Unthinkable Union

This is an alternate history which envisions a rather different world after, in June 1939, the Franco-British Union is formally established and France and Britain are unified into one country moments before Nazi Germany storms into mainland France. As a result, the course of the Second World War is changed; and the world after it becomes radically different.

"France and Great Britain shall no longer be two nations, but one Franco-British Union. The constitution of the Union will provide for joint organs of defence, foreign, financial and economic policies. Every citizen of France will enjoy immediately citizenship of Great Britain, every British subject will become a citizen of France."

--- Declaration of Union by the British War Cabinet

The point of divergence for this timeline is June 1939. This is a timeline that is in active development.

The Beginning: The Second World War
In June 1939, a vote is called in the French parliament on the matter of a possible Union with Britain - as Nazi forces are storming into the country, by French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud. Parliament is overwhelmingly supportive of the idea and around two-thirds of ministers agree upon it. It is therefore settled and agreed that it shall come into effect on midnight, June 15th -16th in France, and at 23:00, June 15th in Britain.

As a direct result, the French Navy and is relocated to French West Africa as Nazi Germany reaches the south of France. The remaining French forces shall continue the fight from there, and use the position to harass Axis shipping in the Mediterranean Sea, primarily using Potez 630 and Blackburn Skua fighter-bombers. The tactic is dropped after Luftwaffe Bf-109s relocate to the southern French coast, causing losses to climb to unacceptable rates even with fighter escorts.

Meanwhile, Hermann Göring launches the air offensive over the British Isles - which will become known as the Battle of Britain - in an effort to win air superiority and thus clear the way for an amphibious invasion of the British Isles. The air offensive lasts from 10th July 1940 to 31st October that same year. Following the failure of the daytime campaign, the Luftwaffe initiates the Blitz, the night-time air-raids on cities in Britain, lasting from September 1940 to 21st May 1941. It, too, is a total strategic failure.

On 22nd June 1941, Operation Barbarossa comes into effect. The Wehrmacht marches into the Soviet Union as the Luftwaffe destroys much of the Soviet Air Force on the ground. Later the same year, on December 7th, the Empire of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, thereby opening the Pacific Theater and officially bringing the United States into the war. Shortly afterwards, Germany honored its alliance with Japan and likewise declared war on the United States.

Meanwhile, Franco-British forces had seen success against Italian forces in the North African Campaign, operating from Egypt and French West Africa. The ex-French Navy engaged the Italian Navy near Malta in December 1941 in a decisive battle, which, combined with air support from the Islane, crippled Italy's naval capabilities. These naval forces caused devastating losses to Axis shipping in the Mediterranean. Italian Lybia subsequently became a part of the Franco-British Empire. The invasion of Italy commenced in 1943, ending with its occupation by the Allies and the formation of a German puppet in the North; Italian East Africa was alao annexed.