80 years ago, in May 1940, the Third Reich inflicted a crushing defeat on Holland, Belgium, France and England. On May 10, 1940, German troops invaded Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Already on May 14, the Netherlands surrendered, on May 27 - Belgium, France was defeated and lost the will to resist, the British fled to their island.
Conquest of "living space"
Despite the rapid defeat of Poland, the capture of Denmark and Norway, the military and economic power of the Reich did not correspond to the scale of Hitler's aggressive plans. However, the power of the German armed forces grew rapidly. In 1939, the ground forces already numbered 3.8 million people; by the spring of 1940, the active army had increased by another 540 thousand people. There were twice as many tank formations (5 became 10). Increased reserve army. A large fleet was under construction. The Reich received a modern air force. War production rose sharply. However, the military and resource potential of the German Empire was much inferior to its opponents. The resources of the British Empire alone were significantly higher than those of Germany. Thus, England and France had a good military material base for the victory over the Reich, but did not use it. The allies remained passive to the last, giving the enemy strategic initiative.
Meanwhile, Germany was actively preparing for the French campaign. To gain time to prepare for a new offensive operation, Hitler pretended to be ready to negotiate. That Germany has no special claims to France, and the Germans expect the return of the colonies taken after the First World War from England. At this time, new military units were deployed in the Reich, the production of weapons, equipment and ammunition increased. Inside the country, the Nazis completed the defeat of any opposition, suppressed anti-war sentiments. A powerful ideological indoctrination of the population, combined with repression, was methodically carried out. The army and the people became a single military machine, confident in their truth.
The Germans, using Hitler's popularity in Europe, the ideas of Nazism and Fascism, created a powerful network of agents in France, Holland and Belgium. The German command knew almost everything about the enemy: the number and quality of troops, their deployment, the state of the military industry, mobilization readiness, tactical and technical data of weapons, etc.
Hitler in November 1939 at a military meeting again sets the task of conquering living space for Germany: "No cleverness will help here, the solution is possible only with the sword." The Fuhrer also talks about racial struggle, the struggle for resources (oil, etc.). Hitler notes that the Reich will be able to oppose Russia only by victories in the West. It is necessary to crush France and bring England to her knees.
As a result, Hitler and the military-political leadership of the Reich, despite the adventurism of their plans, quite reasonably believed that it was necessary to solve the problem of the possibility of a war on two fronts, which destroyed the Second Reich. On the way to domination in Europe and the world, it is first necessary to strengthen the military-economic potential of Germany through the conquest of a number of European countries, the defeat of France and England. Hitler wanted to take historical revenge for the lost war of 1914-1918. over France, which was supposed to unite the nation even more, give it the spirit of victory. To secure the rear, to bring London to its knees (to avoid the complete defeat of England and to negotiate with the British), to establish a unified power in Europe, to prepare bridgeheads from the north and south for an attack on Russia (by agreeing with Finland and Romania, occupying the Balkans). Therefore, the German supreme leadership came to the conclusion that it would be expedient to inflict new blows in the West, leaving Russia for later.
Why Paris and London were passively waiting for an enemy strike
The military-political position of France and England corresponded perfectly to the plans of the Nazis. France, which since the victory in World War I held the position of one of the world's great powers and the leader of Europe, was in political decline. The French politically became the junior partners of the British, who until the very last moment "pacified" the aggressor at the expense of their neighbors. London, on the other hand, deliberately incited a big war in Europe in the hope of emerging from the new world war as the winner, the head of the new world order. The British Empire was in crisis, it needed a world war to bury its competitors. As a result, England deliberately surrendered all of Europe (including France) to Hitler step by step and, obviously, had tacit agreements with the Fuhrer, including the mission of Rudolf Hess; the agreements are still classified in the British archives. Hitler got a quiet rear in Europe and then had to attack the Russians. After the victory over Russia, Berlin and London could build a new world order.
