Invasion and Fall of France + Dunkirk

The Invasion of France

• The invasion of France, also known as the Battle of France, began on May 10, 1940, and marked a significant turning point in World War II. German forces, utilising Blitzkrieg tactics, launched a rapid and coordinated assault that caught the Allies off guard.
• General Erich von Manstein devised the German strategy, which involved a feint through Belgium and a main thrust through the Ardennes Forest, an area the Allies had considered impenetrable for armoured units.

• The German attack was divided into two main operations: Fall Gelb (Case Yellow) and Fall Rot (Case Red). Fall Gelb involved the initial invasion through Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, while Fall Rot was the subsequent push into the heart of France.
• The German Wehrmacht used a combination of fast-moving tanks (Panzers) and close air support from the Luftwaffe to quickly break through enemy lines and encircle Allied forces.
• The French and British forces were ill-prepared for the speed and intensity of the German advance.
• The Germans bypassed the Maginot Line, a series of fortifications along the French-German border, rendering it ineffective. By May 20, German forces had reached the English Channel, effectively cutting off and encircling the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and French troops in northern France.
• The rapid German advance and the subsequent encirclement of Allied forces led to a sense of panic and chaos among the defenders.
• Despite brave resistance, the Allies could not mount an effective counterattack, leading to the fall of key cities and the eventual collapse of organised resistance in the north. The fall of France was now imminent, setting the stage for one of the most dramatic evacuations in military history at Dunkirk.

The Fall of France

• The fall of France occurred in a remarkably short period, from May 10 to June 25, 1940. After the initial breakthroughs during the invasion, the German forces continued their aggressive push into the French interior.

  • The rapid collapse of French defences and the encirclement of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and French troops in northern France marked a critical phase in this swift and devastating campaign.
  • As the Germans advanced, the French government, led by Prime Minister Paul Reynaud, struggled to coordinate a coherent defence. Political and military leadership was divided, and morale among French troops was low.

• On June 10, the French government declared Paris an open city to avoid its destruction, and the government fled to Bordeaux.

• The German army executed Fall Rot (Case Red), the final phase of their invasion plan, pushing deeper into France. By mid-June, German forces had captured Paris without a fight. The French army, overwhelmed and disorganised, could not mount significant resistance.

• On June 17, Marshal Philippe Pétain assumed leadership of the French government and sought an armistice with Germany.

• The armistice was signed on June 22, 1940, in the Compiègne Forest, the same location where the 1918 armistice had been signed. It symbolised Germany's revenge.

  • The armistice terms were harsh: Germany occupied northern France and the entire Atlantic coast, while the unoccupied southern part of the country came under the control of the Vichy regime, a puppet state led by Pétain.
  • The fall of France had profound implications for the Allied war effort. It left Britain to stand alone against Nazi Germany and marked a significant shift in the balance of power in Europe.
  • The rapid defeat also exposed significant weaknesses in French military planning and coordination, which were lessons that the Allies would later take to heart in their subsequent efforts to liberate Europe.

Dunkirk

• Dunkirk is synonymous with one of the most dramatic and remarkable evacuations in military history, known as Operation Dynamo. From May 26 to June 4, 1940, approximately 338,000 Allied soldiers, primarily British and French, were evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk, France, under intense German bombardment.

• The evacuation became necessary after the rapid German advance during the Battle of France, which led to the encirclement of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and French troops in northern France. With German forces closing in, the situation appeared dire. The Allies were trapped with their backs to the sea and faced annihilation or capture.

• British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the British Admiralty organised a desperate evacuation plan. Over 800 vessels, including navy destroyers, merchant ships, fishing boats, and pleasure craft, were mobilised to rescue the stranded soldiers.

• This armada, famously known as the "Little Ships of Dunkirk," braved difficult conditions to ferry troops from the beaches to larger ships offshore or directly back to Britain.

  

• The German Luftwaffe relentlessly attacked the evacuation fleet and the soldiers waiting on the beaches, causing significant casualties and damage.

• However, the resilience of the troops and the bravery of the civilian sailors ensured that a large number of soldiers were rescued. Despite the loss of many equipment and vehicles, the evacuation was deemed a miraculous success.

• Churchill referred to the outcome as a "miracle of deliverance," although he reminded the British public that "wars are not won by evacuations."

• The successful evacuation at Dunkirk allowed the bulk of the British Army to escape and regroup, maintaining Britain's ability to continue fighting. It also bolstered British morale and became a symbol of unity and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Definitions

• Invasion of France: The German military campaign in May 1940 that led to the rapid defeat and occupation of France during World War II.
• Battle of France: The military engagement between the Allies and Germany during the invasion of France, marked by rapid German advances and Allied retreat.
• Blitzkrieg: A German military tactic involving fast, coordinated attacks using tanks, aircraft, and infantry to overwhelm the enemy quickly.
• Erich von Manstein: A German general who devised the main strategy for the invasion of France, focusing on a surprise attack through the Ardennes.
• Fall Gelb: (Case Yellow) The initial phase of the German invasion of France involved the attack through Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
• Fall Rot: (Case Red) The second phase of the German invasion, involving the push into France's heart following Fall Gelb's success.
• Wehrmacht: The unified armed forces of Nazi Germany, including the army, navy, and air force.
• Luftwaffe: The German air force, which played a crucial role in the Blitzkrieg tactics used during the invasion of France.
• Maginot Line: A line of fortifications along the French-German border, bypassed by the Germans during the invasion of France.
• British Expeditionary Force (BEF): The British army sent to support France, which was encircled and forced to evacuate from Dunkirk.
• Paul Reynaud: The French Prime Minister at the time of the German invasion who struggled to organise a coherent defence.
• Marshal Philippe Pétain: A French military leader who became the head of the Vichy regime after the fall of France.
• Vichy regime: The government established in unoccupied southern France after the armistice with Germany, led by Pétain and collaborating with the Nazis.
• Dunkirk: A coastal city in northern France where a major evacuation of Allied troops occurred in 1940.
• Operation Dynamo: The code name for the evacuation of Allied soldiers from Dunkirk between May 26 and June 4, 1940.
• Winston Churchill: The British Prime Minister during World War II, who played a key role in organising the Dunkirk evacuation.
• Little Ships of Dunkirk: The civilian vessels that participated in the evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk symbolising the collective effort of the British people.