The Fall of France | World War 2 Documentary

Operation Dynamo and the attempt to evacuate the British expeditionary force at Dunkirk culminating in the fall of France.

[@MrNiceGuyHistory]

Ahh... Another documentary about the unimaginable horrors of war to blissfully drift asleep to.

[@jean-francoisproulx7126]

Exact same boat lol BUT WHY DOES IT WORK SO WELL ?????

[@MrNiceGuyHistory]

@@jean-francoisproulx7126 My stresses seem less relevant when compared to that randomly conscripted guy blown to pieces by a random shell or that random family wiped out by a randomly dropped bomb.

[@ray7419]

Yep. Every single night. 👍

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

@@MrNiceGuyHistory Wot? You're saying the bombs aren't all aimed into pickle barrels? Pinpoint accuracy? All that good stuff? My goodness, the next thing you know, you're going to be nattering on about civilians or some such woke nonsense...

[@travissmith8406]

That's funny!!

[@personnelente]

The invasion of Norway was not smooth sailing, as this video implies. One need only look at the sinking of the new German cruiser Blücher in Oslo fjord, which the video fails to mention.

[@mrh678]

Great opening speach!!

[@lilmike2710]

**speech 😊

[@Geojr815]

Being so unprepared and falling to the Germans in a matter of weeks. Then refusing to give their navy to the British. Then fired on fleet of new American troops because they were still mad at Great Britain. Also began their “liberation of Paris” at the wrong time, screwing up the progress of Eisenhower

[@towgod7985]

Typical french.

[@MN-vz8qm]

Wow... a few things to unpack here. "Being so unprepared and falling to the Germans in a matter of weeks." Indeed, the french military leadership messed up, Gamelin to be precise, who was adamant about implementing plan D breta variant. That being said, this was less a case of the french being terrible, and more a case of the germans being disruptive. All allies at the begining of the war where stomped. The french simply didn't have an ocean or endless lands to go behind. "Then refusing to give their navy to the British." Why would they? France had just signed an armistice with Germany in order to have its civilian population spared, and to keep control of the southern part of the country. The price of peace was that France should remain neutral in the conflict. Obeing the british diktat would have meant breaking the peace accord, and Germany would have taken full control of France. The funny part is that the treacheous british attack on the french fleet led said fleet to flee from north africa to southern France, much closer to a possible German takover. Furthermore, this went straight into the german propaganda, and delayed french resistance a lot as a result. "Then fired on fleet of new American troops because they were still mad at Great Britain" US troops "invited" themselves in french controlled territory. Once more, France being neutral had to defend its territory against any invader. Two or three days after the beginning of the US invasion, the local french autorities in north africa concluded an alliance with the US, leading to the end of hostilities. In turn, this led to Germany invading the rest of France, by the way starting the bulk of its atrocities on the civilian population, and promoting pro nazi puppets in control. And the french fleet, which was in southern France, sabotaged itself before the Germans could take it. "Also began their “liberation of Paris” at the wrong time, screwing up the progress of Eisenhower" Because their objective was not the same. De Gaulle knew very well that the amrican plan for France was the same that they had for Germany. The only chance to get any real independence for France in th future was to get popular legitimacy. Furthermore, the fear was that the liberation of Paris would be costly in term of men and material, which was not the case as the city litteraly freed itself, the germans deciding to leave before the arrival of the allies. Now if we are going to exchange blames among the allies, I would be happy to point the finger to the US, which at the end of ww1, forced a peace leaving Germany still being the most powerful nation in europe, and managed to have France accept Versaille by promising a proto NATO (a US/UK/France military alliance) and a proto UN (the society of nations) and backing out as soon as the french had signed the peace treaty. The big plan of the US was to promote long term peace with germany through prosperity (we all know how that ended, with the wall street crash of 29, which devastated germany a year later and led to the rise of nazism). Funny thing with liberals, they always try this strategy. Nowadays Germany has done it with Russia, we see how it ended, and the US has been doing that with China (once more let's see how that end). Then together with the UK played the french versus the germans during the interwar, and complained every times the french wanted to curtail Germany rise. And of course at the end, in the case of the US, when the war started declared neutrality. And remained neutral when Frane was invaded. And neutral while France was under nazi control for years. And finally joining unwillingly, because the japaness attacked them and germany declared war on them. But finally the US did exactly what the french wanted to do form teh start, cut Germany in two and occupy it as long as necessary. It only took them on more world war to understand what needed to be done.

[@gayprepperz6862]

The fate of Czechoslovakia was decided by Britain, France and Germany without the Czechs having even the slightest say. Oh wait, that's right, they weren't even invited to the meeting. No one should ever forget what they did to the Czechs.

