Why did Hitler invade France?

Answer 1

Technically, one does not invade a city, once invades a country but captures a city. Hitler invaded France partly to gain revenge for Germany's defeat in World War I and also because he knew that Britain and France would try to stop him from his aim of conquering vast territories in Eastern Europe. Thus they had to be defeated first. He captured Paris because it was the capital of France and when it was shown that they couldn't even defend their own capital the french quickly lost whatever stomach they had for a fight and sued for peace. Michael Montagne AnswerGermany invaded France officially because France had declared war upon Germany when Germany invaded Poland, an ally and friend of France. But Germany was deeply revanchiste and her foreign policy was to reclaim the areas lost in the previous war, which would have led to war with France sooner or later anyway. Germany wanted the war with France (unlike the war with the British, but it sort of came in the bargain).

Technically, when Paris was lost, the French no longer had very much stomach left to lose, since they had already lost more men than the USA would do in the entire war to follow.

Germany directed her full power at France. France 1940 was no peripheral "second" front with only a minimalistic German presence like Normandy 44, with 70% of Germanys power on a primary East Front, and 20% equally divided between UK and US (the rest on occupation duties or in Italy).

France was Germanys only front in 1940. France was alone, with only the BEF to aid her, and the BEF consisted of five divisions, a parenthesis of no significance.

The forces that hit France were the same that hit the Soviet Union the following year, and the Soviets lost over 5 000 000 men before they could stop this rolling horror and turn the course of events. In fact they lost 10 000 000 troops killed before it was all over.

France had a total population of just 50 000 000 all souls counted. Her army was slightly smaller than the number of Soviet troops that died in the battle of Stalingrad.

Hopefully this will enlighten some on the scale and proportions of things. The French didn't suddenly lose stomach when finding they could not "even" defend their capitol. Nobody asked how they felt about it, they were overrun and crushed, stepped on like a bug.

Cheerio Tommy

Whilst broadly I would agree with this answer it is worth noting that the figures for French deaths in the fighting were 90000, the BEF lost 66000 - hardly "a parenthesis of no significance" NB Source; taken from part of a record for the British War Office in 1940.

Answer 2

Technically, one does not invade a city, once invades a country but captures a city. Hitler invaded France partly to gain revenge for Germany's defeat in World War I and also because he knew that Britain and France would try to stop him from his aim of conquering vast territories in Eastern Europe. Thus they had to be defeated first. He captured Paris because it was the capital of France and when it was shown that they couldn't even defend their own capital the french quickly lost whatever stomach they had for a fight and sued for peace. Michael Montagne AnswerGermany invaded France officially because France had declared war upon Germany when Germany invaded Poland, an ally and friend of France. But Germany was deeply revanchiste and her foreign policy was to reclaim the areas lost in the previous war, which would have led to war with France sooner or later anyway. Germany wanted the war with France (unlike the war with the British, but it sort of came in the bargain).

Technically, when Paris was lost, the French no longer had very much stomach left to lose, since they had already lost more men than the USA would do in the entire war to follow.

Germany directed her full power at France. France 1940 was no peripheral "second" front with only a minimalistic German presence like Normandy 44, with 70% of Germanys power on a primary East Front, and 20% equally divided between UK and US (the rest on occupation duties or in Italy).

France was Germanys only front in 1940. France was alone, with only the BEF to aid her, and the BEF consisted of five divisions, a parenthesis of no significance.

The forces that hit France were the same that hit the Soviet Union the following year, and the Soviets lost over 5 000 000 men before they could stop this rolling Horror and turn the course of events. In fact they lost 10 000 000 troops killed before it was all over.

France had a total population of just 50 000 000 all souls counted. Her army was slightly smaller than the number of Soviet troops that died in the battle of Stalingrad.

Hopefully this will enlighten some on the scale and proportions of things. The French didn't suddenly lose stomach when finding they could not "even" defend their capitol. Nobody asked how they felt about it, they were overrun and crushed, stepped on like a bug.

Cheerio Tommy

Whilst broadly I would agree with this answer it is worth noting that the figures for French deaths in the fighting were 90000, the BEF lost 66000 - hardly "a parenthesis of no significance" NB Source; taken from part of a record for the British War Office in 1940.

Answer 3

Hitler was attempting to take over all of Europe - France was just one more portion of the lands to conquer that he could reach by direct land routes from Germany. He felt he was superior to others, this was just one more portion of that effort.

Answer 4

Hitler did not invade England during WW2. No one invaded England during WW2.

Answer 5

because they wanted to get revenge for not raping them