- Hardcover: 264 pages
- Publisher: University Press of Kansas (Jun 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0700607641
- ISBN-13: 978-0700607648
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 16 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,127,152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Product Description
In May to June, 1940, Hitler's army destroyed the French Army, killing over 120,000 soldiers. Rather than simply focusing on what went wrong, this book examines the fundamental logic of French defence planning within its cultural, institutional, political and military contexts.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In a closely argued and meticulously researched monograph,
Eugenia Kiesling argues that French military preparations
prior to WWII were deficient not because of bad doctrine or
slovenly preparation, but because of basic political and
economic constraints that made it difficult (if not impossi-
ble) to keep up with their much more numerous German
neighbors. For a close study of exactly what went wrong in
France in 1940 and why, this is essential reading for the
student of the Second World War.
Eugenia Kiesling argues that French military preparations
prior to WWII were deficient not because of bad doctrine or
slovenly preparation, but because of basic political and
economic constraints that made it difficult (if not impossi-
ble) to keep up with their much more numerous German
neighbors. For a close study of exactly what went wrong in
France in 1940 and why, this is essential reading for the
student of the Second World War.
Format:Paperback
An excellent account of the reasons behind the equipment and doctrine of the French army of 1940, and, by the same token, the reasons for defeat.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In 1940 using a plan designed by General Manstien Germany attacked France. The campaign cut off the French from their Belgian and English Allies who were forced to retreate or surrender. Germany was then left to conquer a much reduced opposition.
At the time it was thought that Germany outnumbered the allies and had vastly superior weapons. After the war it was found that the allies in fact outnumbered the Germans and that most German weapons were either inferior to or at most equal to the allied.
This book tries to argue that the preparations made by France were a factor in the French defeat. It is hard to show that this was the case. The book parallels a debate which took place in German conentration camps during the war. The French Military tried to put the government on trial for betraying the nation and letting France be defeated. Blum the prime minister of France was able to show how he had given the army everything that it wanted.
France lost the war not because of the size of its armies or the weapons it had but because of the stupidity of its military leaders.
The book simply fails to look at France in the context of German rearmament. If it did it would show that the French program was ratinal and adequate.
All in all not worth the money.
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