[@PMMagro]

That is what major powers do. better stay out of their politics all togethter and make sure the price is high IF they attack you.

[@gayprepperz6862]

@@PMMagro Absolutely

[@humanchannel7825]

@@gayprepperz6862it was a necessary sacrifice to buy us some time.

[@gayprepperz6862]

@@humanchannel7825 Bet the Czechs didn't think so. "Peace in our time"?

[@MN-vz8qm]

@@gayprepperz6862 The french PMs of the 30s wanted to intervene against Germany at each crisis (despite the fact that France was in a terrible shape at the time), but they knew they couldn't go for it alone. Faced with teh british reluctance, they though about allying with the soviets (despite the crisis that this made with teh UK and the US) but the poles were adamant against that and the soviets didn't want to send their troops and be opened to a pole attack (that was what they said anyway). The poles would end up joining germany grabbing for czech lands. As for the british, after playing France versus Germany for a good part of the interwar (because they wanted to maintain the balance of powers in europe), they woke up to the german threat, but they were not ready for war, and needed to buy time. As for the czechs, well, sucks for them.

[@johnlinn]

I'm starting to feel like we shouldn't trust this guy.

[@sidthegooper]

I'm learning more from the comments than the actual vid 😭

[@asullivan4047]

Interesting and informative. Excellent photography job enabling viewers to better understand what/whom the orator was describing. Special thanks to veteran soldiers/civilians sharing personal information/combat experiences. Making this documentary more authentic and possible. Since France turned it's back on Poland. Stood idly by during the fake war. Start an invasion towards Germany & turn back. Deserved to be invaded & conquered.

[@user-qh7ex3nv9p]

The German tactics of lightning war was very easy on the low country especially France Belgium Holland and luxambouhg

[@user-xt8fm7hn9b]

They can have there lottery's for sure & For sure!

[@francescaambrosini1456]

La guerra nel Pacifico : 6 soldati statunitensi che, ad Iwo Jima, alzano la bandiera del loro Paese ( febbraio 1945 )

[@personnelente]

The French had better tanks than the Germans in 1940. What they lacked was doctrine and control.

[@auerstadt06]

And radios. Communication was the key to Blitzkrieg.

[@davidjma7226]

And guts for a fight.....

[@auerstadt06]

@@davidjma7226 Japan had guts for a fight.

[@MN-vz8qm]

@@davidjma7226 That's a brainless comment. The entire german strategy was about not fighting the ennemy, but going around, fast, to encircle it. There was only one instance where french and germans smashed, in nortehrn belgium, when 2 panzer divisions met 2 DLM (the french equivalent), and the germans didn't have a good time.

[@tonytiger2914]

What's Norway got to do with France ?

[@davidjma7226]

Or Holland or Belgium

[@bryandoley9227]

Given how quickly France fell they had to fill the rest of the documentary with something 😂

[@leighwang9747]

The Nazi Germany needed the Norwegian ports to build their navy, which would enable them to take Holland and Belgium, and thereafter France.

[@tonytiger2914]

@@leighwang9747 the only reason Germany was in Norway was to stop Britain from invading 3 neutral country's, Norway, Sweden and then Finland.

[@websitemartian]

35:10 tracers

[@davidshahin9753]

I have been told there are tons of WWII "never fired, dropped once" sniper rifles in France for sale.

[@MrNiceGuyHistory]

In response to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, France has announced it surrenders...

[@davidshahin9753]

🤣😂@@MrNiceGuyHistory

[@MN-vz8qm]

It is so funny !!!!! OMG I have a hard time to breath. France, a nation which can fit in texas, lost more men in a war than the US in its entire history, or the UK since the beginning of the 19th century.

[@kyle381000]

After thousands of Canadians fought and died TWICE in 30 years to liberate France, while in Montreal in 1967 deGaulle had the audacity to advocate for Quebec to separate from Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, asked deGaulle to 'explain himself', but deGaulle did not respond. However, Mrs. Pearson didn't mince words at essentially told the French President to go a sc*** himself. He left Canada almost immediately, never to return. If France were invaded today, I suspect that most Canadians would send nothing more than 'thoughts and prayers'.

[@MN-vz8qm]

Canadians would do what they perceive as their best long term interrest, as nations always do. Stop this hypocrisy.

[@allenhondaaccord1725]

It is called Karma, From Vietnam to North Africa. Now you French know how it feels to be occupied. The French came back after WW2 to re invade into in-do china, North Africa and west Africa.

[@asullivan4047]

That went on before the days of Napoleon Bonaparte. Vietnam & North Africa were always fighting with neighboring countries. Still continues to this day.

