Background: This page is part of a larger project to trace the history of World War II as reflected in the headlines of the Völkischer Beobachter, the Nazi Party’s daily newspaper.
May 1940 was a triumphant month from the Nazi viewpoint. By the end of the month Belgium and the Netherlands had capitulated and British and French forces were retreating everywhere. The war was going well from the German perspective.
Völkischer Beobachter: May 1940
“Führer Order to the Norwegian Fighters”
"I am Proud of You!"
2 May 1940
No Issue
Andalsnes in German Hands
The British-French Norwegian Plot Defeated
Namsos Also Cleared of the British
Panicked Withdrawal from Central Norway — 135 ships of the British Fleet Rendered Unfit for Combat Since 9 April
Fleeing British Fleet Hit Hard
Blackest Day for England’s Sea Power — Dive Bomber Sinks Battleship — Heavy Cruiser Destroyed — Other Warships out of Action — British Betrayal of Norwegian Commander Denounced
London Considers a New Desperate Step
The World Expects More Criminal Actions by the Allies against Neutrals
Attention! The Date is 20 May
Plans of the Aggressors Revealed — Sensational Telephone Conversation between Chamberlain and Reynaud — London in a Hurry
Tensions in the Southeast at a High Point
Are the Western Powers Heading toward a Conflict with Italy?
Disappointment in Chamberlain
Confidence in the Great Fleet Shaken — British Opposition Demands New War Efforts
Italy Reveals London’s Coup Plans
Italian Attack to be Forced — Expeditionary Force Prepared in Levant Harbors
Italy was not yet in the war. The claim is that England and France are trying to find ways to draw Italy into the conflict.
The Führer Directs the Entire Operation
The German Western Army Attacks along the Whole Front
Neutrality of Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg under German Protection — English-French Attack through Holland and Belgium on the Ruhr Repulsed — German Luftwaffe Formations Attack Belgian and Dutch Airfields
The German Luftwaffe’s First Major Attack
Lüttich’s Strongest Fort Falls — Western Army Rapidly Advances — Use of New Methods of Attack — Successful Attacks on Enemy Airfields and on Channel Traffic
Liége Has Fallen!
Albert Canal Defensive Line Broken Through in Several Places — Connections Established with the Paratroopers in Rotterdam — French Troops West of the Ourthe Thrown Back — Destructive Successes of the Luftwaffe
Holland Capitulates!
Sedan and Ligny in German Hands
Unprecedented Victories by Our Troops — 220 More Enemy Planes Destroyed — 2 Cruisers and 1 Destroyer Sunk
The Führer Thanks the Holland Fighters
“You Have Done Something Unique”
Extended Maginot Line Broken Through near Sedan — French Tank Division near Namur Destroyed — Maas Crossed along a Broad Front — Further Forts in German Hands — Over 200 Enemy Aircraft Destroyed
The Enemy Prepares for Battle
German Troops in den Haag and Amsterdam — French Tank Attack Repulsed — Armored Vehicles Destroyed by Bombs — Another 100,000 Tons Destroyed
German Troops in Brussels
Maginot Line Broken Through over 100 Kilometers —Antwerp Threatened
Fortress Antwerp Falls
German Panzer Corps Reach the Oise
Two Enemy Infantry Divisions Defeated — The Island Province Zealand Capitulates — Revenge Measures by the German Luftwaffe Announced — Mines Laid Near South African Harbors
Storm Attacks along the Entire Front
Eupen and Malmedy Incorporated into the Reich
110,000 Prisoners in France and Belgium — Further 147 Aircraft Destroyed — Dr. Seyß-Inquart Appointed Reich Commissar for the Netherlands
German Troops Storm Laon
French Breakout Attempts Fail — The British Retreat in Disorder — Upper Schelde Reached — New Blows against the Enemy Fleets
Breakthrough to the English Channel Succeeds
The Western Powers Reap the Harvest of their War
French-English-Belgian Army in the North Cut Off — Luftwaffe Delivers Destructive Flows to the Fleeing British — Commander of the French 9th Army captured
English Channel Breakthrough Extended
Heavy Attacks on French and Belgian Channel Ports — New Breakout Attempts Repulsed
German Advance on Calais
Constant Attempts at Breakout Bloodily Repulsed — Dover Bombed for the First Time — Dutch Cities Attacked by Enemy Air Forces
German Tanks Near English Channel Harbors
The Schelde Position Captured — Loretto Heights Taken — Six Transports Sunk in the Channel — Heavy Blows against British Warships at Narvik
Belgian Army, England’s Expeditionary Force, and Parts of the 1st, 7th, and 9th French Armies Surrounded
Coast between Calais and Dunkirk Reached — Boulogne, Kortryk, and Ghent Captured — Hail of Bombs on the British Narvik Squadron
Churchill Plans New “Athenia” Crime
Battle of Annihilation against the Surrounded Army
Concentrated Advance of German Troops — Numerous English Airfields Bombed — Enemy Aircraft Carrier Sunk at Narvik
Deep Breakthrough in the Enemy Front along the Ypres
Colored French Through in Vain into the Fire — Dunkirk Harbor in Flames — Airfields near Paris Bombed
After Belgium’s Capitulation
Beginning of the End for the Plutocrats
Battle of Flanders at Its High Point
Strong Border Fortifications North of Valenciennes Broken — Schelde Canal Crossed — 30 Enemy Tanks Destroyed on the Lower Somme
Sadistic Agitation for Murder in France
The Encircled Face Destruction
Ostend and Lille Fall — Dunkirk under Heavy German Fire — Ypres and Kemmel Stormed — Great Luftwaffe Successes — Proud Victories by Flak Forces — Heavy Fighting Near Narvik
