The phase of WWII was called the Phony War. This was because of the lack of military operations by the Western Allies against Nazi Germany. During the Phony War Germany had invaded both Norway and Denmark, although Sweden remained neutral, Germany blockaded Sweden forcing them to trade exclusively with them. This was important as Sweden had many iron ore mines that Germany needed access too. This phase of the war ended on May 10, 1940 with the Battle of France. On that day, German forces using the blitzkrieg tactics attacked Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Over the next few weeks The Allied soldiers tried in vain to fight over the invading Nazis. On May 21st the Germans had surrounded the Belgian army, that surrendered immediately, leaving only a few British and French divisions to defend Europe. With most of the British fighters being kept in reserve to help defend England there was only a handful of aircraft available to hold off the Germans. On May 26th in a small town in Belgium called Dunkirk one of the most important and amazing military evacuations in history took place. The Allied troops had been basically pushed into the English Channel fleeing the Germans. About 600 ships from sailboats to destroyers were used to transport as many soldiers as possible. The operation saved 340,000 Allied troops. Unfortunately this left only about 50 poorly supplied divisions to defend France. On June 5th the Germans turned their attention to defeating France. On June 10th Benito Mussolini attacked Southern France with the Italian Army causing even more chaos in France as civilians tried to flee the on coming armies. The French were worried that the German army might destroy Paris as they had Warsaw, so on June 13th they decided not to keep troops there. The next day, Paris fell and German troops marched down the streets of France’s capital city. The rest of the world could only look on helplessly. On June 22nd the official armistice was signed. Hitler saw to it that the same rail car that was used to sign the armistice from World War I was taken from it’s museum and used in the ceremony. Hitler’s intent here was to humiliate the French as he felt they had humiliated the Germans after the first World War. This event is significant because it not only marked the beginning of German rule in France it left Britain alone to fight off the Germany army. The year is 1940 and the Soviet Union is still on the side of the Axis Powers.
The phase of WWII was called the Phony War. This was because of the lack of military operations by the Western Allies against Nazi Germany. During the Phony War Germany had invaded both Norway and Denmark, although Sweden remained neutral, Germany blockaded Sweden forcing them to trade exclusively with them. This was important as Sweden had many iron ore mines that Germany needed access too. This phase of the war ended on May 10, 1940 with the Battle of France. On that day, German forces using the blitzkrieg tactics attacked Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Over the next few weeks The Allied soldiers tried in vain to fight over the invading Nazis. On May 21st the Germans had surrounded the Belgian army, that surrendered immediately, leaving only a few British and French divisions to defend Europe. With most of the British fighters being kept in reserve to help defend England there was only a handful of aircraft available to hold off the Germans. On May 26th in a small town in Belgium called Dunkirk one of the most important and amazing military evacuations in history took place. The Allied troops had been basically pushed into the English Channel fleeing the Germans. About 600 ships from sailboats to destroyers were used to transport as many soldiers as possible. The operation saved 340,000 Allied troops. Unfortunately this left only about 50 poorly supplied divisions to defend France. On June 5th the Germans turned their attention to defeating France. On June 10th Benito Mussolini attacked Southern France with the Italian Army causing even more chaos in France as civilians tried to flee the on coming armies. The French were worried that the German army might destroy Paris as they had Warsaw, so on June 13th they decided not to keep troops there. The next day, Paris fell and German troops marched down the streets of France’s capital city. The rest of the world could only look on helplessly. On June 22nd the official armistice was signed. Hitler saw to it that the same rail car that was used to sign the armistice from World War I was taken from it’s museum and used in the ceremony. Hitler’s intent here was to humiliate the French as he felt they had humiliated the Germans after the first World War. This event is significant because it not only marked the beginning of German rule in France it left Britain alone to fight off the Germany army. The year is 1940 and the Soviet Union is still on the side of the Axis Powers.
The_battle_of_France_was_the_German_invasion_of_France.docx