Summary
Germany attacked France → which was supported by expeditionary force (br.) and RAF. it also had larger army and air force than Germany - Germany still more powerful → they could not resist Br and Fr ended up surrounded → total defeat. they retreated to channel coast, near port of Dunkirk. they were highly vulnerable + could have been destroyed some of German Generals → felt need to slow down → ensure Germany was not vulnerable to other attacks - hitler ordered to stop. - if they had not stopped german advance to dunkirk → br and fr would have been forced to surrender. Soldiers in dunkirk were then rescued and evacuated. Fr surrendered to germany → fell under German hands - massive victory for germany and revenge for 1918 defeat. Hitler was delighted too
May 1940 → Germany attacked France
- French had larger army and air force + were supported by British Expeditionary Force + Royal air force (RAF)
- Despite this → France → unable to resist German attack
- Late May → British and French → surrounded + facing total defeat
- Retreated to Channel Coast → in region around port of Dunkirk.
- Allied armies were highly vulnerable + could have been destroyed
Some of Hitlers Generals → felt a need to slow down → to consolidate German Forces → allow them to not be vulnerable to attacks.
- Thus Hitler ordered German forces to STOP
- belief → if Hitler had not stopped German advance in Dunkirk → Britain and France would have been forced to surrender.
- If that happened WWII → would have turned out differently
Soldiers in Dunkirk → eventually rescued + evacuated.
- France surrendered + fell into hands of Germany in June.
- Massive victory for Germany + revenge for its defeat in 1918.
- Hitler was delighted → when he heard the news of the victory as → he had previously fought in German army → against French → during WWI