[@user-xt8fm7hn9b]

I wish they could drink a 60/40 and hear all

[@mohdfaizan9759]

It's fu king dark

[@lenholloway4390]

And they wonder why drresden was bombed to oblivion?

[@tiagomonteiro130]

Becouse the allies are war criminals who wanted and did kill hundreds of thousands of Civillians and Children on a cultural City, were even injured allied troops were Stationed.

[@brettmuller9556]

It has always surprised me that France had what was considered a superior fighting force, better equipped, and generally a better bigger vastly superior military ( not to put to fine a point on it) than Germany. But yet they were smoked in what, 6 weeks? France was considered the bottle stop to Hitlers scheme. Instead France was humiliated, defeated, occupied and their women hooked up with the virile conquering Germans. USA bailed them out and for years American citizens reward was the hostile unappreciative verbal nastiness from Frenchies. They never got over their humiliation nor could they thank us because of it. Not everyone but plenty enough to hear the stories from visiting Yanks in France when they got back home. Today they are a small regional power with nukes but now, as then, they need allies because they can’t go it alone. Great wines, champagnes and cheese and a culture that has given much to the world so there’s that.

[@MN-vz8qm]

Being french, I think that the kind of statements you make is the reason why french people don't like you.

[@websitemartian]

18:56 salute s delirious nazis

[@juanrendon5720]

Why aren’t you showing the help Russia gave them in the beginning since they were the OG Axis

[@Ealdorman_of_Mercia]

What a stupi** comment. Russia had a non aggression agreement with Germany, because they were not ready militarily to fight. It makes perfect strategic sense. Without Russia we would be living in Nazi Europe today, governed by the 3rd Reich. It is childish, to let your baseless hatred of Russia cloud your judgement. Emotions only make you weak and inept.

[@sike2399]

I don't think historians from allied nations like talking about the WW2 Soviets that much. It's not just about their war crimes, it's probably got more to do with not being too sure who killed more Russians: the Germans or Stalin?

[@thelonerick]

At the time Germany invaded France the French had more and better quality tanks

[@mrh678]

Yep, it's how you position and use them though. Like the narrator said, France prepared for a defensive war. A lot of their armour never saw action. Remaining stationary in non combat areas when the Germans were already behind them, captured in pockets of resistance and on rail carriages ect.

[@asullivan4047]

That's why France should have invaded Germany during the phoney war. While the chance presented that opportunity. Fools turned back from the attempted invasion.

[@lilmike2710]

Indeed. The "phony war". Had France put up some semblance of resistance that invasion wouldn't have taken place at that time. Hitler had them all duped into believing his army and Luftwaffe was much larger and stronger than it actually was.

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

Yes, but a very high percentage of their officer corps were Fascists. The Vichy government after "peace" with Germany was representative of the French right before that settlement.

[@glennmcdonald2028]

And the Germans destroyed or captured them all...

[@garrettkessler1895]

This was precisely why fascist warlords where executed.

[@tiagomonteiro130]

Why becouse France decleard war on Germany and Britain too, Poland killed German Civillians in places like Ganzig since 1918 negociacions lead no where, how evil of Germany to save it's people and have it's enemies turn it into a world war.

[@jb7720]

Imagine if Britain dropped as fast as france and Hitler tries crossing the ocean lol america would of had so much fun it would be like shooting fish in a barrel lol

[@MrNiceGuyHistory]

It would have been easier for the National Socialists to conquer all of Russia and then invade America via Alaska than to transport millions of troops and tens of thousands of tanks across the Atlantic.

[@MN-vz8qm]

Germany never had teh means to invade Great Britain. Being an island nation on the coast of Europe has been the secret sauce of the success of teh UK throughout the centuries.

[@rodzor]

So now imagine not just a channel in between, but an ocean.

[@anastasiospapandreou147]

Interesting documantary series even if it is an obvious english propaganda.

[@diptastik5651]

That's German newsreel footage ou doughnut lol

[@mrh678]

This is an exact timeline of events, just facts not propaganda.

[@lightdampsweetenough2065]

@@mrh678 Except that Germany never declared war on Britain or France. Denmark and Norway was occupied for strategic reasons and because they basically lacked armed forces. Britain blockaded the entire Baltic sea and planned an invasion through Norway into Sweden. Sweden was almost entirely cut off from trade by sea, except with Germany.

[@jmmrph1]

It’s actually US propaganda that was shown to the troops in the “Why we fight” series. It uses the same script the narrator uses.

[@MrJoegilkey]

Half baked nonsense.

[@mrh678]

What didn't you agree with?

[@diptastik5651]

The narrator said "Through the Sudan" lol. Maybe "Sedan" , Who wrote this cobblers !!