Nazi Germany invades Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 10 1940)


Video: 'Hitler Strikes in the West - The Invasion of the Benelux - WW2 - 037 - May 11 1940' (May 10, 1940, at 6:25)

(Friday, May 10, 1940 approximately 4:00 a.m. Western European Summer Time; during Battle of France , part of the Western Front of the World War II) — Nazi Germany invaded without warning Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands shortly before dawn today, swinging 89 army divisions around France’s so-called impregnable Maginot Line.


Video: 'The World At War 1973(World War II Documentary) 02.Distant War (September 1939 – May 1940)' (Low Countries invaded at 52:07)

The triple invasion by Germany was accompanied by intensive bombings of Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp and all the main airports of Holland and Belgium.


Video: 'The World At War 1973(World War II Documentary) 03.France Falls (May – June 1940)' (May 10, 1940 at 23:08)

Hundreds of parachute troops were dropped in the invaded countries by heavy transport planes.


Video: 'The World At War Episode 18 HD - Occupation: Holland (1940–1944)' (May 10, 1940, at 1:47)

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.


Video: 'World War II - Blitzkrieg to the Bomb Documentary' (May 10, 1940, at 10:57)

The invasion of France proper, however, would not begin until June 5, 1940.


Video: 'anne frank remembered' (May 10, 1940, at 14:11)


Video: 'World War II: The Lost Color Archives (3/5)' (May 10, 1940, at 0:52)