Why did France roll over so quickly in WW2? Were they not prepared? Were they no

Question: Why did France roll over so quickly in WW2!? Were they not prepared!? Were they not aware Germany was serious!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

The Germans had two psychological advantages!.

1: They had beaten the French in the 1870s and fought them to a standstill in the first world war!. They were fighting for revenge and were prepared, well practiced (Spain and Poland had been perfect training grounds) and well led-not Hitler, the pros of the Prussian old guard millitary schools!.

2: They tricked them and their allies!. The invasion plan looked like a repeat of WWI-a big hook through the low countries and then south to Paris!. The French and British moved north to hold them off and a swift moving panzer army led by Rommel punched through the Ardennes and cut through their rear areas, casing panic and confusion!. The few counterattacks (such as at Abbeville) were too small and poorly coordinated!. The larger and better equiped French army's morale collapsed-it's not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog!Www@QuestionHome@Com

They were not prepared!. The Germans were using new tactics of armored warfare!. And the French, though they had some excellent tanks, did not really understand how to use them to the fullest!. Same problem for the British at that point!. The Germans were the first to used massed armor in the attack instead of just using tanks as infantry support!. So while the French had more tanks, and some better than the Germans, they didn't concentrate them and the Germans could engage them a few at a time!.

It was a new kind of warfare, and until the Allies learned how to do it themselves Germany was unstoppable!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

the french were prepared, they were manning the Maginot line which was a tactical barrier between Germany and France, the problem was that the Germans went round it, they invaded France via Belgium!. The French didn't think this would happen because the Germans had to go through a heavily forested area in order to get to France!. but it is what the Germans did and it worked!. Blitzkrieg hit France as hard as it hit Poland!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

In fact, events prior to Germany's rapid advance through France and the Lowlands!. About a 2 months earlier, an Attache to the German High Command was transporting copies of the op plans to Cologne!. By chance, instead of taking a train, he had procured a ride with a pilot that he had met the night before at an Officer's mess!. The morning of the flight conditions were marginal, but the flight took off any way!.
Flying by dead-reckoning, and was looking for the Rhine River to follow in to Cologne!. The problem was that much of the area was still covered in snow and the Rhine was still frozen, so he ended up flying into Belgium, where he crashed landed!. The Belgium authorities captured the documents,but at first the Belgium's thought the plans were a ruse!. They were astonished to find that they were genuine, and quickly informed the French And British Embassies!. Within weeks, many French And British Divisions shifted positions along the Belgium border!. Meanwhile, fearing the plan was compromised, the German's altered the plan to go through the Ardennes, rather through the low lands, catching the Allies off guard and flanked by superior forces!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It was the fault of French generals and war ministers, who were literally entrenched in outdated ideas about warfare!. The average French soldier was at least as good as the average German; French tanks were in most cases better than the German types; French artillery and logistic support were equally good!.

The generals continued to think along the lines of World War 1, depending on fixed fortifications such as the Maginot Line to keep out the enemy!. They also relied heavily on tanks being parcelled out among the infantry divisions in a supporting role, rather than grouping them into large formations of their own!.

The French leadership could be considered the exact opposite of the German leadership, who saw the potential in grouping together their tanks, depending heavily on speed and manouverablity, constantly attacking and by-passing any strongpoints rather than getting bogged down in siege warfare!.

So it was not poor equipment, lack of training or willingness, lack of preparation or lack of awareness on the part of the French, simply outdated methods and ideas - they failed to foresee new and devastating methods of conducting a war!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

as said before, the french generals wanted to fight a ww1 type of war, and they focused most of their defnses on the maginot line!. another disadvantage they had, was that they had to spread their defense all across the line while germany could send all of its forces to a single spot to punch through!. the germans sent an attack throught the low countries, the netherlands and belgium, and it was resisted, which germany reacted by sending an attack through the maginot line's only weak point, through luxembourg!. the germans advanced quickly, and french morale fell apart!. lastly the french tanks, matildas, were dispersed all throught, even though their best use would have been to be grouped against the german tanks!. even though germany had insuperior forces, superior geners and strategy won the fight, of course, air superiority helped!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The French were rotten with defeatism!. The French left were against the war because of the nazi-Soviet pact, and the French right actually supported Hitler as a defence against communism!.Www@QuestionHome@Com