PowerPoint Presentation

."The hour has comeThe fight which begins today will decide the destiny of the German people for 1000 years. Now do your duty.-Adolf Hitler

Battle of France

Presentation by: Elaine Kim, Emi Nakatsu, Riddhi Patel, Sabrina Loos, Serena XiongOne of the greatest military campaigns in history!2 Thesis After the fall of France, the Allied powers were disoriented because of the unexpected occupation of France, a presumed dominant country. This upset the balance of power in Europe, by granting Germany an advantage over the British during World War II, as well as the ability to manipulate France as a puppet state. Background September 1, 1939: start of WWII

Little to no fighting until...

Phony War ends on May 10th, 1940

May 10th, 1940: start of the Battle of France Phase 1: Case Yellow (Fall Gelb)German invasion of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and France

Hitler was eager to follow up his victory over Poland in 1939 by attacking in the west, but bad weather forced the planned offensive to be postponed

Then, in January 1940, a German plane crashed in neutral Belgium, with a copy of the attack orders on board

Hitler was forced to rethink plans, with the help of General Erich von Manstein

Phase 1: Case Yellow (Fall Gelb)The attack began on May 10, with German air raids on Belgium and HollandGerman forces went through the Ardennes Forest, going around the Maginot Line and catching the Allies off guardBreaking through the French border defenses took just two daysOn May 20, German forces reached the English Channel and soon encircled the Allies

Phase 1: Case Yellow (Fall Gelb)

Phase 2: Operation DynamoMay 27, 1940 June 4, 1940German invaded France and surrounded British forcesEvacuation of British Expeditionary Force (BEF) from Dunkirk, FranceHoped to extract 40,000 BEF membersActually extracted 364,628 members Phase 2: Operation Dynamo

Phase 2: Operation Dynamo

Phase 2: Operation DynamoHalt OrderIssued by German High CommandApproved by Adolf HitlerGerman air force unsuccessfully attempts to destroy British forces on ground with dive-bombersNot very effective Phase 2: Operation DynamoBritish and French victoryEnough troops evacuated to continue fighting warGermans could have ended the war on the spotMoral victoryWars are not won by evacuation.- Winston ChurchillPhase 3: Case RedGerman troops: outflanked the Maginot Line-attack the larger territory of FranceGerman air superiority & armored mobility Two sub-operations

Preliminary:June 5thLocation: WestFought over Somme River, towards SeineMain Offensive:4 days later: June 9thLocation: CentralFought over Aisne River.Phase 3: Case Red

Phase 3: Case RedAllied Armies quickly defeatedGerman Blitzkrieg tacticEffectively supported by attack aircraftStukasThe German High command-Fall rot to proceed: Fall GelbSignificant French lossesMaterial in the North Line of almost 1000 kmThe Rest of the BattleOn June 10th, the French government fled Paris and declared it an open city

The signing of the armistice took place in the forest of Compigne, where, 22 years before, the Germans had surrendered to the French and signed the armistice of November 11, 1918

France was split into two: the northern half was occupied by the Germans and the southern half run by a French government answerable to the Germans

Open city: This meant the city would not be defended and therefore would not be bombed or destroyed in ground fighting. The german army entered the city unopposed four days later.

16The Rest of the Battle

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8The French armies are deployed in three army groups. Army Group 1 comprises 1., 2., 7., 9. Armies and the British Expeditionary Force; its objective is to reinforce the retreating Dutch and Belgian Armies along the Dyle Line. Army Group 2 comprises 3., 4. and 5. Armies; its objective is to hold the Maginot Line. Army Group 3 comprises 8. Army; its objective is to defend against any outflanking of the Maginot Line through Switzerland. The German armies are deployed in three army groups. Army Group B comprises 6. and 18. Armies; its objective is to advance into the Low Countries, enticing French armies to rush in to meet it. Army Group A comprises 4., 12., 16. Armies and Panzer Group Kleist; its objective is to attack through the Ardennes, cutting off French armies in the north. Army Group C comprises 1. and 7. Armies; its objective is to tie down French armies on the Maginot Line. German bombers viciously terror-bomb major cities in the Low Countries. Army Group A easily pushes the Dutch and Belgian Armies back, aided by German airborne troops which seize key fortresses and panic rear services. Army Group 1 rushes to the Dyle Line to reinforce the retreating Belgian Army while the Dutch Army retreats into its own prepared lines. Unrealized by the French, Army Group A makes its way through the Ardennes with Panzer Group Kleist in the lead.Army Group C (Leeb)Army Group B (Bock)Army Group A (Rundstedt)Army Group 1 (Billotte)Army Group 3 (Besson)Army Group 2 (Pretelat)

