"Gentlemen, once again, our army has been defeated by the Germans. The nearest German force to Toulouse is now less than a hundred kilometers away. What shall we do now? Should we continue to retreat? But where else can we flee to?" President Poincaré asked.
"The Spanish government has explicitly refused to allow us to establish a government in exile in Spain. As for seeking refuge in the African colonies, we must first cross the Mediterranean. However, according to our intelligence, the German navy has already entered the Mediterranean. In other words, all our escape routes have been cut off," Prime Minister René Viviani added.
"My God! What are we to do now?" The high-ranking French officials were on the brink of despair.
"Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, it seems our only option now is to accept the German terms. Otherwise, once the Germans reach Toulouse, they will certainly capture us and execute us all," the Minister of Colonies stated.
A flicker of fear passed through the eyes of the other officials. They too feared that once the German forces reached Toulouse, they would turn their wrath upon them. After all, the Germans, now utterly ruthless, would spare no one.
Gradually, more and more cabinet members voiced their support for accepting the German conditions. After all, it was the only way to preserve their positions.
Seeing this, President Poincaré and Prime Minister Viviani, with heavy hearts, agreed to heed the collective opinion. An urgent telegram was sent to Berlin, instructing the French Ambassador, Théophile Delcassé, to immediately accept Germany's terms on behalf of the French government and end the war.
At that very moment, in Berlin, Théophile Delcassé had been anxiously awaiting news from home. When the three-day deadline passed without word, his heart sank.
Although the terms the Germans had imposed were severe, for France, they were still preferable to complete annihilation. Losing half the territory was painful, but at least France would continue to exist. If destroyed, there would be nothing left. With this in mind, Delcassé hoped that the French government would accept the German terms. As for the rest, they would deal with it later.
"Sir, an urgent telegram has arrived from the homeland," the secretary hurriedly entered the room.
Delcassé quickly took the telegram and read it. When he saw that France had agreed to accept Germany's conditions, a deep sigh of relief escaped him.
"Prepare the car immediately; I must go to the German Foreign Ministry!" Delcassé ordered.
Minutes later, Delcassé was en route to the German Foreign Ministry, seeking an audience with Foreign Minister von Kidron Wichert.
When Wichert saw Delcassé, a faint smile crossed his face. Delcassé, however, felt a pang of shame. If he could, he would have turned and walked away. But now, with the German forces continuing their advance, if his departure caused the negotiations to fail and prolonged the war, the Germans would press on, and France would soon be doomed.
"Minister, I trust your government is now able to provide us with a satisfactory answer?" Wichert asked.
"Minister, we have lost this war. We surrender. We accept all the conditions your country has proposed," Delcassé responded.
"Very well, that is the best outcome. I will have the treaty drafted immediately. Once signed, it will take effect!" Wichert nodded.
"Then, when will your army cease its advance?" Delcassé asked.
"Once the treaty is signed, I will immediately report to His Majesty the Emperor. He will order the military to halt their offensive," Wichert assured him.
Delcassé finally exhaled in relief.
In less than half an hour, the German Foreign Ministry staff had prepared the peace treaty. Delcassé carefully reviewed it, and once satisfied, he signed his name.
The treaty, signed in Berlin, became known as the Franco-German Berlin Peace Treaty. The main points of the treaty were as follows:
1. France acknowledges its defeat and agrees to pay 55 billion marks in war reparations to Germany, compensating for Germany's war losses. All reparations are to be paid within three years.
2. France cedes all its overseas colonies to Germany, which will send officials to oversee their administration. French officials in these colonies are to assist Germany in the handover.
3. France surrenders the territory north of the Loire River, including Corsica, to Germany. French citizens residing in northern France are permitted to relocate to the southern side of the Loire, or choose to remain in the north. After one year, no further migrations are allowed.
4. To ensure peace, the total strength of the French army will be limited to no more than 100,000 troops, without artillery exceeding 100mm in caliber, and no tanks or armored vehicles. The French navy is prohibited from constructing warships exceeding 5,000 tons in displacement, and may not possess submarines, aircraft carriers, or aircraft. Any weapons that exceed these limits must be surrendered to Germany. Should France retain any prohibited weapons, it will be considered a violation of the peace treaty, and Germany reserves the right to take punitive action. Furthermore, the number of French police and security forces is limited to 100,000 personnel.
5. Until the previous four conditions have been fulfilled, Germany will station 100,000 troops in France. German forces will only withdraw once the treaty has been fully implemented.
Finally, the treaty stipulates that upon its ratification, both countries will cease hostilities and restore peace. German forces will halt their advance and gradually withdraw from southern France, while the French military will begin to reduce its forces, keeping the army below 100,000.
Théophile Delcassé, the French Foreign Minister, and von Kidron Wichert, the German Foreign Minister, both signed the treaty. This marked the formal end of the war between Germany and France.
Through this peace treaty, Germany extracted a heavy toll from France. The enormous war reparations would help heal Germany's war wounds. The vast colonial territories would provide Germany with abundant raw materials and new markets. The northern French territories would further strengthen Germany's industrial power. Most importantly, the treaty removed any remaining threat from France.
For France, the once proud and powerful nation had now been reduced to a third-rate state.