Who led the French army in 1940?
General Maurice Gamelin
In 1940, General Maurice Gamelin commanded the French Army, headquartered in Vincennes on the outskirts of Paris. It consisted of 117 divisions, with 94 committed to the north-eastern front and a commander, General Alphonse Georges, at La Ferte-sous-Jouarre.
Who controlled France in 1940?
From 1940 to 1942, while the Vichy regime was the nominal government of all of France except for Alsace-Lorraine, the Germans and Italians militarily occupied northern and south-eastern France. It was not until 1944 when France was liberated with the allied invasion restoring the French Government.
Who was the best French commander?
Napoleon is often ranked among the greatest military commanders of all time. His campaigns established a new era in military history and are still studied at military academies all over the world.
Who led France in ww2?
Charles de Gaulle led the Free French forces in resisting capitulation to Germany during World War II and became provisional president of France in the immediate aftermath of the war. Later he was an architect of the Fifth Republic and was president from 1959 to 1969.
When did Churchill sink the French fleet?
On June 13, 1940, Winston Churchill took one of several trips to France during Hitler’s Blitzkrieg. After convincing the French not to sign a separate armistice with Germany just two months prior, Churchill was now being begged to release them from the obligation.
Who was the best French general in ww2?
Alfonse Juin is considered by many to be France’s best field commander during World War II.
Who was France general in ww2?
Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle led the Free French forces in resisting capitulation to Germany during World War II and became provisional president of France in the immediate aftermath of the war.
Why did France fall 1940?
The following analysis concludes that the French lost in 1940 mainly because of three reasons: intelligence failure, operational and tactical inferiority, and poor strategic leadership.
Why did Britain destroy the French fleet?
The attack was the main part of Operation Catapult, a British plan to neutralise or destroy French ships to prevent them from falling into German hands after the Allied defeat in the Battle of France.
Who was the leader of Vichy France during ww2?
Marshal Philippe Pétain
Vichy France, formally French State, French État Français, (July 1940–September 1944), France under the regime of Marshal Philippe Pétain from the Nazi German defeat of France to the Allied liberation in World War II.
Who was Napoleon’s second in command?
Michel Ney, in full Michel Ney, duke d’Elchingen, (born January 10, 1769, Sarrelouis, France—died December 7, 1815, Paris), one of the best known of Napoleon’s marshals (from 1804). He pledged his allegiance to the restored Bourbon monarchy when Napoleon abdicated in 1814.
Who was the greatest commander of all time?
Napoleon Bonaparte After 43 battles, he has a WAR score of more than 16, which blows the competition away. There can be no question: Napoleon is the greatest tactical general of all time, and the math proves it.
What happened at the Battle of France in 1940?
The Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries during the Second World War. France had previously invaded Germany in 1939. In the six weeks from 10 May 1940, German forces defeated Allied forces by mobile operations and conquered France, Belgium,…
What happened to the French army in the 1930s?
In the late 1920s the shrinking French field army still maintained an offensive role. At the beginning of the 1930s, the French Army continued to shrink, recruitment fell and funding declined due to the depression, though work continued on the Maginot Line. No significant new developments took place in tactics.
How did France get involved in WW2?
On 3 September 1939 France had declared war on Germany, following the invasion of its ally Poland. In early September 1939, France launched the Saar Offensive, which stalled. By mid October, French troops had been withdrawn to their original start positions.
How strong was France’s army in WW2?
France mobilised about one-third of the male population between the ages of 20 and 45, bringing the strength of its armed forces to 5,000,000. Only 2,240,000 of these served in army units in the north. The British contributed a total strength of 897,000 men in 1939, rising to 1,650,000 by June 1940.