Case Red: The Collapse of France

by Robert Forczyk

Overview

In Case Red, Robert Forczyk shows that there was much more to the fall of France than Dunkirk. In fact, even after that legendary evacuation in June 1940 there were still large British formations fighting the Germans alongside their French allies. After mounting a vigorous counterattack at Abbeville and then engaging a tough defense along the Somme, the British were forced to conduct a second evacuation from the ports of Le Havre, Cherbourg, Brest, and St. Nazaire. While France was in its death throes, politicians and soldiers debated what to do—flee to England or North Africa, or seek an armistice.

Case Red captures the drama of the final three weeks of military operations in France in June 1940, and explains the great impact it had on the course of relations between Britain and France during the remainder of the war. It also addresses the military, political, and human drama of France's collapse in June 1940, 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472824462
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	01/22/2019
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Robert Forczyk has a PhD in International Relations and National Security from the University of Maryland and a strong background in European and Asian military history. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the US Army Reserves having served 18 years as an armour officer in the US 2nd and 4th infantry divisions and as an intelligence officer in the 29th Infantry Division (Light). Dr Forczyk is currently a consultant in the Washington, DC area.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Path to Disaster, 1918–39

Chapter 2: A Shadow of Doubt

Chapter 3: The Centre Cannot Hold

Chapter 4: To the Sea

Chapter 5: Failure at Abbeville

Chapter 6: The Weygand Line

Chapter 7: Decision on the Aisne

Chapter 8: Disintegration

Chapter 9: Mussolini's Gamble

Chapter 10: Occupation

Glossary

Appendices

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Editorial Reviews

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

“The author is a well-established writer on World War II … This new volume is like his previous work: detailed, well-researched and clearly written. He exposes many myths of the Polish campaign, revealing the realities of the war's first European campaign.” —World War II Magazine

From the Publisher