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War and Waiting

  • Richard CarswellEmail author
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Abstract

This chapter highlights the burdens imposed on the French economy and people by the Phoney War from September 1939 to May 1940. Ordinary people at home, in the office or on the farm, factory workers in the armaments industry, soldiers at the front, all faced restrictions and anxiety. The Allies’ strategy of a long war to defeat Germany was increasingly called into question, partly because of the strain on the French economy, partly because military inactivity on the Western Front and the severity of the winter caused a decline in morale. However, in the months before the German attack in May 1940, tremendous improvements were achieved in French armaments production. With the coming of spring, morale rose. The country appeared ready to withstand an attack.

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© The Author(s) 2019

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.RichmondUK

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