France May 10-June 25, 1940

Strategic ContextGermany crushes Poland in September 1939 and signs a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union; this allows Adolf Hitler to prepare for an offensive in the West. France and Britain resolve to rely on defensive fortifications such as the vaunted Maginot Line until an economic blockade defeats Germany as it did in World War I. They expect Germany to place its main attack through the Low Countries, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg; this belief is reinforced by the Mechelen Incident in which German plans fall into Belgian hands. Although Belgium and the Netherlands are neutral, they secretly agree to the Dyle Plan, in which French forces race forward while allied forces fall back to a defensive line roughly along the Dyle River. The actual German plan anticipates these maneuvers and places its main attack through the Ardennes Forest, considered impassable for a large force. Italy is not officially at war with France but three armies are deployed in the Alps and Italy is expected to declare war at the most opportune moment.

Stakes+ A French victory would halt German expansion and allow France and its allies to take advantage of their superior economies.

+ A German victory would result in the total defeat and occupation of France, leaving Britain to face Germany alone.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

German Army & allies

Well

Walther von Brauchitsch

France, 1940Strength

French Army & allies

Well

Maurice Gamelin

135 German divisions109 French divisions

Adolf Hitler

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

40 allied divisions3,000,000 men2,700 tanks2,000 aircraft

32 allied divisions3,300,000 men2,600 tanks3,700 aircraft

Maxime Weygand

Europe c.1939

The battlefield is relatively flat with the exception of the Alps Mountains in the south (off map) and the low, marshy ground roughly north of Brussels. The densest forest cover is the Ardennes Forest. The major body of water is the English Channel, which separates Britain from the other combatants. There are a number of major rivers, the most significant being the Rhine and Meuse Rivers running north-south, and the Somme, Seine, and Marne Rivers running east-west. Urban cities and small villages are scattered throughout the battlefield, the capital cities being London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg, and Paris. The French-built Maginot Line, an extensive system of fortifications, extends along the entire Franco-German border. The German objective is to reach the English Channel at Calais. The Allied objective is to hold the Dyle River line. German Army & allies

(Hitler/Brauchitsch)

French Army & allies

(Gamelin)

NN

Paris

Calais

Dunkirk

Arras

Rotterdam

Verdun

CologneBrussels

Antwerp

Sedan

Namur

London

Maginot Line

Luxembourg

Amiens

Ardennes Forest

Loire River

Rhine River

Dyle River

Marne River

Somme River

Meuse River

Seine RiverOise River

Maas River

Aisne River

Moselle River

English Channel

0 50 100 km

DUT

6

2

7

1

16

12

4

9

RES

BEF

BELG

RES

1

6

5

4

3

2

10

9

8

The French are deployed in three army groups. Army Group 1 comprises 1., 2., 7., 9. Armies and the British Expeditionary Force; its objective is to reinforce the retreating Dutch and Belgian Armies along the Dyle Line. Army Group 2 comprises 3., 4. and 5. Armies; its objective is to hold the Maginot Line. Army Group 3 comprises 8. Army; its objective is to defend against any outflanking of the Maginot Line through Switzerland. The Germans are deployed in three army groups. Army Group B comprises 6. and 18. Armies; its objective is to advance into the Low Countries, enticing French armies to rush in to meet it. Army Group A comprises 4., 12., 16. Armies and Panzer Group Kleist; its objective is to attack through the Ardennes, cutting off French armies in the north. Army Group C comprises 1. and 7. Armies; its objective is to tie down French armies on the Maginot Line.

German bombers viciously terror-bomb major cities in the Low Countries. Army Group A easily pushes the Dutch and Belgian Armies back, aided by German airborne troops which seize key fortresses and panic rear services. Army Group 1 rushes to the Dyle Line to reinforce the retreating Belgian Army while the Dutch Army retreats into its own prepared lines. Unrealized by the French, Army Group A makes its way through the Ardennes with Panzer Group Kleist in the lead.

