page_title: Grand Quartier Général (1939–1940)
section_title: German invasion
hierarchical_section_title: Grand Quartier Général (1939–1940) / GQG at war / German invasion
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. This description has been identified as biased or incorrect: The armistice was signed on June 22 not on June 21&#160;; il this is really the signing of the Armistice by Huntziger, the mentioned date on the photo is erroneous. Moreover the spelling of the name of Huntziger was incorrect (two "n" instaed of one)Compiègne, 22. Juni 1940. General Huntziger beim Waffenstillstand/Unterzeichnen. Information added by Wikimedia users.English: General Charles Huntziger (FR) signs the armistice in a rail car (the Wagon de l'Armistice) in Compiègne, on June 22nd, 1940, after the defeat of the French Armed Forces by the Germans. This is the same rail car where the November 11, 1918 armistice was signed twenty-two years before, after the defeat of the German Empire in the end of the First World War. Français&#160;: Le 22 juin 1940 dans le wagon de l'Armistice de la forêt de Compiègne à Rethondes, le Français Charles Huntziger, général d'armée, signe l'armistice après la défaite de l'Armée française face à l'Armée allemande&#160;; ce wagon est celui où avait déjà été signé un autre armistice vingt-deux ans plus tôt, celui du 11 novembre 1918 à la suite de la défaite de l'Allemagne à la fin de la Première Guerre mondiale.
context_page_description: The Grand Quartier Général was the general headquarters of the French Army during the Second World War. Originally established in 1911, GQG was re-established on the outbreak of war in 1939, the original GQG had functioned from 1914 to 1919 during the First World War. In the inter-war years, the plans for activation of GQG changed considerably, with the formation switching from an offensive-oriented position near the German border at Metz in the 1920s gradually westwards. By 1938 its planned base was at the Château de Vincennes in the suburbs of Paris, from where it was expected to conduct a defensive war.
  Activated in 1939 upon the mobilisation of the French Army, GQG struggled with an awkward distribution of staff between Vincennes and a number of more distant towns. The French chief of staff, General Maurice Gamelin, found this situation unworkable and instituted reforms in January 1940. The changes upset the North-East army commander General Alphonse Joseph Georges and were ill-received by the British army.
  GQG responded slowly to the German attack into France when it eventually came in early May 1940.
context_section_description: After the German offensive into France began on 10 May 1940 GQG was found to be too unwieldy to respond quickly.  Some changes were made, with Doumenc and the head of the fourth bureau moving from Montry to Georges' headquarters at Ferte-sous-Jouarre to better liaise with the Northeast Army.
  Initially optimistic about the state of their defences the staff at GQG became more nervous after the fall of Sedan on 14 May.  Struggling to find reserves to stem the German advance the GQG officers worked longer and longer hours and relations with other units became fraught.  On 19 May Gamelin, who had been under pressure from president of the CSG Paul Reynaud to resign since before the offensive, was replaced by General Maxime Weygand.  Weygand's arrival restored some energy to GQG and improved relations with Georges but worsening results in the field and the unfolding collapse of the French army soon shook their confidence.
  The speed of the German advance threatened the security of the GQG headquarters itself and it was soon forced to pull back from the front lines.  GQG established its point of retreat to be Briare in Loiret on 17 May to be close to Tours, the place designated as a fallback location for the French government ministries in Paris.  The move was ordered at 14.30 on 8 June, having been delayed by Weygand in an attempt to preserve the morale of French armies in the field.  The move was carried out from midnight that night and through the next day by rail and road to in stages to preserve continuity of command.  The last elements of GQG withdrew from Montry at 10.00 on 9 June, with German forces just a few miles away.  General Georges joined Weygand at Briare, uniting their commands for the first time.
  At Briare GQG took up residence in nearby Vaugereau, Weygand and Doumenc at the Mugeut Chateau and Georges in the Beauvoir Castle in Briare itself.  The reduced distances between the various units led to greater efficiency for GQG, but the French retreat soon forced them to move again.  At 17.00 on 15 June GQG moved south to Vichy, on 17 June to Ussel, 19 June to La Bourboule and 20 June to Montauban.   These movements had little fore-planning and GQG was forced to occupy whatever spaces were available, including hotels, spas and schools.  The staff officers of GQG, spending much of their time on the road, grew despondent and frustrated at not being able to fight the enemy directly.  The eventual signing of the armistice was greeted with a sense of acceptance and relief.  GQG moved one last time to Clermont-Ferrand at the end of June prior to its disbandment on 1 July 1940.
caption: The signing of the armistice with Germany on 21 June 1940, ending the Battle of France
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