The organization of the French Armed Forces, their strategy, operational and tactical skills were frozen at the level of the First World War. The French did not pay much attention to the development of advanced military equipment, and the Germans gained an advantage in aviation, communications, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. The French generals basically remained in military thought in the past, slept through new processes in the development of military art. The French proceeded from a defensive strategy, believed that the enemy, as in the previous war, would exhaust its forces in a positional struggle. France spent huge sums of money and paid great attention to improving the well-equipped fortified lines on the western border. The French thought that the Germans would get bogged down in the assault on the Maginot Line, and then it would be possible to form reserves, bring up troops from the colonies, and launch a counteroffensive, taking advantage of the material and military advantage over Germany.
As a result, they were in no hurry with total mobilization, they continued a generally peaceful life. The "strange war" on the Western Front continued until the German attack. Holland and Belgium were in no hurry to establish military cooperation with the French and British. They emphasized their neutrality. The allies had a flawed defensive strategy that gave the initiative to the enemy. Divisions, tanks and aircraft were evenly stretched along the front. Strategic reserves in case of an unexpected breakthrough were not formed by the Germans. The rear defensive lines were not prepared. There was not even such a thought! The generals looked at the politicians and waited for an early peace. The lull at the front was seen as evidence that the German leadership would soon seek peace with Britain and France in order to organize a general "crusade" against Russia. The officers and soldiers were also convinced that the signing of peace with Germany was a matter of time. Even if the Germans try to attack, they will be stopped on the Maginot Line and then try to negotiate. Therefore, they killed time by playing football, playing cards, watching movies brought in, listening to music, and having affairs with ladies. The fighting in Norway initially alerted the military, but the French border was still quiet. Thus, in general, society and the army believed that the Germans would not climb to storm the impregnable forts, and sooner or later would seek a compromise.
At the same time, the allies had plenty of time for full mobilization, organizing a tough defense and preparing strong counterattacks. Hitler postponed the start of the operation several times. First, from November 1939 to January 1940 - due to the unpreparedness of the army. Then January to the spring of 1940 - due to the loss of secret documents (the so-called Mechelen incident), from March to May - due to the Danish-Norwegian operation. The military conspirators from the Abwehr (military intelligence and counterintelligence of Germany) timely reported to the allies about all Hitler's plans for the German army. The Anglo-French command knew about the preparation of the Reich operation in Norway, but missed the moment to destroy the German amphibious assault. The Anglo-French knew about the plans to attack France, about the time of the invasion, that the Germans would deliver a diversionary blow through Belgium and Holland, and the main one would be in the Ardennes. But we fell into this trap.
The Western powers seemed to be asleep. A number of "oddities" led to the brilliant victory of Hitler and the Third Reich. Small countries believed in the inviolability of their "neutrality". For example, the Belgian authorities on May 9 (the day before the invasion) reinstated a 5-day dismissal from the army, showing their disbelief in the "ridiculous rumors" about the war. At this time, German tanks were already moving towards the border of Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Western leaders were confident of an early alliance with the Third Reich against the Russians. France, which in the First World War showed real heroism and fought desperately, allowed itself to be defeated and occupied. England escaped heavy losses, she was simply knocked out to the islands. In Berlin, the British colonialists and racists were respected, who showed the Germans how to rule the world with the help of colonial "elites", terror, genocide and concentration camps.
Forces of the parties
Hitler concentrated the main forces on the Western Front (only a few covering divisions were left in the East) - 136 divisions, including 10 tank and 6 motorized. A total of 3, 3 million people, 2,600 tanks, 24, 5 thousand guns. The ground forces supported the 2nd and 3rd air fleets - over 3,800 aircraft.
The Allies had roughly the same Allied forces: 94 French, 10 British, Polish, 8 Dutch and 22 Belgian divisions. A total of 135 divisions, 3.3 million people, about 14 thousand guns of caliber above 75 mm and 4, 4 thousand aircraft. The Allies had an advantage in the number of tanks and aircraft. However, the allies were inferior in the quality of armored forces: 3 armored and 3 light mechanized divisions, more than 3, 1 thousand tanks in total. That is, in terms of the number of tanks, the Germans were inferior, as well as in the quality of equipment (French tanks were better). But German tanks were brought together in shock groups and divisions, and French tanks were dispersed along the front line, distributed between formations and units. As a result, at the beginning of the battle, the forces were approximately equal, according to some quantitative indicators, the allied armies had an advantage.
