The Phony War: When World War II Frittered Away Its Initial Gains
<h2.What is the Phony War?
In September 1939, Nazi Germany launched a full-scale invasion of Poland, which led to the official beginning of World War II. The Allies, initially led by France and Great Britain, responded with a declaration of war, but little subsequent action on the battlefield. What followed was a period known as the "Phoney War" (also as the "Drôle de Guerre" in France), a phenomenon characterized by a state of suspension, where belligerents engaged in limited border skirmishes and propaganda rhetoric, but hardly any effective military action.
Length of the Phony War: | September 1939 – May 1940 |
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Causes of the Phony War
As the war unfolded, certain factors contributed to the "phony" nature of it:
- Initial victories: Germany had swiftly conquering Poland and quickly regrouped forces to turn westward towards France, while the Allies, buoyed by early successes (such as the Battle of the Heligoland Bight), anticipated a fast victory.
- No decisive breakthroughs: Unlike the rapid campaigns of German forces in Western Europe between 1938 and 1940, neither army managed to make significant gains, leaving strategists and diplomats at their desks.
- Maginot Line mindset: France, emboldened by its successful defenses, relied heavily on the Fortification Line, ignoring the lesson of the Low Countries falls.
- Lloyd George’s miscalculate: British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, succumbing to the "phoney hope" of France’s indestructible defensive lines.
Key Features of the Phony War
Important Dates: | April 9: Denmark falls |
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Conclusion
The "Phoniness" War marked two distinct phases:
Initially, both the Axis (Germany) and Anti-Axis Powers (mainly France, the Britain) engaged in diplomatic gestures and limited hostilities over a relatively stable, militarized border between France
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• As the period unfolded further, the inactivity started to take an immense and irreparable toll on each side, rendering their preparations useless.
Turning Point: | May 1940: Germany Breaks Silence |
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