Why did Germany need to defeat France quickly?

France suffered a humiliating defeat and was quickly occupied by Germany. Its failure was a result of a hopelessly divided French political elite, a lack of quality military leadership, rudimentary French military tactics.

Why did Germany want to defeat France in ww1?

Germany realized that a war with Russia meant a war with France, and so its war plans called for an immediate attack on France – through Belgium – hoping for a quick victory before the slow-moving Russians could become a factor.

Why did the Germans need to defeat France in 6 weeks?

Schlieffen concluded that a massive and successful surprise attack against France would be enough to put off Britain becoming involved in a continental war. Germany had 6 weeks to defeat France. Germany would then use her modernised rail system to move troops from the French operation to the Russian front.

How long did it take for Germany to conquer France?

six weeks
German troops overran Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France in six weeks starting in May 1940. France signed an armistice in late June 1940, leaving Great Britain as the only country fighting Nazi Germany.

What was the initial German strategy for defeating France?

Schlieffen Plan, battle plan first proposed in 1905 by Alfred, Graf (count) von Schlieffen, chief of the German general staff, that was designed to allow Germany to wage a successful two-front war.

Why did Germany’s Schlieffen Plan to conquer France fail?

In World War I, the Schlieffen Plan was conceived by German general General Alfred von Schlieffen and involved a surprise attack on France. The plan failed because it wasn’t realistic, requiring a flawless unfolding of events which never occurs in wartime.

When did France surrender to Germany?

May 10, 1940 – June 25, 1940
Battle of France/Periods