British Expeditionary Force

After the initial terror of the Polish campaign, everyone expected heavy combat, like the summer of 1914. The British Expeditionary Force landed in France, British children were sent to Canada or the countryside; At various times, neutral Belgium and Holland braced for invasion.

The deteriorating situation in France left the British Expeditionary Force seriously compromised. French General Maxime Weygand”s plan to create a defensive line on the Somme was impossible; The Germans, using superior tactics and communications but not equipment, had high morale and were advancing faster than the French high Command could draw up defensive plans.