Britain and France declared war on Germany in September 1939 in response to the invasion of Poland. The period between September 1939 and April 1940 is often called the 'Phoney War' because, although war raged at sea, very little happened in Western Europe during this time.
This changed in April 1940 with British and German actions in Norway. The following month, Germany launched its offensive against the Low Countries and France. It took just six weeks for them to overwhelm the Allied defence.
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Discover more about the Battle of France and a few highlights from our collection.
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Germany launched air and ground attacks against Belgium and Holland on 10 May. They utilised the same Blitzkrieg methods that had been so effective in Poland, combining tanks, infantry and artillery to overwhelm defences.
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France, like Britain, anticipated fighting a defensive war similar to the First World War. They placed great faith in the strength of the Maginot Line to defend the French border with Germany.
With British and French troops rushing into Belgium to meet the German attack, German forces invaded France through the dense forests of the Ardennes. This move bypassed the Maginot Line and outflanked the Allies fighting in Belgium. A two-day battle at Sedan ended in defeat for the French defenders.
