British anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War: Difference between revisions
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On 1 September 1939, [[Polish September Campaign|Germany invaded Poland]]; two days later, Britain and France declared war on [[Nazi Germany|Germany]], launching the Second World War. Within three weeks, the [[Red Army]] of the Soviet Union invaded the [[Kresy|eastern regions of Poland]] in fulfilment of the secret [[Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]] with Germany. A [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) was sent to the Franco-Belgian border, but Britain and France did not take any direct action in support of the Poles. By 1 October, Poland had been completely overrun.{{sfn|Ray|2000|pp=46–48}} There was little fighting over the months that followed. In a period known as the [[Phoney War]], soldiers on both sides trained for war and the French and British constructed and manned defences on the eastern borders of France.{{sfn|Ray|2000|pp=49–51}}
However, the [[Chamberlain war ministry|British War Cabinet]] became concerned about exaggerated intelligence reports, aided by German [[disinformation]], of large [[airborne forces]] which could be launched against Britain. At the insistence of [[Winston Churchill]], then the [[First Lord of the Admiralty]], a request was made that the [[Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces]], General Sir [[Walter Kirke]], should prepare a plan to repel a large-scale invasion. Kirke presented his plan on 15 November 1939, known as "Plan Julius
On 9 April 1940, [[Operation Weserubung|Germany invaded Denmark and Norway]].<ref>[http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/juddenma.asp War crimes trial judgement on the invasion of Norway], via the Avalon Project – accessed 14 January 2008</ref> This operation preempted Britain's own plans to invade Norway. Denmark surrendered immediately, and, after a short-lived attempt by the British to make a stand in the northern part of the country, Norway also fell. The invasion of Norway was a combined forces operation in which the German war machine projected its power across the sea; this German success would come to be seen by the British as a dire portent.{{sfn|MacKenzie|1995|p=20}} On 7 and 8 May 1940, the [[Norway Debate]] in the [[British House of Commons]] revealed intense dissatisfaction with, and some outright hostility toward, the government of Prime Minister [[Neville Chamberlain]]. Two days later Chamberlain resigned and was succeeded by Churchill.{{sfn|Ray|2000|p=61}}
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