Short courses

Summary

In the summer of 1940, the Germans conquered the Low Countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg), defeated France and drove the British out of Western Europe. Hitler’s achievements were sudden and shocking. Franco-British leaders believed they were well prepared for a potential war with Germany, so what went wrong? Was it Allied weakness or German strength which proved most decisive? What did this battle mean for the rest of the Second World War? 

This course examines the key events that led to German success during this pivotal year, including fraught Franco-British cooperation, the Air War and the Dunkirk evacuation. It also explores the repercussions of this swift defeat.  

Over a series of talks our expert tutor will explain: 

• the key figures and events shaping the Battle for France in 1940  
• examine contemporary materials and compare differing historians’ perspectives to gain a better understanding of this pivotal moment in the Second World War 

You will also have the opportunity to discuss key events and historical debates with your tutor and other students in class.  

Choose this course if you want to learn: 

• More about the war on the western front during the Second World War 
• Military and political strategies on both the allied and axis side