Q&A · 1:12:55-1:13:31

Why 1945 Free French forces would need concentration to stop Germany in 1940

The counterfactual turns on location: a concentrated force could affect the campaign, while the same troops scattered worldwide could not respond in time.

Question

Could the entire Free French military of 1945 stop the German invasion if transported back to 1940?

Short answer

Only if it appeared concentrated on the threatened front; in its historical worldwide positions, the force would be too dispersed.

Notes

Extra troops and equipment matter only if they arrive where the German offensive can be stopped. The 1945 Free French forces were distributed across the world, so teleporting them back in their historical locations would leave them too dispersed to change the campaign immediately. Concentrating the same force on the threatened front could produce a much stronger defensive effect.