On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany launched its invasion of Poland, which marked the full-scale outbreak of World War II. However, driven by interests, Britain and France declared war two days later, but the Anglo-French forces did not really participate in military aid to Poland, but only hid behind the Maginot Line.
On September 27, 1939, the Germans conquered Warsaw, marking the complete fall of Poland. However, during this period, Britain and France only condemned Germany through diplomatic means, and did not take direct military action.
For this reason, this period was called "sit-down warfare" or "strange war" by the Germans. Although Hitler's ambitions were not satisfied, on May 10, 1940, he sent 136 divisions and more than 3,000 tanks to bypass the Maginot Line and launch attacks on Belgium, France and other countries.
It took only ten days for the Germans to occupy France, approaching the shores of the English Channel, and the Anglo-French lines quickly collapsed under German attacks. On the 27th, Belgium announced its surrender.
Faced with this situation, 400,000 Anglo-French troops were forced to retreat to Dunkirk. Dunkirk is the radiant point of the European Axis and borders the capitals of five European countries.
Not only is it a port in the Pas-de-Calais region in northern France, but the region also shares borders with the United Kingdom and Belgium. Therefore, as long as you can get to Dunkirk, it is possible to survive.
The English Channel became the only hope for the Allied forces to survive, and this was the famous "Dunkirk Evacuation" during World War II.
At Dunkirk, when the Germans were pressing on the port from the west, south, and east, a distance of only 10 miles, Hitler suddenly ordered a halt to the advance. This order put the coalition forces in a crisis, and they were trapped in Dunkirk, and they could only give it a go, stopping the enemy's advance and buying time for the withdrawal of large forces.
The French First Army took on this difficult task. At the same time, Britain did its best to send warships, ships and other tools to transport allied personnel to British soil.
In the city of Lille, the First Army used the ** ammunition in its hands to scorch the city, and even the German tanks were useless. Fierce street fighting ensued between the French and German troops.
The French soldiers fought valiantly, repelled several German attacks, and successfully held the important defensive line of the 1st Group.
In the fierce battle, although the French army suffered heavy losses, they managed to hold back the elite German army, which was three times stronger than them, with a small force, and won precious time for the British, French, and Belgian troops to retreat.
However, the 40,000 soldiers of the First Army did not have time to withdraw from Dunkirk on 4 June, and finally surrendered to the Germans. Nevertheless, their bravery still deserves our deep admiration.
In nine days of desperate fighting, the First Army successfully pinned down the main German army, bought precious time for the retreat of 300,000 allied troops, and thus created a miraculous and successful evacuation to Britain.
Therefore, the French army did not suffer any ** after the surrender, and their tenacious spirit deeply admired the German army, and although they were defeated, the German army gave them special respect.
As they walked through the streets of Lille, the Germans even saluted them.