The reasons behind France’s defeat by Nazi Germany in WW2

INSTANT ARTICLESNEWSWORLD WAR IIFeb 23, 2017 George Winston

Photo Credit

SHARE:FacebookTwitter

How did the German Wehrmacht manage to defeat the combined armies of France and Britain in 1940
given France was militarily superior in many respects?

The quick defeat is customarily ascribed to a mixture of the French High Command’s effort to refight the
systematic battle of the First World War, against Germany’s acceptance of modern mobile, all–arms
combat. While philosophical reasons played a large role in the outcome, something much more basic
and human might have been the decisive factor: intelligent, fearless and sometimes brutal leadership
when the forces of both nations met.

Up until the collapse of the French armed forces in 1940, they had been known as – including by the
Germans – the military leaders of Europe.

Under the Treaty of Versailles imposed on Berlin in the first ten years after the war, Germany was
restricted to no more than 100,000 soldiers, one hundred ‘search and rescue’ aircraft and no armored
vehicles.

France in comparison rebuilt its armed forces following World War 1, and in the early part of the 1930’s
started a major modernization effort, motorizing many of its infantry divisions and beginning to
assemble armored units.
General Charles Huntziger. 1940. Photo Credit

Concentrating on stopping another German invasion into French territory, Paris had formed a military
policy giving importance to the defensive. The purpose was to first weaken any incursion, and when the
enemy had been adequately subdued, to then move to offense.

In line with this philosophy, they constructed the Maginot Line of guard posts and other heavily
defended emplacements between her western neighbor and France.

Senior officers of the High Command were sure their ideas and defensive preparations would have a
positive outcome against any German attack, especially Gen. Charles Huntziger, commander of the
Second French Army.

Ads by Revcontent

Trending Today

Sekarang Saya Bisa Membayar Listrik 72% Lebih Murah!

Electricity Saving Box

Watch How a Lost Ancient Remedy Can Restore Hearing Loss in 14 Days

Navajo Hearing Fix

Single Mom Earns $3,850/week from Her Laptop in Jakarta. Find out How

1K Daily Profit

This Single Mom from Jakarta Earns $3,850/week from Her Laptop. Find out How

1K Daily Profit

Less than two months before the surprise invasion by Germany, Parliamentary Army Committee
member Pierre-Charles Taittinger led a parliamentary group to inspect the defenses in Sedan that fell
under Huntziger’s command.
Taittinger fatefully reported that too much emphasis was placed on the shielding effect of the Ardennes
woods and the Meuse River to protect Sedan. He said too much importance was attached to the natural
obstacles and their defenses were too simplistic. General Huntziger ignored Taittinger’s warning, telling
the Army’s chief comptroller the Germans too were afraid of attacking. On May 9, less than one day
before the invasion, Huntziger told his troops that German preparedness was only an exercise, and the
Germans would not take the added risk of confronting 27 Belgian divisions.

Before May 1940, the combined British and French forces had close to 1,000 more tanks than the
Germans, French tanks were better armored and had powerful main guns. France was also renowned as
the global leader in artillery and had a distinctive advantage over Germany in this respect.

The French planned to quickly move large numbers of infantry divisions into Belgium to counter the
Wehrmacht as far forward as possible. They believed the mountainous and forested terrain in the
Ardennes prohibited using armor, and, along with the Maginot defenses, they felt that light forces could
shield that portion of the front. The Germans elected to do the opposite of was anticipated.

Germany sent in large numbers of mechanized divisions to Belgium and the Netherlands to have the
Franco-British alliance believe its intelligence was correct and that the major attack would come from
the north.

German troops in Paris, 1940. Photo Credit

In the meantime, the main German attack came further south, in the Ardennes, with the majority of
their Panzer divisions. A main objective of German armor was the penetration of the Meuse River at
Sedan, just inside the French border. Lt. Col. Hermann Balck, who distinguished himself later as among
the most talented battle leaders, led the tip of the attack.

Balck was charged with leading the First Rifle Regiment across the Meuse River near Sedan, The National
Interest reported.

His breakthrough across the river was the result of systematic preparation, demanding field training,
and, at the point of attack, brutal, brave leadership that motivated men to succeed at tasks they thought
outside their ability.