The story
10. The magnificent weather of May 1940 will not easily be forgotten by any European. Tanks and aircraft were given ideal conditions in which to operate. The great fortress system of the Maginot I.inc was left for the moment intact while from the cloudless skies the bombers and parachutists were attacking neutral Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Over the unusually dry ground the tanks and the motorized infantry pressed forward to the attack. Holland fell in a few days, in spite of inundations, to the same combination of force and guile that had brought Poland down.
The final capitulation of the army was forced upon their commander by the threat to bomb Rotterdam out of existence. The Queen and her Government, with such of the key technicians and officials as could be rescued, were brought to Britain, there to organize against the enemy the resources of Dutch shipping and of the Dutch East Indies.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.