Battles
What was the Battle of Dunkirk?
The Battle of Dunkirk was when Germany went straight through Belgium and invaded France. The Germans pushed back the French to the beaches and murdered many people. Germany captured more than half of France.
What was "The Third Republic."?
The “Third Republic” was the French form of government until 1940. Afterward, it was switched to the Vichy government.
Who was Charles de Gaulle?
The leader of France during WWll was Charles de Gaulle. He was in charge of the Free French, which was the name of the French army.
Who was France allianced with?
They were allianced with Great Britain, and later on United States and the Soviet Union.
What was D-Day?
D-Day was when American and British troops landed on the beaches of France and attacked the Germans. This was the beginning of the end of WWll. This was important because the allies could now create a base in Europe.
What was Vichy France?
Vichy France was the part of France that wasn’t fully ruled by Germany. It was a puppet state. It was ruled by Marshal Henri-Philippe Petain. After Germany captured part of France, the new form of government was the Vichy Government.
What was the Free French?
The Free French, also known as French Françaises Libres, were people that wanted to engage in war with Germany after they captured France.
Why did France have a false sense of security?
The French had a false sense of security because the had a really fortified line called the Maginot line, but didn’t realize that Germany could invade north through Belgium, and get to France.
What was the Battle of the Bulge?
The Battle of the Bulge was Germany’s last offensive. The Germans went deeper into Ardennes, France, but then faced a lot of Allied troops. There were so many troops, that it looked like a big bulge which was why the battle was called Battle of the Bulge.
What was the Liberation of Paris?
The Liberation of Paris was when the French 2nd Armored Division and the U.S. 4th Infantry Division fought the Germans to liberate France in 1944. The Germans had tried to destroy everything in Paris before the Allies recaptured France, but had failed to.
Who was Philippe Pétain?
Philippe Pétain became the vice premier of France in 1940 after the capture of France. He became popular after being a military hero in WWl. He created an armistice with Germany on June 22, 1940. He became chief of state at Vichy.
How much of France did Germany hold?
⅗
What was Operation Torch?
Operation Torch was when Allied troops landed in the North part of Africa that was controlled by France. The point of the operation was to take stress off of the soldiers in North Africa after Germany captured Southern France. After they landed, soldiers started to invade north, up into Italy.
Why didn't France take action when...
- Italy invaded Ethiopia
- Hitler militarized the Rhineland
- Hitler took Austria
- Hitler took all of Czechoslovakia
Because they didn't want to get into another world war. They wanted to keep appeasement, and especially didn't want to take action without Britain by its side because they were still suffering from WWl.
What was the “Second Compiègne armistice.”?
The “Second Compiègne armistice” was an armistice signed by the French and the Germans. It was signed after the capture of France. It divided France into a French occupied zone and a German-occupied zone.
Why was France's fall important?
It was important because the allies didn't have a single mainland base in Europe. Another advantage for Germany was that they had only one country, which was Great Britain, fighting against them until the United States and the Soviet Union joined.
What is the Battle of Arras?
The Battle of Arras was when the Germans tried to trap and stop the Allies from advancing to east Belgium. But, before the Germans trapped the allies, the allies counterattacked to break the German advance.
What was "Phoney War."?
Phony War was the term used for the first six months after war was declared on Germany. It was the time period when no military action was taken, and there were no major hostilities.
What was Case Anton?
Case Anton was the occupation of Vichy France by the Germans. After the occupation, Vichy became a puppet state.
Why was France's location important?
France’s location was important because it caused Germany to face 2 war fronts after the Soviet Union joined the Allies. This meant that Germany had enemies on both sides of their country until France fell.