Why Did France Declare War on Germany in 1939 and Then Just Surrender?
Yes, I know quite a bit about the Second World War. France declared war on September 3, 1939, tried to extend their silly Maginot Line across Belgium to the sea, but otherwise sat on their behinds staring into Germany. Then, when the Germans came through, the French abandoned Paris and signed an armistice. So why did they bother declaring war?
Answers ( 1 )
France declared war on Germany in 1939 as a result of its treaty obligations to Poland, which had been invaded by Germany on September 1st of that year. At the time, France was not adequately prepared for a modern war, and its military strategy centered around the Maginot Line, a series of fortifications along the border with Germany. When the Germans launched a surprise attack through Belgium, bypassing the Maginot Line, the French army was quickly defeated and Paris was occupied. The French government then signed an armistice with Germany, which established a divided and occupied country.
In short, France declared war on Germany in 1939 as a result of its treaty obligations but was not prepared for the realities of modern warfare and was quickly defeated.