantry divisions were present when the French hit Manheim on December 31st.
Though initial resistance was weak German forces were able to quickly respond and began meeting the French outside of Manheim. Reinforcements from Frankfurt were summoned in as well as air support from elsewhere.
In response to the sudden aggression the German government requested their ambassador to the Turks to meet with Suleiman to plead for assistance in the affair and to deploy aid or condemn the French for their invasion of an ally. The remainder of German forces were given the order to move, and in a quick decision in support of Germany the local North German - Prussian - governments ordered the Aachen regiments to move into France via Liege, initiating an invasion of Belgium.
Assasination of the German Ambassador[]
Learning of the Germans' attempts to plead with the Turks for assistance French agents in Ankara rendevouzed with the German diplomat. Within the German embassy the agents rounded on the ambassador, slaying him before they could meet with Suleiman.
Liege[]
German forces reached the city of Liege on January 1st and put the city to siege. Resistance had been thin from the Belgians as the army crossed over the border.
French forces were dispatched to Liege to relieve the Belgians on January 5th. French artillery caught up several days later to put the German under heavy fire using cluster bombs.
French Push[]
Distraught over the failure of their first push and loss of French life along the lines, Monsieur Greene ordered a second push east into Germany. Scraping up what armor they had left, they pushed forward into Germany on January 5th. As a part of this push French forces were dispatched to Liege in an attempt to relieve the Belgians.
French Withdrawl, German Counterattack[]
The second French Push again resulted in a second stalemate, meeting equal opposition from built-up German forces deployed to the west from the east. Re-embroiling themselves in trench warfare both sides attempted to wait each other out. Heavy shelling rocked the border between the two.
Meanwhile in Liege, the city was overwhelmed by the Germans on April fifth. Following the fall of the city, the northern German front continued their push towards Paris. The Germans entrenched themselves short of the city as the French direly tried to intervene with the German presence.
As the months went back the French lines slowly began to fall back to the Maginot line where the French surrendered and the war came to a draw on May 21, 1973.
Aftermath[]
The results of the war removed what faith remained in the CEL as a global force and it faded from relevance shortly after the first shot. In addition, the war officially ended the carreer of Monsieur Greene who stepped down from office sometime thereafter. Though this could have been under the pretense of several other reasons as well.