The fall of France

Events, and Churchill's reaction to them, served to set him apart from his contemporaries. On 10 May, the day Churchill became prime minister, Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Reports were confused at first, but there was no minimising the gravity of the situation. Within five days the Germans had broken through at Sedan and the road to Paris was open. Nothing it seemed would stop Hitler, particularly as the French high command was reported to be paralysed and to have no will to resist. But unless the German advance could be stayed, British troops would be in mortal danger – for the French army would collapse and the BEF would be cut off. By the 18th it did seem that the French would collapse – and within three days a German mechanised column was heading for Boulogne. The Germans had also reached Calais and there was no sign of a French counter attack. Two days later, on the 24th, the French had almost given up and agreed to the evacuation of the British forces, which would begin that night. But they continued to demand support (particularly in the air) and and they also requested an approach to Mussolini, over which the cabinet differed given the need to keep the French in the fight for as long as possible.

French demands for aircraft and for a great allied attack continued throughout early June – but by the 12th there was little doubt in Britain about French resistance being at an end.