8/23/2023 0 Comments Largest tank battle everIndeed, the battles for the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg exemplified the Germans' use of Blitzkrieg tactics. In conclusion, the invasion of the Low Countries was a key event in the Second World War. Finally, the Netherlands was freed from the German occupation over a slightly longer timeframe, with it finally being liberated on May 5, 1945. The liberation of Belgium began that same month, with the Belgian government returning to power on September 8 and the final vestiges of the German Army surrendering in February 1945. For instance, Luxembourg was liberated by the Allies in September 1944. France ultimately fell in six weeks, with fighting ending in late June.Ĭoncerning the Low Countries, they stayed under German occupation until 19. While hundreds of thousands of British troops were rescued during the evacuation at Dunkirk, they left behind significant amounts of military equipment and lost any position on the European continent. Thereafter, they raced to the English Channel to cut off the Allied soldiers. In accordance with German plans, the Wehrmacht went through the Ardennes Forrest, catching the Allies off guard and beginning the invasion of France. The Aftermath German Panzer II tanks in western Belgium, May 1940. Regarding Belgium itself, the Belgian Army was gradually pushed into a pocket in the northwest of the country, resulting in a May 28 surrender. Thus, the Germans aimed to bypass most of the heavy fortifications by invading Belgium and going through the forest. This was because it was covered by the Ardennes Forrest, which the French believed would function as an effective natural barrier. But, the French-Belgian border was far less heavily fortified. As previously noted, the Maginot Line had prevented any major German offensive maneuvering in the west up to this point in the war. Most importantly, however, Belgium held the key to Germany's strategic ambitions in France. Moreover, it saw the then-largest tank battle in history with the Battle of Hannut. Much like in the Netherlands, it exemplified the Germans' usage of Blitzkrieg tactics. The invasion of Belgium was the longest of the three military operations, with it taking about two and a half weeks. This was followed by the joint invasions of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg on May 10. Nonetheless, fighting eventually resumed on April 9, 1940, when Germany attacked Denmark and Norway. This " Phoney War" happened for several reasons, perhaps the most important of which was the Maginot Line, a series of obstacles, weapon installations, and fortifications on the French border. However, a roughly half-a-year period followed in which little fighting occurred. A combination of Blitzkrieg tactics and the Polish Army being spread too thin meant that the battle was over in about a month, with the Nazis and Soviets then jointly occupying the country. This was followed by the Soviet Union (USSR) also invading Poland on September 17. Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, marking the beginning of the Second World War. Vehicles pass over a bridge constructed by German Army engineers crossing the Vistula River near Bydgoszcz, Poland. Background German army invades of Poland.
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