Army Group C (Leeb)

Army Group B (Bock)

Army Group A (Rundstedt)

Army Group 1 (Billotte)

Army Group 3 (Besson)

Army Group 2 (Pretelat)

German 18. Army relentlessly attacks the Dutch Army, cutting it off from the French armies. French 7. Army advances into the Netherlands anyways to cover Antwerp. The rest of Army Group 1 reaches the Dyle Line and consolidates; German 6. Army probes this defensive line with little result. Meanwhile, Army Group A continues to advance; Panzer Group Kleist emerges from the Ardennes and drives towards Sedan where only the weakest elements of French 9. and 2. Armies defend. German 2. and 9. Armies’ headquarters are activated from the reserve.

9

2

Advanced elements of French 7. Army are shoved back by German 18. Army to reinforce the Dutch Army’s isolation. German bombers destroy an entire section of Rotterdam to make an example, forcing the Dutch to surrender. Gamelin begins shifting French 7. Army south. German 6. Army pins the BEF and French 1. Army while Panzer Group Kleist breaks through the hinge of French 2. and 9. Armies at Sedan, opening an 80-km gap between them. Gamelin activates French 6. Army with reserves and divisions from Army Groups 2 and 3 while German 4., 12. and 16. Armies advance to guard Kleist’s flanks against counterattack.

Army Group B (Bock)

Army Group 1 (Billotte)

6

7

KL

Army Group B attacks the remains of Army Group 1 and succeeds in pushing them back. Panzer Group Kleist annihilates French 9. Army but is ordered to halt by Hitler to allow the infantry to catch up. This allows Gamelin to deploy 6. and 10. Armies. The halt order is eventually lifted and Panzer Group Kleist resumes its advance, brushing aside French 7. Army and reaching the Channel. German 4. Army follows closely behind, 12. and 16. Armies establish a front running east-west and 2. and 9. Armies approach the front lines. French 6. Army attacks north at Laon but is beaten back by German air attacks.

Army Group A (Rundstedt)

18

10

The Germans seek to reduce the remnants of Army Group 1: German 6. Army splits the BEF from the Belgian Army, forcing a Belgian surrender while Panzer Group Kleist and 4. Army push north, encircling French 1. Army. The BEF launches a counterattack at Arras but it is repelled. French 7. and 10. Armies also launch counterattacks to cut off the German advance armies but the attacks are weak and German 9. Army arrives to fill the gaps anyways. The British Royal Navy arrives on the coast to begin an evacuation of remaining troops in the north.

The evacuation of Dunkirk begins. Hitler is persuaded by Luftwaffe commander, Goerring, to allow his aircraft to complete the BEF’s destruction. British aircraft take off from the home islands to defend the evacuation armada in costly dogfights although Goering fails to destroy the BEF. German 4. and 18. Armies belatedly advance on Dunkirk while encircled French 1. Army heroically fights on to tie down German forces. French 1. Army surrenders only after the vast majority of the BEF is evacuated to Britain. French armies in the south however are in little position to affect fighting in the north. German Army & allies

(Hitler/Brauchitsch)

French Army & allies

(Gamelin)

Landmarks

Nations

Subordinates

NN

1. Army – Blanchard Belgian Army – Leopold

2. Army – Huntzinger British Expeditionary Force – Gort

3. Army – Condé Dutch Army – Winkelman

4. Army – Requin

5. Army – Bourret

6. Army – Touchon

7. Army – Giraud

8. Army – Gorchery

9. Army – Corap

10. Army – Altmayer

1. Army – Witzleben

2. Army – Weichs

4. Army – Kluge

6. Army – Reichaneau

7. Army – Dollman

9. Army – Strauss

12. Army – List

16. Army – Busch

18. Army – Kuechler

Panzer Group Kleist - Kleist

Dutch Army

(Winkelman)

10 infantry divisions

French 7. Army

(Giraud)

5 infantry divisions 1 light mechanized division 1 fortress division

French 6. Army

(Touchon)

0 divisions German 2. Army

(Weichs)

0 divisions

German 16. Army

(Busch)

13 infantry divisions

German 12. Army

(List)

10 infantry divisions 1 mountain division

German 9. Army

(Strauss)

0 divisions

German Reserve

43 infantry divisions 2 motorized divisions

Opposing forces deployed south in Alps

French Army & allies

(Maurice Gamelin)

