Why the French Army Was So Vulnerable During World War II?

Abstract

France, who bravely fought against Germany in World War I, only resisted for 42 days in World War II. It is a huge gap that is unimaginable. The paper aims to analyze why this happens. The gap is mainly reflected in the differences in military theories and the use of tanks during the war. After summarizing the experience of World War I, France believed that solid fortifications would bring victory. So they built the Maginot Line to defend Germans attack. In contrast, Germany believed developing tank forces that could attack quickly would be more advantageous. So they developed Blitzkrieg, a kind of tactic that utilize the defense, firepower, and mobility of armored forces for large-scale deep penetration. Therefore, the German army had the chance to quickly bypass the Maginot Line, cross the Aden Mountains, and penetrate the enemys rear, forcing the British French coalition to retreat from Dunkirk and then surrounded Paris.