Fought from May to June 1940, the Battle of France was a major early World War II clash between Germany and Allied forces. Germany used its fast-moving Blitzkrieg tactics to bypass France’s Maginot Line through the Ardennes forest, quickly surrounding Allied troops. This led to the dramatic Dunkirk evacuation. France ultimately surrendered to Germany on June 22, 1940, marking a critical shift in the war. | History In Pictures