The+Battle+of+France+and+the+Evacuation+of+Dunkirk

The Battle of France was an important turning point in world history. For the first time in the 20th century, the finest army in the world, France, was defeated in a matter of weeks by the once defeated Germany. The reason this battle was particulary important for the Germans is this: Before France was conquered, the Germans had already tried to cut Britain's merchant marine off from their destination. However, the German submarines did not have the necessary range to traverse the entire route of the merchant marine. However, with the conquest of France, the Germans could operate much closer to the British lifeline, which would further cut off England from its valuable resources. Another reason why Germany so desperately wanted to invade France was revenge. This hatred stretched all the way back to World War I, when France made the Germans sign the Treaty of Versailles, which limited Germany's military power. The plan the Germans drew up for the invasion of France was codenamed "Plan Yellow" involved penetrating the formidable French defensive barrier called the Maginot Line. As you can see from the plans displayed below, the German thrusts were mainly concentrated in the Ardennes region, with others that were used as diversionary measures. With shocking speed, the Germans bypassed every trap and every threat that the French could throw at them. Part of the reason why Germany did so well was that French and British tacticians were still thinking in **//infantry time//**. This means that the French and British strategists were not prepared for the nearly lightning fast thrusts the Germans launched. This new tactic was a fast way to win a battle quckly and economically. It was rightfully name "blitzkrieg" or lightning war. Now, the offensive into France was a huge success with all arms of the German military. The Lufwafffe pounded the RAF and French Air Force into oblivion and the Wehrmacht destroyed all opposition from the British and French armies. These two victories rallied the German troops but dismayed the British High Command. With there fast strike, the Germans had taken two out of three major French ports. These were important because the British were planning to evacuate their beaten field army from these three ports and back to England. Now, they only had one: Dunkirk. Bringing all the ships they could to this one port, everything from military vessels to merchant ships were there. Amazingly, the Germans did not break this pocket of defense soon enough to catch the retreating British and French forces. Finally, after both the British and French armies had withdrawn, France surrendered to Germany. Ironically, they surrendered in the same railway car that Germany surrendered to them in the First World War. This was Hitler's plan of a sick revenge.