Q: How did the French Third Republic fall?

A: Despite having survived the German assault during the summer of 1940, France had suffered dearly for her hard fought victory. Another generation of French youth lay dead within the trenches along the Belgian border, breeding the sort of discontent most observers would expect out of failed war effort. The German occupation of 3/4ths of French territory during the darkest days of the war had also severely disrupted the French economy, resulting in widespread unemployment among the few segments of society not already serving at the front.

All of this culminated in the momentous Election of 1944, where the governing center-right coalition headed by Charles de Gaulle faced a serious challenge from the far left communist party. The close result made the far-right Action France party the kingmakers, and through deft political maneuvering they sealed a deal with the conservatives, and took power.

During their four year term, the Far Right would consolidate their position, rewarding the French electorate with all the spoils that could be stripped out of occupied Germany and Italy. So too did they sate the French desire for security, when they formally announced that Germany would never again be separated from the French state, and that the Germanic people would be reduced to a state of servitude.

By the time the 1948 Election came to pass, the conservative position had deteriorated enough that only the Communists could challenge the far-right, and yet in the close election they appeared to come up just short. Fearing (rightfully) a final purge of their party upon the Action France victory, the communists rose in revolt, seizing Paris and declaring the 4th French Republic. In response, the far-right (backed by the military) initiated a counter-coup that concluded with the shelling of the General Congress and the revocation of the French Republic.

The Third French Empire was born.