Quote:
Originally Posted by Narona
I searched a bit in online download for the documentary I talked about, but only found another one that aired last year (and so that i watched already last year), that goes less in details about the accords of Munich, czechoslovakia, and what the French and English could do.
So, I did my part, I spread the infos, and I'll be sure to share said socumentary (the one i talked about yesterday) once it airs again.
Feel free to not trust what I posted in the meantime.
About the French thought, when Daladier got back to Paris after the accords of Munich, people around him were actually disappointed by the decision took by him and Chamberlain to not strike germany. Daladier then said "don't worry..., the war will start soon enough". They alreday knew that the war would happen and were kind of prepared to strike before it if they had made that choice, which they didn't. Their main error was to be scared by Hitler's presence, and being hypocritical about saving the peace since as said above, daladier and surely chamberlain too knew that Hitler will start a WWII sooner or later. But instead of striking germany now, they let Hitler the time to prepare his army to the fullest, and were outnumbered when the WWII began for real. They've mistaken the real ressources of the german army. As it was said in the documentary (sorry to prefer to trust it rather than you), at that precise time, they had the time and the means to strike germany with success since the german army was not as prepared as chamberlain thought it was, but they didn't do it.
edit: gonna check the other documentary that i watched in 2008 anyway (Le Dessous des Accords de Munich).
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The BEF and French army
outnumbered the Germans during the invasion of France. They also had superior equipment. They still lost. You're absolutely right that the German army that went into the Rhineland in 1936 was not the same well trained well equipped force that smashed Poland, France, and the low countries. However, the French and British army also weren't as capable as they were in 1939. Again you're right, they knew war was coming. They were doing all they could to prepare for it. Yes, they had the troops on paper, but they lacked the means to get them there. Troops can't just teleport to where they're needed after all.
Also, you say you trust that documentary more then me? Fine fair enough, I'm just a random person posting on the internet. However, does the documentary say
how France would get the troops to the Rhineland in time? Does it say where they were deployed and what transportation they have at their disposal in order to get to the Rhineland? Or does it simply say France has x number of troops who were better equipped then German forces that they could have used while glossing over the logistics required to actually get them there? Yes, France could have won eventually, but it would have taken time to mobilize their forces, time which the Germans would use to dig in and prepare. Once that happened, it would not be a quick and easy war to force them out if Hitler decides to fight.