At the Battle of France, France lost 90,000 men, and Britain lost about 68,000 men and several more were wounded. Also other nations had casualties. Still people say that France just surrenderend when the Germans came. Sure the battle lasted only for about a month, but the main reason it happend so quickly was that the Germans instead of attacking the French maginot-line they attacked Belgium and Holland which were weaker and then they just had a short distance to Paris. So even though Britain gave great help to France, it fell, so obviously it was difficult to defend.
2006-11-19 06:09:46 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
exactly ,nothing more to be said you have answered already
2006-11-19 06:18:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Battle for France was brief. But, it was costly. The French simply did not have the fire power to battle the Nazi onslaught. Men on Horses did not stand up well to men in iron machines in Poland, and so was the case in France.
France also saw what had happened to Warsaw, and Rotterdam. Both cities bombed and destroyed. The French, with her historical buildings did not want to see the same fate befall them. Was it cowardice or was it slick political ideology to accept the worst at the moment in an attempt to help the allied forces down the road? I think it was the later as many french citizens were saved and Vichy France continued to pester the Nazi movement during the occupation.
2006-11-19 06:24:59 · answer #2 · answered by Paul L 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They didn't just surrender. That is without objection. But you have to admit that TWO WEEKS (the month figure may be accurate in terms of surrender but the major movement was completed in half the time) is not much time considering they withstood four YEARS of assault in the First World War. The problems the French and British had were tied more to tactics than an inability to fight. They in fact had the better equipment, particularly armour, but an inability to defend against the so-called Blitzkrieg led to their downfall. Accustomed to a static brand of warfare, the fast moving, slicing armour columns followed by an expanding encompassing infantry exploitation was something no one could have anticipated.
2006-11-19 07:55:12 · answer #3 · answered by Who cares 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
People say the French surrendered so quickly because it fits American perception that the French are a bunch of cowardly wimps.
Plus there's that little thing of them helping us win the Revolutionary War which we haven't forgiven them for.
2006-11-19 07:14:40 · answer #4 · answered by ladyinpurple 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
History is not either a popular or well taught subject in the US, it seems, in spite of the History channel's fine efforts, and also the same for public television.
2006-11-19 06:22:13 · answer #5 · answered by WikiJo 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually it took about a month.
2006-11-19 06:28:36 · answer #6 · answered by pete7992000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