Timeline of the Battle of France Timeline of the Battle of France The Timeline of the battle of France or the Fall of France covers the period during World War 2 from the first military actions between Germany and France and to the armistice signed by France. In about six weeks from May 10 1940 through June 25 1940 Nazi Germany had also conquered Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg, adding these four countries to its third Reich. Nazi Germany planned to use forces that would distract the Allies that would enter Belgium which would make French and British troops leave their current position. Germany would also use
France–Germany relations “phony war”. When the Germans launched their blitzkrieg invasion of France in 1940, the French Army crumbled within weeks, and with Britain retreating, an atmosphere of humiliation and defeat swept France. A new government under Marshal Philippe Pétain surrendered, and German forces occupied most of the country. A minority of the French forces escaped abroad and continued the fight under General Charles de Gaulle (the “Free French” or “Fighting French”). On the other hand, the French Resistance conducted sabotage operations inside German-occupied France. To support the invasion of Normandy of 1944, various groups increased their sabotage and guerrilla attacks; organizations