The Fall of France refers to the military defeat and subsequent occupation of France by Nazi Germany during World War II. Here are key details regarding this significant historical event:
The roots of the Fall of France can be traced back to the Treaty of Versailles post-World War I, which left Germany humiliated and economically strained, setting the stage for political instability and the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.
On May 10, 1940, Germany launched its attack on Western Europe with the Blitzkrieg, or "lightning war", strategy, which involved rapid movement by tanks, close air support from the Luftwaffe, and bypassing strongpoints to encircle and destroy enemy forces. This was dramatically demonstrated in the Battle of Sedan, where German forces crossed the Meuse River, outflanking the Maginot Line.
Despite initial resistance, the French military, unprepared for the speed and tactics of the German attack, saw its defenses crumble. On June 5, 1940, Germany began a new offensive, leading to the encirclement of the remaining French and British forces at Dunkirk, where a miraculous evacuation operation, known as Operation Dynamo, saved over 338,000 Allied troops.
With the French government in disarray, Philippe Petain requested an armistice on June 17, 1940, which was signed on June 22 in Compiègne, the same location where the Armistice of 1918 had been signed. Under the terms of the armistice, northern and western France were occupied by Germany, while the southeastern part became the collaborationist Vichy France under Petain's rule.
The Fall of France was a pivotal moment in World War II, leaving Britain to face Germany alone for a time. It also led to the establishment of the French Resistance and the eventual formation of the Free French Forces under General Charles de Gaulle, who made his famous "Appeal of 18 June" urging continued resistance against the occupation.