The best, recent scholarship on the Battle of France in English is the very interesting STRANGE VICTORY: HITLER'S CONQUEST OF FRANCE by Ernest R. May, an analysis written for the the U.S. CIA which, for the first time in English, raises some fascinating questions about the the British Army and Gort's conduct of operations. In essence, May takes the French position that if the British Army had stood and fought, instead of fleeing and evacuating, the Germans would not have been able to digest the enormous bite they took out of the Allied line. Alastair Horn's TO LOSE A BATTLE is the recognized best traditional analysis in English. There is nothing at all on French air operations available in English. For the British there is the painful VALIANT WINGS by Franks about the destruction of the Battle and Blenheim squadrons in the Battle of France. The superb TWELVE DAYS IN MAY by Cull, Lander, and Weiss covers the Hurricane squadrons in the Battle of France, and documents the not inconsiderable bite they took out of the Luftwaffe. BLITZED! by Bingham is a useful general work on the RAF in the Battle of France by a member of the RAF who experienced the battle. FLEDGLING EAGLES by Shores covers the "Drole de Guerre" and puts to rest any illusions French fighter squadrons were intimidated by the Germans. Essential reading is St. Exupery's FLIGHT TO ARRAS.
As far as the old canard about the French being beaten psychologically before the first shot was fired, that can be put to rest by reading May or Horne. The French aircraft industry was in chaos due to nationalization. The French and the British were preparing for war in 1942, not 1940. Then they would have been completely ready. In 1940 both were still in the early stages of mobilization. Hitler knew this and wanted to hit them as soon as possible---he wanted to invade right after he had finished with Poland in fall 1939.
Many have forgotten that when a French armored unit fought a German armored division in Belgium before the breakout at Sedan threw their communications into confusion it beat it soundly in a stand-up fight.
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