German Invasion of Western Europe, May 1940 — Historical Film Footage

Defeat of Belgium

Belgium, 1940
[Silent, 1:15]

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German forces invaded western Europe in May 1940. As part of their strategy to defeat Britain and France, German forces invaded neutral Belgium. Little more than two weeks after the German invasion of Belgium, King Leopold II ordered the surrender of the Belgian army. In this footage a Belgian officer signs the surrender and thousands of refugees flood the streets as German forces move through Belgium.