Campaign of France (1940)
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| Campaign of France (1940) | |
|---|---|
| Conflict | Campaign of France (1940) |
| Partof | World War II |
| Date | May–June 1940 |
| Place | Belgium, Luxembourg, France, English Channel |
| Result | German victory; Armistice of 22 June 1940 |
| Combatant1 | Nazi Germany |
| Combatant2 | France; United Kingdom; Belgium; Netherlands; Luxembourg |
| Commander1 | Adolf Hitler; Heinrich Himmler; Gerd von Rundstedt; Erich von Manstein; Fedor von Bock; Walther von Brauchitsch |
| Commander2 | Albert Lebrun; Paul Reynaud; Winston Churchill; Maurice Gamelin; Gaston-Henri Billotte; Belgian government; Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands |
| Strength1 | Axis forces of the Wehrmacht; Luftwaffe |
| Strength2 | Allied forces of the French Army; British Expeditionary Force; Belgian Army; Royal Netherlands Army |
Campaign of France (1940) The Campaign of France (1940) was the German offensive that defeated the Belgian Army, the Dutch Army, and the French Army and compelled the United Kingdom to evacuate forces from Dunkirk. The campaign featured the implementation of the Manstein Plan, substantial use of Blitzkrieg, massed armor formations, and decisive air support from the Luftwaffe. Outcomes included the Armistice of 22 June 1940, the establishment of the Vichy France regime, and strategic consequences for the Battle of Britain and Operation Barbarossa.
Background and Prelude
In the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland, Adolf Hitler and the OKW sought to secure the Western Front while the Soviet Union finalized the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. The Treaty of Versailles legacy and German rearmament under the Nazi Party changed force balances, prompting strategic revisions by Paul Reynaud and Édouard Daladier in Paris and by Neville Chamberlain and later Winston Churchill in London. The Maginot Line fortifications, built after the Battle of Verdun memory, shaped French deployment alongside Belgian and Dutch commitments influenced by Belgian neutrality and the Dutch political leadership of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. Diplomatic maneuvers with Italy, Japan, and the United States framed contingency planning before hostilities resumed in May.
German Strategy and the Manstein Plan
German operational thought evolved from the Schlieffen Plan study and experiences in the Poland campaign. Key proponents such as Erich von Manstein and Gerd von Rundstedt advocated a bold thrust through the Ardennes, bypassing the Maginot Line, supported by Army Group A under Fedor von Bock. The Manstein Plan called for armored formations of Panzerwaffe to execute a decisive envelopment culminating at the English Channel, severing Allied armies in Belgium and northern France. The plan relied on air superiority by the Luftwaffe under Hermann Göring and coordination with Heer corps, exploiting breakthroughs created by units like the Panzer Division and mechanized infantry.
Allied Dispositions and the Phoney War
Following the declaration of war in 1939, the British Expeditionary Force under Lord Gort and the French Army adopted the Dyle Plan, moving forces into Belgium to meet the expected main German thrust through central Belgium. French high command, led by Maurice Gamelin and political leaders in Paris such as Paul Reynaud, anticipated a repeat of the First World War maneuvering and relied on the Maginot Line, corps-level fortifications, and combined arms with the Royal Air Force supporting the British Expeditionary Force. The period known as the Phoney War saw limited large-scale engagements despite patrol actions involving the Saar Offensive, diplomatic interactions with Belgian King Leopold III, and intelligence efforts by Bletchley Park and French services.
Invasion and Breakthrough (May 1940)
On 10 May 1940, German forces launched the offensive, beginning with the invasions of the Netherlands and Belgium while Army Group A initiated its main drive through the Ardennes. The Battle of Sedan (1940) and crossings of the Meuse River enabled Panzergruppe von Kleist and other armored units to penetrate French lines, while the Fallschirmjäger and Stuka dive bomber support disrupted Allied counterattacks. Rapid maneuvers at locations such as Aire-sur-la-Lys and engagements at Arras demonstrated tactical counterattacks by British Royal Tank Regiment elements but failed to seal the German lodgment. Political turmoil in Paris and the dislocation of French Sixth Army formations compounded the crisis.
Fall of Belgium, Netherlands, and France
Dutch capitulation followed heavy bombing of Rotterdam and the surrender of Dutch forces, while Belgian resistance ended with the surrender of King Leopold III and Belgian formations. The German drive toward the English Channel split Allied armies, isolating the Belgian Army and parts of the French Army, leading to the collapse of coordinated defense lines established under the Dyle Plan. French defeats during the Battle of France included encirclement of forces in the Somme and breakdowns in command exemplified by the replacement of Maurice Gamelin with Maxime Weygand. The fall of Paris precipitated the flight of the French government to Bordeaux and the eventual negotiation of the armistice with German representatives.
Dunkirk Evacuation and Allied Retreat
The encircled British and Allied troops conducted a withdrawal to the Channel ports, culminating in the evacuation from Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo), where naval assets of the Royal Navy, civilian vessels, and units of the Royal Air Force extracted hundreds of thousands of soldiers to Great Britain. The evacuation involved coordination with commanders such as Lord Gort and interactions with the Ministry of Defence and political leadership including Winston Churchill and Neville Chamberlain. While Operation Dynamo preserved a significant portion of the British Expeditionary Force, large quantities of heavy equipment were abandoned, and remaining Allied forces on the continent surrendered in ports such as Le Havre and Calais.
Aftermath and Consequences
The German victory led to the Armistice of 22 June 1940 and the occupation of northern and western France while the Vichy France regime under Philippe Pétain administered unoccupied zones and collaborated with Axis powers. The campaign influenced subsequent Battle of Britain operations by freeing the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine assets for cross-Channel operations and shaped strategic deliberations that culminated in Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union. Political ramifications included debates in the United States over the Lend-Lease Act and bolstering of British resolve under Winston Churchill. The campaign's tactical lessons affected armored warfare doctrine among the Red Army, the United States Army, and postwar analyses by military historians and institutions such as the Royal United Services Institute.