A French newsreel from 1940 showing German troops entering Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. (Ina.fr)
Germany invaded without warning Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg at dawn yesterday morning [May 10].
In response to appeals for help from the three countries, the Allies immediately moved into Belgium, where, according to a Paris military spokesman, the most gigantic battle of all time may be imminent.
Neville Chamberlain announced his resignation as Prime Minister in a farewell address by radio last night. He will be succeeded by Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty.
The former Prime Minister appealed to all Englishmen to support his successor. Speaking of Hitler, he said: ‘‘We must fight until this savage beast who has sprung from his lair at us is finally overthrown.”
The triple invasion by Germany was accompanied by intensive bombings of Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp and all the main airports of Holland and Belgium. Hundreds of parachute troops were dropped in the invaded countries by heavy transport planes.
While the new aggression was being staged, German bombers for the first time carried out a series of attacks on French cities, including Pontoise, near Paris, Nancy, Lyon, Lille, Colmar and other points. Nancy was raided three times.
Raids on French towns resulted in a number of civilian deaths. Anti-aircraft firing was heard in Paris itself, which had its second-longest air-raid alarm.
Seventy German planes were shot down during attacks on Dutch airports. Forty-four others were brought down in France. Four German armored trains were wrecked in Holland. — New York Herald Tribune, European Edition, May 11, 1940