Britain and France – Spring 1940

During the spring We started cooperated with France. In early April 1940, Britain and France finally agreed on our first joint offensive. We decided to send troops to seize the Norwegian North Sea ports, even though Norway was neutral. Our strategic reason for that was the need stop all transportation of the iron supply from the Swedish mines to Germany. But we waited with putting this plan into action.

As a result the war acquires in Britain and France a name suggesting a dangerous sense of relaxation. This was known as the Phoney War in Britain, and le Drole de Guerre (the Joke War) in France. During the spring of 1940, the  western nations have spent 8 useful months of stronger armaments. Chamberlain declared confidently on April 5 to the house of commons that one thing was now certain – Hitler has ‘missed the bus’.

The Phoney War ended in May 1940 when the Germans launched an offensive into Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg, where the allies to fight. At the same time a change in the British politics occurred. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was replaced by Winston Churchill. 

The picture above is of our new Prime Minister - Winston Churchill