Fall of France Flashcards
Countries invaded by Germany in order 1940 spring
1) Denmark and Norway
2) Netherlands and Belgium
3) France
The defense of France
Magniot Line - A line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, machine gun posts and other defenses along borders.
- failed to prevent a German invasion because it didnt pass through the Ardennes Forest which was considered impassible
Invasion of France
May 10th 1940
Hitlers army squeezes through the Ardennes Forest which was an area that was unexcepted to be attack from. 10 days later they were at the north coast and were able to trap british and french troops at DUNKIRK
Operation DYNAMO
The evacuation of British and French forces from France begins May 26, 1940
Miracle at Dunkirk when does battle of dunkirk begin what is hitler told is the plan effective what was his first mistake?
Battle starts on May 26th 1940
Hitler is told that troops are not needed because the Luftwaffe can do the job so he pauses the attacks for 2 days to evacuate.
Plan is not as effective as planned
This was his first mistake because the allied troops evacuated from Dunkirk were able to keep fighting in ww2
Vichy France
goverment of vichy was
After being defeated, the French government signed an armistice(a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting) with the Germans. The north of France would be under German military control. The south would be a “free zone” where there would be limited self-rule.
Marshal Philippe Petain government of france
What did the French Resistance contribute to the war
- Armed groups that harassed German police
- sabotaging war production and power plants
- acted as spy’s for allies
Hid, clothed, fed, and smuggled over 4000 American and British pilots out of France.
The free French forces
Often confused with the Resistance, the Free French was the military arm of Charles de Gaulle’s “Free France” government in exile. They were French military forces who continued to fight with the Allies.
What was hitlers biggest mistake during France invasion
Hitler’s 1st Big mistake because the allied troops evacuated from Dunkirk were able to keep fighting in WWII
when was blitzkrieg made
In the spring of 1940
what part of france was called vichy france
the southern
When did Germans occupy the “free zone” or vichy aka southern france
in 1942, the Germans occupied the Free Zone, ending any legitimacy the Vichy government had.
Headed by Petain, state collaboration at the highest levels was common ex of this were?
French police initiated a mass arrest of 13,000 people and then were sent to Auschwitz. Only 400 returned after the war.
why was Charles de Gaulle sentenced to death
Charles de Gaulle, a general in the army, fled the country to Britain.
- he called for all Frenchman to continue fighting, and said in his famous radio broadcast, “France has lost the battle, but not the war!”
- De Gaulle was tried in absentia in Vichy France and sentenced to death for treason(betraying your own country).
how did the free French forces contribute to the war
Fought in Africa, in Sicily, liberated Corsica, fought in Italy, took part in the invasion of Europe and fought through the battles of France and Germany – from Normandy to Munich.