109 French divisions40 allied divisions3,000,000 men2,700 tanks2,000 aircraft

Symbol guide

0 50 100 km

Subordinates

German Army & allies

(Hitler/Brauchitsch)

French Army & allies

(Weygand)

33

44

55

6677

1010

44

6699 1212

1616

1818

KLKL

88

PARISPARIS

GUGU

Both sides regroup for the battle for France itself. The German armies are deployed in three army groups. Army Group B comprises 4., 6., 9., 18. Armies and Panzer Group Kleist; its objective is to smash the French left wing. Army Group A comprises 2., 12., 16. Armies and the new Panzer Group Guderian; its objective is to break through the French center after Army Group B attacks. Army Group C comprises 1. and 7. Armies; its objective is to break the Maginot Line. Three Italian armies – not yet at war with France – threaten the tiny French Army of the Alps. The rest of the French armies are deployed in three army groups. Their objectives are merely to hold the Weygand Line which runs from the Channel to the Maginot Line. Army Group 3 comprises 7. and 10. Armies; Army Group 4 comprises 2., 4. and 6. Armies; Army Group 2 comprises 3., 5. and 8. Armies.

Panzer Group Kleist opens the German offensive by attacking French 10. Army which offers tough resistance. It is eventually defeated, forcing 7. Army to retreat to avoid envelopment. Panzer Group Guderian attacks shortly after, splitting French 4. and 2. Armies. The German infantry armies make slow but steady progress against French armies which stage local counterattacks in an effective fighting retreat. Panzer Group Kleist is transferred east. Seeing that France has absolutely no chance of winning, Italy declares war.

Army Group C (Leeb)

Army Group B (Bock)

Army Group A (Rundstedt)

Army Group 3 (Besson)

Army Group 2 (Pretelat)

Army Group 4 (Huntzinger)

German 4. Army destroys French 10. Army while Panzer Groups Kleist and Guderian break through French defences on their respective fronts. The French armies must continue to retreat to avoid encirclement. Paris is declared a free city to avoid destruction; Hitler hastily occupies it. Panzer Group Guderian, followed by 12. and 16. Armies, advances as far as the Swiss border while Army Group C pierces the Maginot Line in two places. Army Group 2 is now completely surrounded.

KLKL 11

77

The French armies continue to conduct a fighting retreat as the German armies advance on all fronts. Italian 1. and 4. Armies finally launch an offensive but it quickly grinds to a halt in the frigid, rough terrain. Meanwhile, Army Group 2 surrenders. France solemnly requests an armistice but Panzer Group Kleist advances after the armistice is signed to ensure German control of the western coast.

KLKL

ITAL 7ITAL 7

ALPSALPS

ITAL 1ITAL 1

ITAL 4ITAL 4

Landmarks

Nations

Subordinates

Army Group West (Savoia)

22

22

NN

SWITZERLANDFRANCE LUXEMBOURGITALYSPAIN

2. Army – Huntzinger

3. Army – Condé

4. Army – Requin

5. Army – Bourret

6. Army – Touchon

7. Army – Giraud

8. Army – Gorchery

10. Army – Altmayer

Army of the Alps – Olry

Army of Paris – Hering

1. Army – Witzleben Italian 1. Army – Pintor

2. Army – Weichs Italian 4. Army – Guzzoni

4. Army – Kluge Italian 7. Army – Pistoia

6. Army – Reichaneau

7. Army – Dollman

9. Army – Strauss

12. Army – List

16. Army – Busch

18. Army – Kuechler

Panzer Group Guderian - Guderian

Panzer Group Kleist - Kleist

Symbol guide

0 100 200 km

Subordinates

France 1940Casualties & Aftermath

French Army & allies: German Army & allies:

2,300,000

or

77%

163,000

or

5%

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

Germany’s conquests did not end with France. After flirting with the idea of invading Britain, until losing the air battle in late 1940, Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941. The German offensive initially made rapid progress but stalled in winter 1941-1942, and was clearly defeated by 1943. In June 1944, Britain and the now-Allied United States returned to France with an amphibious invasion of Normandy. In August 1944, they liberated Paris to cheering crowds. In May 1945, Germany surrendered unconditionally.

The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps

http://www.theartofbattle.com

By Jonathan Webb, 2009