Western Front, Part I:

Fall of France 1940

I. Phony War (Sitzkrieg), September 1939–May 10, 1940

I. Phony War (Sitzkrieg), September 1939–May 10, 1940

A. Vulnerability of Germany to attack from the West during Polish campaign

1. Maginot Line

2. Dyle Plan

Maginot Line

Maginot Line – Block 14 at Ouvrage du Hochwald

I. Phony War (Sitzkrieg), September 1939–May 10, 1940

B. Hitler wanted to invade Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg (Fall Gelb)

1. rebuff of peace offer October 6

2. provisional date for invasion November 12 (cancelled November 7)

3. new provisional date for invasion January 17

a. liaison officer captured in Belgium with plans January 10

b. old plan replaced by Manstein plan (Sichelschnitt instead of Schlieffen)

4. new date for invasion May 10

II. Fall of Norway – invaded April 9, 1940

III. Commanders and Their Strategies

A. French:

1. Maurice Gamelin (1872-1958)

– commanded 1933 – May 18, 1940

2. Maxime Weygand (1867-1965)

– commanded May 18 – June 22, 1940

Maurice Gamelin (1872-1958)

Maxime Weygand (1867-1965)

III. Commanders and Their StrategiesB. German: Franz Ritter Halder (1884–1972) – head of Army

General Staff 1938–1942

1. Army Group A: Fedor von Bock (1881–1945) “Der Sterber”

2. Army Group B: Gerd von Rundstedt (1875–1953)

3. Army Group C: Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb (1876–1956)

Franz Ritter Halder (1884–1972)

Fedor von Bock (1881–1945)

Gerd von Rundstedt (1875–1953)

Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb (1876–1956)

All behind you, Winston

IV. Battle of France May 10, 1940–June 22, 1940

E. Great Britain

1. Churchill replaces Chamberlain May 10, 1940

2. British Expeditionary Force (BEF)

Lesson of the debacle?

“Some of the lessons that can be learned from what went wrong from the British point of view are as relevant today as they were then. First and Foremost, the campaign showed that politicians must never, even in peacetime, deprive their armed forces of the equipment they need. Complacently assuming that the equipment can be manufactured once war is declared is demonstrably unwise.”

−Hugh Sebag-Montefiore, Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univeristy Press, 2006), xiv.

IV. Battle of France May 10, 1940 – June 22, 1940

A. Disposition of Forces

German Allies (France and Great Britain)

2 million troops 4 million troops

136 divisions 174 divisions

2439 tanks 2689 tanks

3200 aircraft 2400 aircraft

Matilda Tank

Panzer I German tank (Calais, May 1940)

Panzer II German tank (May 1940 in France)

IV. Battle of France May 10, 1940–June 22, 1940

B. Belgium – Fort at Eben Emael

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD_rX71O78I

C. The Netherlands – Bombing of Rotterdam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Foiim649Wh0 (25:50)

German Paratroopers

Rotterdam Blaak Railway Station and Laurenskerk

Bombing of Rotterdam

Rotterdam – “20,000” (war-time propaganda – as high as 25,000 to 30,000)

– 814 Dutch civilians (collateral damage)

– General Kurt Student had ordered carpet bombing

– FDR, Sept. 1939, had asked a promise that belligerents would not attack civilian targets

– all belligerents complied

– 5/13 downtown Rotterdam bombed / call back not received in time

– 5/15 British allow RAF to attack oil refineries and other civilian industrial targets in the Ruhr

– 1st German bomber attacks on England / night of June 5/6, 1940

IV. Battle of France May 10, 1940–June 22, 1940

D. Attitude of the French and Expectations of German Generals

1. Heinz Guderian (1888–1954) Achtung—Panzer! (1937)

a. acknowledged influence of B. H. Liddell Hart

b. Panzer divisions exceeded expectations

2. Erik von Manstein (1887–1973) – placed in charge of an infantry battalion

3. Erwin Rommel (1891–1944) – commanded 7th Panzer Division

4. Charles De Gaulle (1890–1970) – counterattacked with tanks

5. French Defeatism

Heinz Guderian (1888–1954)

Erik von Manstein (1887–1973)

Erwin Rommel (1891–1944)

Charles De Gaulle (1890–1970)

5. French Defeatism

ROTT

Mrs Miniver (1942)

Director: William WylerTitle character derived from book Mrs Miniver by Jan StrutherScreenplay: George Froeschel, James Hilton, Claudine West,

Arthur Wimperis

Nominated for 12 Academy Awards / Won 61. Best Actress: Greer Garson2. Best Supporting Actress: Teresa Wright3. Best Cinematography (Black and White): Joseph Ruttenberg4. Best Director: William Wyler 5. Best Picture: 19436. Best Writing, Screenplay

Mrs Miniver (1942)

“Ramsgate” – eastern coast of Kent / ferry to Dunkirk

– Many boat owners did not skipper their own boats over

– commandeered and sailed by navy personnel

IV. Battle of France May 10, 1940–June 22, 1940

F. Evacuation of Dunkirk – May 27–June 4

– trapped: 630,000 total (250,000 British; 380,000 French)

– evacuated: 335,000 total (215,000 British; 125,000 French)

Why did the German army not destroy the BEF and French soldiers at Dunkirk?“It would almost certainly have ended with the capture of most of

the BEF had not Hitler and his generals reined in their panzer divisions at least three times between 20 and 30 May 1940.”

−Montfiore, Dunkirk, xiv.

Why did the German army not destroy the BEF and French soldiers at Dunkirk?“The most convincing evidence indicates that Hitler was indeed trying to block the evacuation, but wasn’t willing to risk his armor to dot it. The British looked finished anyhow…. He needed the armor for the next phase of the campaign, the drive across the Somme and into the heart of France…. The decision was all the easier when Herman Göring announced that his Luftwaffe could handle Dunkirk alone…. Still another miracle was provided by the Luftwaffe itself…. The German planes rarely strafed the crowded beaches; they never used fragmentation bombs; they never attacked tempting targets like Dover of Ramsgate.”

−Walter Lord, The Miracle of Dunkirk (New York: Viking, 1982), 273.

Why did the German army not destroy the BEF and French soldiers at Dunkirk?“Guderian stated that the order came down to him from Kleist with the

words: ‘Dunkirk is to be left to the Luftwaffe….’ At the same time there is evidence that even the Luftwaffe was not used as fully or as vigorously as it could have been − and some of the air chiefs say that Hitler put the brake on again here. All this caused the higher circles to suspect a political motive behind Hitler’s military reasons…. He [Blumentritt] felt that the ‘halt’ … was part of a political scheme to make peace easier to reach. If the BEF had been captured at Dunkirk, the British might have felt that their honour had suffered a stain which they must wipe out. By letting it escape Hitler hoped to conciliate them.”

−B. H. Liddell Hart, History of the Second World War, 89−90.

IV. Battle of France May 10, 1940–June 22, 1940

G. Capitulation of France – June 22, 1940

1. Vichy France (July 10, 1940−April 22, 1945)

a. Marshal Philippe Pètain − head of state

V. Results

A. French losses

1. battle casualties: 125,000 killed and missing; 200,000 wound

2. civilian displacement – 12 million

B. British losses: battle casualties: 68,000 killed and missing;

C. German losses: battle casualties: 27,000 killed; 18,000 missing; 100,000 wounded

Vichy France and its possessions

Operation Torch (overview)

Mrs Miniver (1942)

Psalm 91: Abiding in the Shadow of the Almighty1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High  shall abide under the shadow of

the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; 10 there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.