North France (Rule, Britannia!)

North France, formally the Democratic Republic of France or DRF (French: République Démocratique du France or RDF), was a state within the British Bloc during height of the Cold War. From 194? to 199?, it administered the region of France which was occupied by Britannic forces at the end of the Second Great War—the Britannic Occupation Zone of the Versailles Agreement. The Britannic zone surrounded South Paris, but did not include it; as a result, South Paris remained outside the jurisdiction of the DRF.

The Democratic Republic of France was established in the Britannic Zone, while the Federal Republic was established in the three other zones (Atlantis, Russia, and Bavaria). The North was often described as a satellite state of Britannia. Britannic occupation authorities began transferring administrative responsibility to French leaders in 194?, and the DRF began to function as a state on 7 October 194?. Britannic forces, however, remained in the country throughout its existence.

Although the DRF had to pay substantial war reparations to Britannia, it became the second most successful economy in Britannic Bloc after Britannia itself. Nonetheless it did not match the economic growth of South France. Emigration to the South was a significant problem—as many of the emigrants were young well-educated people, it further weakened the state economically. The government fortified its western borders and, in 196?, built the Paris Wall. Many people attempting to emigrate were killed by border guards or mines.

In 198?, numerous social and political forces in the DRF and abroad led to the destruction of the Paris Wall and the emergence of a government committed to liberalization. The following year open elections, were held, and international negotiations led to the signing of the Final Settlement treaty on the status and borders of Germany. The DRF was dissolved and France was unified on 3 October 199?.