Invasion of France
•The Germans break through the Dyle Line of defenses and the Ardennes and rush to the coast
-They surround approximately 500,000 troops by May 27 (17 days)
-Tanks make it offensive war not deffensive
-They surround approximately 500,000 troops by May 27 (17 days)
-Tanks make it offensive war not deffensive
Dunkirk
-Only way to get out was by sea
•The British realized they were surrounded and ordered the navy to put together an evacuation
•Also civilians--> row boats etc...
•Almost 340,000 troops are rescued in a weeks time
•The Germans hold up while this occurs?
-Could have taken them all out
•Seen as a small Allied victory
•The British realized they were surrounded and ordered the navy to put together an evacuation
•Also civilians--> row boats etc...
•Almost 340,000 troops are rescued in a weeks time
•The Germans hold up while this occurs?
-Could have taken them all out
•Seen as a small Allied victory
Summary: The British were surrounded by the Ocean and ordered an evacuation plan. This plan involved, navy and even civilians, sailing the english channel to rescue the army. This was known as a small victories for the allies as they saved nearly their whole army.
View Dunkirk evacuation and over 3,000,000 other topics on Qwiki.
The Fall of Paris
•The rest of France fell relatively quickly after the Dyle line fell and the British evacuated
•Italy declares war on France June 10
•Paris falls June 14
•Rest of France falls June 22
•Reasons:
•The Maginot line proved useless
•The Germans used their tanks much better
•The Luftwaffe was too strong
•Political dissention in France
•Italy declares war on France June 10
•Paris falls June 14
•Rest of France falls June 22
•Reasons:
•The Maginot line proved useless
•The Germans used their tanks much better
•The Luftwaffe was too strong
•Political dissention in France
Marshall Petain and Vichy France
•The terms of surrender are accepted by a new anti-war French Prime Minister known as Marshall Petain
•He accepts the new borders of France in the south with the capital city at Vichy
•They were puppets to the Germans
•He became a collaborator like Quisling
•The Free French Army that had escaped to England were organized by a General Charles De Gaulle
•He accepts the new borders of France in the south with the capital city at Vichy
•They were puppets to the Germans
•He became a collaborator like Quisling
•The Free French Army that had escaped to England were organized by a General Charles De Gaulle
"Awakening A Sleeping Giant"
The American Reaction
•A quiet side note is that the American government passed a rapid military rebuilding campagin
•18th behind Portugal to 2 million men 55 divisions (10 motorized)
•‘The Two Ocean Naval Expansion Act’
•Expand to largest navy in the World
•The Fall of France also ends European worldwide dominance
•18th behind Portugal to 2 million men 55 divisions (10 motorized)
•‘The Two Ocean Naval Expansion Act’
•Expand to largest navy in the World
•The Fall of France also ends European worldwide dominance