Once Dunkirk was captured, the German forces turned southward. The French, however, still hoped to halt the German advance at the Weygand Line. This line stretched from the Channel along the rivers Somme and Aisne to the Maginot Line. Regrettably, the German troops at this juncture possessed overwhelming strength, rendering the line untenable. Churchill convened an emergency war council in Paris and inquired about the availability of a strategic reserve. Upon learning that none existed, he recognized the inevitable loss of France.

The German forces were briefly halted by French attacks, but there were insufficient troops to capitalize on local successes. Consequently, the Germans breached French lines and continued their southward advance. On June 10, the French government evacuated Paris, and by the following day, German forces had flanked Paris from both sides. On June 14th, Paris was declared and declared open to German troops, and soon, German soldiers streamed into the city.