THE PHONY WAR 41
The lack of fighting in western Europe
during this time suited both sides: the
Germans feared an Allied attack while
they were engaged against Poland, and
the French and British needed time to
build up their forces. While preparations
were underway and wartime emergency
powers were imposed at home, military
action was very limited. The British
Expeditionary Force (BEF) was deployed
to France on September 4, 1939, but took
up defensive positions, and a French
offensive against the Germans in the
Saar on September 7 lasted only five
days. British bombers flew over Germany,
but merely dropped propaganda leaflets
aimed at undermining German morale.
Hitler made a peace offer to Britain on
October 6, 1939, but after Britain rejected
it he ordered his generals to prepare for an invasion of France and
Belgium. Initial plans were unsatisfactory, and a harsh winter meant
that the attack was postponed 29 times. Instead, in April 1940, the
Germans invaded Denmark and Norway, ending the phony war.THE PHONY
WAR
Although the Allies declared war against Germany
on September 3, 1939, there was little fighting on
land until spring 1940. This lull in hostilities became
known as the “phony war.”
△ Safety precautions
In this British government
propaganda poster, an air raid
warden warns a schoolboy that
he should leave London. In total,
1.5 million schoolchildren and
mothers with babies were
evacuated from the city.△ Army in waiting
The British Expeditionary Force was ordered into France on September 4, and within three
weeks there were around 150,000 troops stationed there. Sent to the Franco-Belgian border,
they had little to do for eight months but dig trenches and wait.US_040-041_F_The_Phoney_War.indd 41 04/03/19 10:47 AM