German 18. Army relentlessly attacks the Dutch Army, cutting it off from the French armies. French 7. Army advances into the Netherlands anyways to cover Antwerp. The rest of Army Group 1 reaches the Dyle Line and consolidates; German 6. Army probes this defensive line with little result. Meanwhile, Army Group A continues to advance; Panzer Group Kleist emerges from the Ardennes and drives towards Sedan where only the weakest elements of French 9. and 2. Armies defend. German 2. and 9. Armies headquarters are activated from the reserve.

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2Advanced elements of French 7. Army are shoved back by German 18. Army to reinforce the Dutch Armys isolation. German bombers destroy an entire section of Rotterdam to make an example, forcing the Dutch to surrender. Gamelin begins shifting French 7. Army south. German 6. Army pins the BEF and French 1. Army while Panzer Group Kleist breaks through the hinge of French 2. and 9. Armies at Sedan, opening an 80-km gap between them. Gamelin activates French 6. Army with reserves and divisions from Army Groups 2 and 3 while German 4., 12. and 16. Armies advance to guard Kleists flanks against counterattack.Army Group B (Bock)Army Group 1 (Billotte)

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Army Group B attacks the remains of Army Group 1 and succeeds in pushing them back. Panzer Group Kleist annihilates French 9. Army but is ordered to halt by Hitler to allow the infantry to catch up. This allows Gamelin to deploy 6. and 10. Armies. The halt order is eventually lifted and Panzer Group Kleist resumes its advance, brushing aside French 7. Army and reaching the Channel. German 4. Army follows closely behind, 12. and 16. Armies establish a front running east-west and 2. and 9. Armies approach the front lines. French 6. Army attacks north at Laon but is beaten back by German air attacks.Army Group A (Rundstedt)

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10The Germans seek to reduce the remnants of Army Group 1: German 6. Army splits the BEF from the Belgian Army, forcing a Belgian surrender while Panzer Group Kleist and 4. Army push north, encircling French 1. Army. The BEF launches a counterattack at Arras but it is repelled. French 7. and 10. Armies also launch counterattacks to cut off the German advance armies but the attacks are weak and German 9. Army arrives to fill the gaps anyways. The British Royal Navy arrives on the coast to begin an evacuation of remaining troops in the north.The evacuation of Dunkirk begins. Hitler is persuaded by Luftwaffe commander, Goerring, to allow his aircraft to complete the BEFs destruction. British aircraft take off from the home islands to defend the evacuation armada in costly dogfights although Goering fails to destroy the BEF. German 4. and 18. Armies belatedly advance on Dunkirk while encircled French 1. Army heroically fights on to tie down German forces. French 1. Army surrenders only after the vast majority of the BEF is evacuated to Britain. French armies in the south however are in little position to affect fighting in the north.

German Army & allies(Hitler/Brauchitsch)French Army & allies(Gamelin)

LandmarksSubordinatesNationsSubordinatesFrench 5. Army (Bourret)6 infantry divisions 3 fortress divisions 2 mountain divisions

