German invasion of France a week earlier

Lets say Germany invades France and the low countries a week earlier in 1940. In this scenario Chamberlain is still PM, and the question is whether the imminent move in parliament to overthrow him still happens, or does everyone rally round the leader. Assuming Chamberlain stays on in early May, would he still have been overthrown shortly anyway due to British failure in France, or does a successful Dunkirk revive his fortune?
 
Bump. I don't have any thoughts on this but it's an interesting POD and I'd like to see if anyone else on the board has some ideas about the plausibility of this and what the ramifications might be.
 
So 3 May instead of 10 May? No significant change. Chamberlain is still linked to appeasement plus the fall of Poland, Denmark, and Norway. The German invasion happening one week earlier only sees his fall from power one week earlier. Now you could argue that there may be some strategic implications from the invasion starting earlier.
 

Archibald

Banned
Who knows, maybe even a little week could make a difference near Sedan. Butterfly Sedan bridgehead and the whole invasion of France collapse.
 
The part that peaked my interest was how it might influence Churchill coming into the scene as PM. Namely; a delay in the overthrow could influence who takes over from Chamberlain. I don't know enough about the politics of this period to know who else might make the PM short-list in this scenario.
 

nbcman

Donor
Lets say Germany invades France and the low countries a week earlier in 1940. In this scenario Chamberlain is still PM, and the question is whether the imminent move in parliament to overthrow him still happens, or does everyone rally round the leader. Assuming Chamberlain stays on in early May, would he still have been overthrown shortly anyway due to British failure in France, or does a successful Dunkirk revive his fortune?
The Germans were planning to invade in the previous week but they delayed the invasion due to bad weather. If the Germans attacked, there would be less effective air support by the Luftwaffe. Plus there would probably be a dispersal of paratroopers/gliders so the attacks on Eben Emael and The Hague due to the inclement weather. The delays of the German timetable due to poorer weather may have been enough to allow the French and British to react to the German attack through the Ardennes.
 
I cant see Chamberlain surviving as PM much longer. If anything a earlier attack drives home how bankrupt his policies were that much earlier. The impetus to replace him was strong enough he would have been replaced even had there been no attack in May.
 
Also the Dutch were warned about the Original (3 May) attack and were on alert and all leave was cancelled. As nothing happend, next weekend the army stood down and leave was granted.
 

Cook

Banned
...next weekend the army stood down and leave was granted.

I'm aware that leave was granted in the French army; I thought the Dutch army was fully mobilised and on alert when the attack happened?

The Dutch received warnings of each date of the attack from their military attaché in Berlin, Colonel Sas, who received the information direct from an officer in the Abwehr, Colonel Hans Oster. The Dutch began blowing up bridges on the German border at 3am on May 10th; the first German troops to cross the Dutch German border were the airborne troops of the 22nd Airborne division, some time around 5am local time. Presumably the same measures would have taken place on the 3rd if Sas hadn't notified them of the postponement.
 
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NoMommsen

Donor
At what time the germans were 'ready' for action ?

According to weather datas from this site there was a 'window of opportunity' from the 19.April with relativly low rainfall, lowering from the days before and no rainfall at all from the 20.April to 23.April, with restarting rainfalls at the 24.April., getting worse the 26./27,April.
 
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