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The Fall of France - 1940

The Fall of France - 1940. LTC Oakland McCulloch. Outline. The lead up to the battle The Plans Key points in the battle Evacuation at Dunkirk & French surrender Reasons why the Germans won so decisively Consequences of that victory. The Fall of France - 1940. The Lead Up to the Battle.

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The Fall of France - 1940

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  1. The Fall of France - 1940 LTC Oakland McCulloch

  2. Outline • The lead up to the battle • The Plans • Key points in the battle • Evacuation at Dunkirk & French surrender • Reasons why the Germans won so decisively • Consequences of that victory

  3. The Fall of France - 1940 The Lead Up to the Battle • Europe after WWI - Appeasement • Unanswered German Aggression • Re-Occupation of the Rhineland, Austria, • Czechoslovakia • Invasion of Poland and Declaration of War • The Phoney War

  4. The Fall of France - 1940 The Plan • Recreation of the Schlieffen Plan (Halder’s Plan) • Manstein’s Plan • Heavy input by Guderian • Concentrate 7 Armored Divisions at one point • Guderian’s Input • Bold independent tank action • Concentrate 7 Armored Divisions at one point (Sedan) • Encircle all of enemy forces north of the Somme River • The Dyle Plan for the Allies • Played right into the hands of the Germans • Moved best Allied forces north into the Low Countries

  5. The Fall of France - 1940 Key Points in the Battle • Allied forces move north into the Low Countries • Rommel crosses the Meuse River • Guderian crosses the Meuse River • BEF counterattack at Arras • Decision to halt the attacks short of Dunkirk

  6. The Fall of France - 1940 Evacuation at Dunkirk • 27 May through 4 June • Luftwaffe flew 1,882 bombing missions and 1,997 • fighter sweeps against forces in Dunkirk • 198,000 British soldiers and 140,000 French • soldiers evacuated to fight another day • British losses totaled 6% of their total losses in • France including 60 fighter pilots and 29 of their 40 • destroyers

  7. 156,492 German Casualties: 27,074 killed 111,034 wounded 18,384 missing 2,190,000 French Casualties: 90,000 killed 200,000 wounded 1,900,000 missing & prisoners 68,111 British 23,350 Belgian 9,779 Dutch The Fall of France - 1940 French Surrender • Best trained and most modern French Armies lost • in encirclement • General Weygand had to defend a 600 km • (400 mi) front with 64 Divisions • Italy declares war on France • Paris surrendered without a fight on 14 June

  8. The Fall of France - 1940 Reasons for German Decisive Victory • Bold decisions by Commanders at the decisive • place on the battlefield • Organization of Combined Arms Divisions • Better strategy, doctrine and training for the type of • war to be fought • Combat experience from Poland

  9. The Fall of France - 1940 Consequences of the Battle • Allies had a sense of German military infallibility • Lasted until El Alamein & Stalingrad - 1942 • Germans believed their could always win “Easy • Victories” • Inevitable entry of United States into the war

  10. The Fall of France - 1940 Questions ?

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