If the battle had dragged on, then the Germans would have started big problems. The Allies were able to relatively quickly increase the number of divisions with the help of total mobilization in France, the transfer of troops from England and the colonies. Also, the French and British colonial empires had an advantage in human and material resources. The protracted war was fatal for the Reich.
Yellow Plan
The offensive of the German troops unfolded in accordance with the revised "Yellow Plan" (Plan "Gelb"). It provided for the invasion of France by troops not only through Central Europe, as it was in the first version (repetition in the fundamentals of the "Schlieffen plan" of 1914), but a simultaneous attack along the entire front up to the Ardennes. Army Group B tied the enemy in battles in Holland and Belgium, where the Allies were to transfer their troops. The main attack of the troops of Army Group "A" was delivered through Luxembourg - the Belgian Ardennes. That is, German troops bypassed a powerful fortified zone on the Franco-German border - the Maginot Line, and had to break through to the coast of the English Channel. If successful, the German divisions cut off the enemy's Belgian grouping from the forces in France, could block and destroy it, and avoided heavy battles on the French border.
The main task of Army Group "B" (18th and 6th armies) under the command of von Bock was to pin down the enemy forces on the northern flank, capture Holland and Belgium, at the second stage of the operation, the troops were transferred to France. The success of the entire operation depended on the speed of action of the 18th and 6th armies of Kühler and Reichenau. They had to prevent the Dutch and Belgian armies from coming to their senses, to organize stubborn resistance at the convenient positions of the “fortress of Holland” (numerous rivers, canals, dams, bridges, etc.), and Belgian forts. To prevent the offensive of the Anglo-French troops, which were supposed to enter Belgium with the left wing. Therefore, the decisive role in the operation was played by the advanced units of paratroopers, paratroopers, Göpner's 16th Motorized Corps (as part of the 6th Army).
The main blow was delivered by Army Group "A" under the command of von Rundstedt (4th, 12th, 16th armies, 2nd reserve army, Kleist's tank group - two tank and mechanized corps). German troops invading Belgium, advanced slowly at first, waiting for the enemy troops to be drawn into a trap, then made a dash through the Ardennes, breaking through to the sea, to Calais. Thus, blocking the Allied forces in Belgium and the northern coast of France. At the second stage of the operation, the Rundstedt group was to strike at the flank and rear of the French troops on the Maginot Line, to join up with Army Group C (C), which was conducting an auxiliary operation on the Franco-German border.
4th Army Kluge advanced on the right flank of Army Group "A": it had to break through the defenses of the Belgian army, advance south of Liege, quickly reach the river. Meuse in the Dinan district, Gives. The 15th Motorized Corps (Gotha's group) began a breakthrough to the sea from the Meuse line. Liszt's 12th army and Klest's tank group (19th and 41st tank, 14th mechanized corps) were supposed to easily pass through Luxembourg, then cross the hard-to-reach Ardennes area, and reach the Meuse on the Give-Sedan sector. Cross the river and advance quickly to the northwest. The 12th army provided the left flank, tank formations broke through to the sea, to Boulogne and Calais. The left flank of the strike force was covered by Bush's 16th Army. As the armored group broke through to the west and northwest, the 16th Army had to provide the southern flank, first from the side of the Franco-German border, then beyond the Meuse. As a result, Bush's army had to go to Luxembourg, and then turn the front south.
Army Group "C" under the command of von Leeb (1st and 7th armies) performed an auxiliary role, was supposed to actively engage enemy forces, prevent the French from transferring divisions to the north. The 2nd and 3rd air fleets of Sperli and Kesselring were solving the problem of destroying enemy aviation at airfields and in the air, covering the advancing ground forces.
