This episode of "Battlefield" chronicles the German triumph over French and British forces in France 1940.
After the fall of Poland, Denmark and Norway, British and French forces, on the Western Front, sat out the "Phony War," behind their prepared defences. One of the marvels of 20th Century technology, the Maginot Line, gave the French a false sense of Security. Unfortunately for the French and British, they were led by perhaps the worst general and leader of World War II. General Maurice Gamelin led a disastrous campaign that fed right into the German's plans.
On paper the French and British forces were impressive. French tanks were superior too many of the German models. The Char IB and S-35 were stand outs in the French arsenal. However, the French amour was dispersed among infantry units and handled with a complete emphasis on infantry support. The German's doctrine, of "Blitzkrieg" emphasized concentration, breakthrough and exploitation of openings in the front with powerful armoured forces. With German generals Manstein, Guderian, Rommel, Kleist and Hoth the French forces were completely outwitted.
The Fall of France proved to the world the brilliance of Blitzkrieg, German strategy and the weaknesses in the old military doctrine.
