From the time Germany thundered into the west to Frances surrender was about 6 weeks. Could the Franco-British froces have conceivably beaten back the Germans after the initial strike, or were they pretty much doomed from the outset? Or was Germanys victory a fluke that succeeded only on the Western Allies inability to cope with the rapid German advance, combined with French and British overconfidence? Any thoughts? Anything you would have done differently?
I would have followed the Gaulle's advise in the thirties to create 2 Panzerdivisions. So when the breakthrough came in 1940, I woud be able to stop them.
So far I think the French believed too much in the Maginot line and lost the war as they thought it would be much like the WW1. Blitzkrieg was too much. By hitting the the "Sichelschnitt" troops from both sides ( Hitler feared the left flank? )it would have been a severe blow but probably the chaos among the allied troops was bigger to think of such thing, or to regroup at all. In June the was was lost, and the Maginot line was still holding some 500 000 French soldiers (?) attacked from behind by the Germans...And at the actual front the French had no reserves!
Yes, KP has the essence right there. The French were still entrenched in WW1 thinking, 9so were some British generals too) and were not prepared for the flexibility and speed of the German advance. They relied too heavily on the false security of the Maginot Line. It would have been a very tough nut to break if the Germans had had to attack it, but of course they went around. The French did have plans to extend the Maginot Line all the way to the Channel, along the Belgian border, but these were shelved as they didn't want to upset their neighbours. Imagine if they had. It would have changed the German plans dramatically, and probably allowed the French to bring up their reserves into the weaker areas in time. ___________ When you march into France, let the last man on the right brush the channel with his sleeve - Count Alfred von Schlieffen
The numbers were pretty much even. The Allies had good weapons but were defeated because of obsolesent tactics. They were doomed from the start. The German force could have been checked had they been more mobile and up to date on tactics.
