Final answer:
Germany's Blitzkrieg circumvented the French defenses by moving through the Netherlands and Belgium, rapidly conquering territories and eventually forcing France to sign an armistice in June 1940.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Germany's Blitzkrieg headed west, it initially bypassed France's robust defenses by invading through the Netherlands and Belgium in May 1940. This strategic maneuver allowed German forces to quickly conquer Denmark and Norway in April 1940, to thwart the expected British naval blockade that could lead to a situation similar to the German defeat in World War One. Swiftly progressing, by June, Hitler had his forces march into France, culminating in a photo-op of him in front of the Eiffel Tower and forcing French diplomats to sign an armistice in the same railroad car where Germany had surrendered in World War One. The essence of Blitzkrieg entailed rapid, coordinated attacks by ground and air forces aimed at immediate destruction of the enemy's air force, along with encirclement and overwhelming of major armies near the nation's borders.