Case Red: The Collapse of France by Robert Forczyk (English) Paperback Book

Publisher Description

Although the story of the German Fall Gelb offensive against France, Belgium and Holland in May 1940 is well known, most accounts tend to stop with the conclusion of the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) from Dunkirk on 4 June 1940. The German operation that actually conquered metropolitan France, Fall Rot (Case Red), is usually glossed over in brief. Nor are many people aware today that there was a second BEF in France, which was also successfully evacuated by sea. The current literature on the Western campaign of 1940 essentially spotlights the German drive to the English Channel and the Dunkirk evacuation then skips ahead to the French armistice, skipping over the military, political and human drama of France's collapse in June 1940.
Indeed, some of the most interesting military operations of the 1940 campaign were conducted in June 1940, as the Allies mounted a vigorous counterattack at Abbeville (incl. the British 1st Armoured Division – the first time that the British Army employed an armoured division in combat) and then mounted a tough defense along the Somme River. Unlike the easy breakthrough at Sedan, the Germans had to fight hard to break through the Weygand Line. Churchill decided to second a second BEF to France to support the French, but the Germans finally achieved a decisive breakthrough before it could be effectively deployed. The British were forced to mount a second evacuation from the ports of Le Havre, Cherbourg, Brest and St Nazaire, which rescued over 200,000 troops, although the transport RMS Lancastria was sunk by German bombers, with the loss of over 4,000 troops. While France was in its death throes, politicians and soldiers debated what to do – flee to England or North Africa or to seek an armistice.
The drama of the final three weeks of military operations in France in June 1940 has never effectively been captured on paper, but this is a story that needs to be told since it had great impact on the future course of World War II and Inter-Allied relations. This title will also address the initial German exploitation of France and how the windfall of captured military equipment, fuel and industrial resources enhanced the Third Reich's ability to attack its next foe – the Soviet Union.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 A Lost Battle
This would provide a synopsis of Fall Gelb in May 1940 and the overall strategic situation.
Chapter 2 France on the Edge
This chapter would delve into greater detail on the French political-military leadership in early June 1940, their resources and options.
Chapter 3 A Second BEF
This chapter would cover Britain's commitments to France in June 1940 and the dispatch of the second BEF.
Chapter 4 Fall Rot
This chapter would cover the German armies in France in early June 1940, their operational plans and objectives.
Chapter 5 Counterattack
Would cover the Anglo-French counterattack at Abbeville and efforts to create a defensive line.
Chapter 6 Schwerpunkt (Main Effort)
This chapter would detail the German assault upon the Weygand Line.
Chapter 7 Collapse
This chapter would cover the collapse of the front, Italy's entry into the war, the loss of part of the 51st Highland Division and the German occupation of Paris.
Chapter 8 To the Coast
This chapter would cover the final week of the campaign, from 14 to 21 June 1940, including the British evacuation operations and culminating with the French armistice.
Chapter 9 Occupation
The German occupation of France, focusing on the exploitation of captured military and industrial resources to enhance its war effort. It would also cover related issues, such as the large numbers of POWs and initial efforts at collaboration and resistance.
Chapter 10 The Reckoning
The military-political collapse of France and examine the long-term implications for Anglo-French collaboration during the rest of World War II.

Review

The book constitutes an excellent summary of the conflict in the West from September 1939 to May 1940, the best for a long time. * Ligne de Front *
This is a gem of a book on a relatively little-known element of the fighting in 1940. * Miniature Wargames *

Promotional

Case Red tells the epic story of the Fall of France in 1940 in the face of the Blitzkrieg launched by the Nazi German military machine.

Review Quote

The book constitutes an excellent summary of the conflict in the West from September 1939 to May 1940, the best for a long time.

Promotional "Headline"

Case Red tells the often overlooked story of the fall of Metropolitan France from the evacuation of the BEF at Dunkirk through to the eventual collapse and armistice in June 1940.

Feature

Covers in detail some of the most dramatic moments in the first half of World War II, including the sinking of the Lancastria which was the largest single-ship loss of life in British maritime history and the evacuations from French ports on the west coast that were in cases as dramatic as that from Dunkirk.

Details