Fall of France

The German defeat of France in 1940, ending in the collapse of the French Third Republic, German occupation of northern France, and the establishment of Vichy France.

Battle of France: The German campaign against France and the Low Countries from May to June 1940. This broader campaign includes the fighting that produced France’s defeat.
Maginot Line: A system of French fortifications built along the country’s northeastern borders between the world wars. Its defenses shaped French deployment, while German forces bypassed its strongest sectors through Belgium.
Philippe Pétain: A French general and politician who headed the Vichy government during World War II. He became head of government as France sought an armistice and the Third Republic collapsed.
Armistice of 22 June 1940: The agreement that ended hostilities between France and Germany on June 22, 1940. Its terms formalized France’s defeat and divided the country into occupied and unoccupied zones.
Manstein Plan: The German operational plan to attack through the Ardennes and encircle Allied forces in Belgium. Its surprise thrust through the Ardennes split Allied defenses and drove the campaign’s rapid collapse.
French Army: The land forces of France, organized to defend the country and fight its wars. Its doctrine, command structure, and deployment influenced how France responded to the German offensive.
Charles de Gaulle: A French military officer who led Free France and later became president of France. From London, he rejected the armistice and called on French forces to continue the war.
Vichy France: The French state governed from Vichy under Philippe Pétain from 1940 to 1944. It replaced the Third Republic and collaborated with Germany after the armistice.
Ardennes: A heavily forested region spanning parts of Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany. German armored forces crossed this region where Allied planners expected a slower advance.
German rearmament: The expansion and modernization of Germany’s military after Adolf Hitler took power in 1933. Rearmament gave Germany the forces and equipment used in the 1940 campaign.

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