GERMANYNETHERLANDSBRITAINSWITZERLANDFRANCEBELGIUMLUXEMBOURGArmy BlanchardBelgian Army LeopoldArmy HuntzingerBritish Expeditionary Force Gort Army CondDutch Army Winkelman Army RequinArmy BourretArmy TouchonArmy GiraudArmy GorcheryArmy Corap Army AltmayerArmy WitzlebenArmy Weichs4. Army Kluge6. Army Reichaneau7. Army Dollman9. Army Strauss12. Army List16. Army Busch18. Army KuechlerPanzer Group Kleist - KleistDutch Army (Winkelman)10 infantry divisions French Reserve 16 infantry divisions 2 armoured divisions 1 motorized division 1 fortress divisionFrench 9. Army (Corap)5 infantry divisions 2 cavalry divisions 1 motorized division 1 fortress division French 1. Army (Blanchard)4 infantry divisions 3 motorized divisions 2 light mechanized divisions 2 fortress divisions 1 armoured divisionFrench 7. Army (Giraud)5 infantry divisions 1 light mechanized division 1 fortress division British Expeditionary Force (Gort)9 infantry divisions Belgian Army (Leopold)16 infantry divisions 4 cavalry divisions French 10. Army (Altmayer)0 divisions French 4. Army (Requin)6 infantry divisions 2 fortress divisions French 2. Army (Huntzinger)5 infantry divisions 2 cavalry divisions 1 fortress division French 6. Army (Touchon)0 divisions French 8. Army (Gorchery)5 fortress divisions 4 infantry divisions 1 mountain division French Army of the Alps (Olry)5 fortress divisions 3 mountain divisions 2 infantry divisionsItalian 1. Army (Pintor)11 infantry divisions 2 mountain divisionsGerman 7. Army (Dollman)4 infantry divisionsGerman 6. Army (Reichaneau)16 infantry divisions 2 panzer divisions 1 motorized divisionGerman 4. Army (Kluge)12 infantry divisions 2 panzer divisionsGerman 2. Army (Weichs)0 divisionsGerman 1. Army (Witzleben)10 infantry divisionsGerman 16. Army (Busch)13 infantry divisionsGerman 12. Army (List)10 infantry divisions 1 mountain divisionGerman 9. Army (Strauss)0 divisionsGerman 18. Army (Kuechler)6 infantry divisions 1 panzer division 1 cavalry division 1 motorized division 1 air landing division 1 airborne divisionItalian 7. Army (Pistoia)6 infantry divisions 2 armoured divisions 1 motorized division 1 cavalry divisionItalian 4. Army (Guzzoni)7 infantry divisions 2 mountain divisionsGerman Reserve 43 infantry divisions 2 motorized divisionsFrench 3. Army (Cond)13 infantry divisions 2 fortress divisions 1 cavalry division Opposing forces deployed south in AlpsPanzer Group Kleist (Kleist)5 panzer divisions 3 motorized divisionsGerman Army & allies(Adolf Hitler/Walther von Brauchitsch)135 German divisions32 allied divisions3,300,000 men2,600 tanks3,700 aircraftFrench Army & allies(Maurice Gamelin)109 French divisions40 allied divisions3,000,000 men2,700 tanks2,000 aircraftParisCalaisDunkirkArrasRotterdamVerdunCologneBrusselsAntwerpSedanNamurLondonMaginot LineLuxembourgAmiensArdennes ForestRhine RiverDyle RiverMarne RiverSomme RiverMeuse RiverSeine RiverOise RiverMaas RiverAisne RiverMoselle RiverEnglish ChannelSymbol guideFrench & alliesGermans & allies HeadquartersHeadquartersInfantryarmyInfantry armyArmoured group

Vichy FranceIn July 1940, the French National Assembly voted to suspend the constitution of the Third Republic and replaced it with the new Vichy Regime

The new Vichy France was led by Marshal Henri Philippe Ptain, a French hero during the Battle of Verdun in WW1. The Germans ran the territory they had occupied during the Battle of France.

The French police willingly collaborated with the Germans to a high extent.

Vichy FrancePtain, who was based in Vichy, ran the other half of France.To many, Ptain seemed to be no more than a puppet of the Germans who did what he was expected to do. For the next couple of years, Vichy France was on the side of the Axis powers because of the German occupation, causing a shift in the balance of power.

The liberation and legitimacy of French government occurred after Operation Overlord in October, 1944.

Works CitedAlexander, Martin, "After Dunkirk: The French Army's Performance Against 'Case Red', 25 May to 25 June 1940", War in History 14: 21964"Battle of France, 1940." The Art of Battle Animated Battle Maps RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015."Current Directories:." Calvin College. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015."The Fall of France - a Summary: History in an Hour." History in an Hour. N.p., 21 June 2012. Web. 18 Mar. 2015."Fall of France." HISTORY. N.p., 10 Apr. 2014. Web. 03 Mar. 2015.Feldman, George. World War II: Almanac. Ed. Christine Slovey. Vol. 1. Detroit: U X L, 2000. Print."France." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 20 June 2014. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.Grilli, David M., and Spencer C. Tucker. "Dunkerque Evacuation: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2015."Marshal Philippe Ptain." Marshal Philippe Ptain. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.Miller, Donald L., and Henry Steele Commager. The Story of World War II. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. Print."Operation Dynamo, the Evacuation from Dunkirk, 27 May-4 June 1940." Operation Dynamo, the Evacuation from Dunkirk, 27 May-4 June 1940. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015."The Second World War - Battle Of France Fall Gelb Case Yellow Timeline - World War Two Battle Of France." Battle Of France Fall Gelb Case Yellow Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.

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