Gamelin (May 1940)

General Maurice Gamelin

Supreme commander of French land forces

13th May 1940

Today I learnt about the German penetration in the Ardennes, I cannot deny that I am shocked as never did I anticipate such an invasion route. This is especially unfortunate as there was indeed parliamentary and staff concern over the poor defences over at the Ardennes. However, the damage has been done.

I had come up with the concept of the continuous front which would prevent a repeat of what happened in August-September 1914 when the Germans broke through to the outskirts of Paris. In addition, the Maginot line will be further constructed along the Franco-Swiss border. Four years ago, I had overseen preparations for French defence on Belgian soil.

Previously, I had anticipated for a war off French soil. This was particularly due to the bloodbath we had experienced on our soil during World War 1. I had a preference for war in the East... using Austrian territory for the war would have definitely spared our French people from the nightmare we had gone through in World War 1. That was then.

Two days ago, I had dispatched the best of my army through northern Belgium to Breda in Holland..whilst the Germans have come directly to French soil through the Ardennes. Not all of my best troops have been stationed there of course... I have maintained a significantly large force behind the Maginot line to fight a potential Italo-German invasion through Switzerland outflanking the line. All this has proved to be invalidated. 

There are several reasons for the failure in my planning.. a primary reason would have to be my absence from what was really going on. Another reason would be the division of decisions and actions made by me and General Alphonse Georges which may indeed have brought about much confusion.

What we face today is largely my mistake- but it does not mean that we should back down. Every soldier who might not be able to advance must let himself be killed on the spot rather than abandon the portion of national soil which has been confided to him. Today, we must conquer or die.

Daladier (May 1940)

Édouard Daladier

May 10, 1940

On January 29th I delivered my radio address to the people of France entitled – ‘Nazi’s Aim is Slavery’. I cannot emphasize any further how it is our duty to fight the Nazis. We will definitely not go down without a fight. I have been true to this stance from the very start… throughout the Munich negotiations in 1938, I was never agreeable with Chamberlain’s insistence of appeasement as a solution to preserve peace. If not for the post WW1 traumatic drain and the unenthusiastic attitudes of the French military and civilians towards fighting the Nazis instead of just giving in…I would have never allowed Chamberlain to have his way and would definitely have not signed the agreement. As much as I regretted signing the Munich Agreement the moment I signed it, I could not have possibly forgotten what France had went through in WW1. Indeed, most of the war was fought on our land and we had suffered immensely. I had to understand somehow that the French military and civilian were both weary and wary of yet another war.

My personal sentiments towards Hitler have been proven right after 2 years. He will stop at nothing. It is the duty of France to save liberty and human dignity from the madmen. Last year on the 6th of October, Hitler offered a France and Great Britain a peace proposal… I will not fall for it. I am fully aware of his true goal to dominate the world. His hunger for power is insatiable. I will not allow my failure to stop the Munich Agreement to stop me again. We will keep our arms up against aggression until peace is genuinely achieved once and for all. Although I am no longer the French Premier, I am confident of my strong base of support among the French. As Reynaud has decided to keep me in the cabinet as minister of war, I will do everything in my capacity to ensure that as France experiences war with Germany today, we will put in all we have- we must be forced to recover from our shock in WW1 so that we can save our nation today.

Today, France has been invaded by Germany. We must remain strong and fight until we achieve victory- and thereby, peace.