Germany Overruns the West

On the 10th of May 1940 Germany launched a invasion of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in order to bypass the Maginot line fortifications the French had built along the French-German border. Although the allies outnumbered the Germans they were slow to take advantage of their air superiority and were taken by surprise when the Germans moved tanks through a forested area of Belgium which they had taught was impassible. Soon Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg were defeated and the French were being forced further back towards Paris. 

On the 23rd of May Britain decided that France was doomed and retreated to Dunkirk where they built a defensive line when the Germans halted their attack for a day due to uncertainty of the number and the strength of the remaining allied forces. The battle at Dunkirk was one of the most viscous battles of the war. The Germans knew that if they defeated the allied force they would destroy the British army and the British were desperately trying to save as many men as they could. The two sides fought many air battles as well. German aircraft losses during the battle of France were higher than those suffered during the battle of Britain. The British navy managed to evacuate the majority of their forces and some French troops with the help of private boats but the loss in prestige and equipment was horrific. 

Despite French attempts to hold the Germans up at the Somme and Aisne River they were defeated and Paris fell on the 14th of June. The French government fled to Tours and then Bordeaux. On the 10th of June Italy joined the war thinking that France was defeated and Britain would soon follow and eager to benefit from the peace deal however the French forces along the border managed to hold them off despite being outnumbered substained significantly less casualties. The newly appointed French premier Marshal Philippe Pétain surrendered on the 17th of June with fighting ending on the 24th. Pétain set up his new government at Vichy in southern France which he retained control over along with the French colonies while the Germans took the north to launch operations against Britain. The under secretary of war Charles de Gaulle fled to Britain where he appealed to Free France to keep fighting against the Germans. Pétain declared Charles an outlaw.