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1939 - 1941: Fall of France
- Jan 1940 - a German air force plane loses its way over Belgium
and makes a forced landing - plans were found about a planned
attack of France similar to the Schliefflen plan of WW1. The
Germans must re-plan
- It is decided that a new plan, an attack through the
Ardennes will take place. DeGaulle, a French soldier,
works this out but no one listens to him - the Allies
station most troops on the Maginot Line
- It is decided that a new plan, an attack through the
Ardennes will take place. DeGaulle, a French soldier,
works this out but no one listens to him - the Allies
station most troops on the Maginot Line
- 10th May 1940 - German troops
attack Holland and Belgium to lure
1/3 of Allied troops away from France
- 12th May 1940 - German Panzer divisions attack France, and
the Allies react slowly, highlighting the weaknesses in air cover
and communication
- 15th May 1940 - Holland surrenders
- The Germans aim to cut Allied forces
in two and drive towards the coast.
- 19th May - General Gamelin is
replaced by Weygand
- 20th May 1940 -
Germans reach the coast
- 28th May - Belgium
surrenders
- 28th May - Belgium
surrenders
- 19th May - General Gamelin is
replaced by Weygand
- The Germans aim to cut Allied forces
in two and drive towards the coast.
- 15th May 1940 - Holland surrenders
- 12th May 1940 - German Panzer divisions attack France, and
the Allies react slowly, highlighting the weaknesses in air cover
and communication
- End of May 1940 - Dunkirk. The BEF and French 1st Army were boxed in at Dunkirk, and the
decision was made to evacuate. Approx. 338 000 men were evacuated from Dunkirk by a
variety of ships and vessels. It was able to take place due to the Germans halting to tend to
their tanks, bad weather and the role of the RAF in fending off the Luftwaffe.
- 14th June - The Germans take Paris
- 21st June - an armistice is signed and Marshal Pétain took control
of the unoccupied southern area of France and established the
Vichy government
- 21st June - an armistice is signed and Marshal Pétain took control
of the unoccupied southern area of France and established the
Vichy government
- LAND
- Why were the Germans so successful?
- France's faults: Gamelin stationed the majority
of his troops at the Maginot Line - France's
strongest point. French troops had poor
organisation and leadership.
- German strengths: Blitzkrieg tactics worked perfectly and
the Germans' offensive tactics easily overpowered French
defensive tactics
- France's faults: Gamelin stationed the majority
of his troops at the Maginot Line - France's
strongest point. French troops had poor
organisation and leadership.
- What did this mean for the British?
- It was a success because of Operation Dynamo
(Dunkirk) and the amount of men who were
evacuated
- It was a huge defeat because of the loss of Britain's closest
ally and massive amounts of resources on French beaches
after Dunkirk. It highlighted Allied weaknesses and a lack of
communication between Britain and France. It also showed
how unaware the Allies were of German intelligence
- It was a success because of Operation Dynamo
(Dunkirk) and the amount of men who were
evacuated
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