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| German armor in the Ardennes |
With the defeat of Poland in September 1939, Hitler turned
immediately to the problem of his western border and hostilities with both
Britain and France. Hitler’s strategy
had always been for Germany’s eventual expansion into the vast open spaces of
the Soviet Union, particularly the grain and mineral rich region of the
Ukraine. Then, too, there was southern-most
Russia, rich in oil, along the Caspian Sea.
All this treasure was out of reach so long as Germany feared having to do
battle on two fronts – Russia in the east and the allied forces of Britain and
France to the west.
Hitler needed a plan that would quickly eliminate England
and France’s military threat before proceeding with an invasion of Russia. In October 1939 the German Military High
Command proposed an offensive that was much like the Schlieffen Plan Germany
used in 1914. Even if this assault through
the low countries of Belgium and Holland and continuing into northern France proved
successful, it would not provide the quick, decisive victory Hitler
needed. The Allied armies would be
pushed back but not destroyed. Germany
simply did not have the resources available to it to successfully prosecute a
prolonged war of attrition. The take-over
of Austria and Czechoslovakia had been bloodless. Victory in Poland had been swift. Hitler’s plan to dominate Europe involved first
isolating one’s adversary from their natural allies before dispatching them in
short order. His non-aggression pact
with Stalin allowed him to safely focus on the west, but now his generals were
charged with the daunting challenge of designing an offensive that could
quickly defeat an opponent of equal size and strength.
General Erich von Manstein brought Hitler a plan that
intrigued him with its boldness. There
would once again be swift movement by German forces into both Belgium and
Holland but it would be a feint, drawing the best of the British and French
forces forward to prearranged defensive positions along the rivers Dyle and
Meuse in Belgium. The intended knockout
punch would be delivered to the southeast, along a lightly defended line facing
the dense Ardennes forest. French
commanders were convinced this region of wilderness and rugged terrain was a
natural barrier that would block a large enemy assault.
There was complacency in the disposition of troops in the
area around the French town of Sedan. They
were mostly lightly armed infantry, often older in age, and not of the caliber
a commander would rely upon for a critical mission. When the freight train of panzer divisions
broke suddenly from the Ardennes forest these soldiers held their ground but they
barely slowed the irresistible force of massed tank attack coordinated with the
precision bombing of German Stukas diving from above. This was a new form of warfare. It emphasized armor, speed and a narrow focus
of attack.
Despite having defensive positions along the Meuse River
French lines were breached in multiple locations by the following morning. German armor, led by Heinz Guderian,
penetrated deep into the open countryside, enveloping the opposing forces,
spreading confusion and causing a paralysis of indecision among the French high
command. The assault, spearheaded by
seven German panzer divisions, would rapidly make their way west toward the
French coast. The allied military
response was unable to blunt the drive.
Soon the finest of the French army, as well as the entire British
Expeditionary Force, found themselves surrounded, cutoff from reinforcement and
supplies.
France would hold out a few more weeks but the issue had
been resolved within the space of ten days.
Britain’s escape at Dunkirk would one day prove disastrous for the Third
Reich in ways a triumphant Germany could not now imagine. For the present there was only gloom in
London and Washington. Democracy had
been extinguished in Europe. The great
western cities of Paris, Berlin, Rome, Prague and Vienna were all under the
oppressive rule of fascist dictators – men having only contempt for the free
exchange of thought. At the time they
seemed invincible. But among the
defeated there were those strong of heart that knew this had been only the
opening round.
Related Topics:
10 May 1940 - Flanders
11 May 1940 - Flanders
Related Topics:
10 May 1940 - Flanders
11 May 1940 - Flanders
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