Battle of France

The Battle of France took place from May 10 to June 25, 1940. It was a major part of the Second World War. This conflict is often called the Fall of France. It involved a large-scale German invasion of France and the Low Countries. The Low Countries include Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

This campaign changed the map of Europe for several years. It demonstrated how new military technologies could move much faster than old defenses.

Before the main fighting began, there was a period of relative quiet. This was known as the Phoney War. France and Britain had declared war on Germany in September 1939. This happened after Germany invaded Poland. During this time, the French army conducted a limited Saar Offensive. They moved into the Saar region but eventually withdrew to their starting lines.

For several months, neither side launched major land attacks against the other.

France had prepared for a German attack by building the Maginot Line. This was a series of strong fortifications along the German border. The goal was to save manpower and force Germany to attack through Belgium instead.

French leaders believed the Ardennes forest was a natural barrier. General Philippe Pétain called the Ardennes "impenetrable." Other commanders, like Maurice Gamelin, thought the area was too difficult for large operations. They believed the Meuse River would also slow down any enemy.

Germany developed a new strategy called Case Yellow, or the Manstein plan. This plan was different from earlier ideas that suggested a frontal attack in central Belgium. Instead, German leaders focused on a breakthrough in the Ardennes.

General Erich von Manstein and Heinz Guderian helped shape this idea. They wanted to use concentrated armored units, or tanks, to move very quickly. These tanks would race toward the English Channel. This movement was intended to bypass and surround the main Allied armies.

On May 10, 1940, the German Wehrmacht began its invasion. German armored units moved through the Ardennes and crossed the Meuse River. They raced down the Somme valley. This movement cut off the Allied units that had moved into Belgium.

The British, Belgian, and French forces were pushed back toward the sea. This led to Operation Dynamo, a massive evacuation at Dunkirk. The British and French navies rescued many soldiers from the encircling German forces.

After the retreat from Dunkirk, Germany launched Case Red on June 5, 1940. This was the next stage of the campaign to finish the conquest. The remaining Allied divisions tried to hold the line on the Somme and Aisne rivers. However, they could not stop the German combination of air superiority and mobile armor.

Italy also entered the war on June 10 by invading France from the southeast. German armies eventually reached Paris, which they occupied on June 14.

The fighting ended when France signed an agreement called the Second Armistice at Compiègne. This was signed on June 22, 1940. A new group called the Vichy government took control of France. It was led by Marshal Philippe Pétain. This government replaced the Third Republic.

Germany occupied much of the country along the coasts and in the north. The Vichy regime kept control of a "free zone" in the south. Italy also occupied a small area in the southeast. This occupation lasted until the Allies liberated France in 1944.

The Battle of France had massive consequences for the war. It showed that fast-moving tanks and planes could overwhelm traditional fortifications. The German success allowed them to control large parts of Western Europe. This changed the balance of power for the rest of the conflict. The fall of the French military was a turning point in the Second World War.