Fall Gelb

plan_D · May 9, 2005

Here are some pictures of France in 1939-1940 and the invasion of France, Fall Gelb.

This first set is the Maginot Line and the French Army.

{You lot with dump computers are going to hate this page}

plan_D · May 9, 2005

Here's some from the Saar Offensive, the only 'offensive' the French made in the war. Not exactly an Offensive more than a prod at the German lines.
This 'offensive' never intended to reach beyond the Rhine and they actually pulled back before Poland had even surrendered. A withdrawal the Germans didn't intend on hampering.

plan_D · May 9, 2005

At 5:30am, May 10th, 1940 Germany's Wehrmacht attacked France and the Lowlands, Fall Gelb had been put into action. The first days were vital, the majority of German forces were amassed on the Ardennes forest but there was a loud, exciting and fercious distraction going on up north in Holland. France, Britain and Belgium only realised the truth when it was too late...

{these pictures are from Holland and Belgium}

plan_D · May 9, 2005

On the same day, May 10th, the Luftwaffe unleashed a massive attack against French airfields. French, British and Belgian aircraft were almost wiped out on the ground, over 2000 aircraft were destroyed in the first few days.

By the way, I'm not very good with French aircraft so a little identification would be nice.

plan_D · May 9, 2005

French High Command predicted that it would take the Wehrmacht 9 days to penertrate the Ardennes forest and reach the Meuse, on the third day they were on the River Meuse and attacking Sedan.

The French and British forces were still moving north in Belgium to counter the German threat up there. Playing straight into Germany's hands.

plan_D · May 9, 2005

By the 13th May, 1940, the French and British air forces had stopped covering their armies advance and turned attention to defending their airfields and destroying the advancing German army. This led to a massive air battle over France, the first air war that the Luftwaffe had against a modern foe.

plan_D · May 9, 2005

More from the Air War {Identify the French aircraft}

evangilder · May 9, 2005

Cool stuff pd!

mosquitoman · May 9, 2005

The sign means no photography because it's a military zone and the RAF aircraft is a Fairey Battle

mosquitoman · May 9, 2005

The sign means no photography because it's a military zone and the RAF aircraft is a Fairey Battle

plan_D · May 9, 2005

I guessed the sign would mean something like that. Got to love that gun camera footage... For the other ones, I'll try and keep the amount of pictures down a bit...But wait...I haven't finished on France yet...

By 20th May, only 10 days after the initial invasion, it was obvious that all for those armies caught in Belgium, it was lost. The Battle for Sedan had quickly become the Battle for France, and it was quickly being lost by the Allies. Day by day coastal towns were being captured, the British plan to evacuate British and French troops caught in the coastal town of Dunkerque began on May 27th...this became the greatest evacuation in history lifting off over 300,000 troops of British, French and Belgian origin.

cheddar cheese · May 9, 2005

RAFs tragic start.jpg - 27 Time(s)

Thats a Fairey Battle.

French Bombers.jpg - 16 Time(s)

Im not sure but I think theyre Bloch MB.200's

French Aircraft(1).jpg - 13 Time(s)

Looks like a Farman F.222

French Aircraft.jpg - 13 Time(s)

Bloch MB.174 Maybe?

At least I think thats what they all are.

GREAT pictures by the way! 8)

plan_D · May 9, 2005

By June 5th, 1940, the last of the British troops had left France for home. British High Command were pleased to have their boys home but were disgusted in the loss of life and machine they had suffered aiding France.

It was time though for the Wehrmacht to regroup after snipping away the northern threat. The time had come for France to fall. The panzers regrouped, the infantry regrouped and Luftwaffe regrouped...

plan_D · May 9, 2005

The Wehrmacht came against stiff resistance for the first few days. The French fought tougher than in any of the past weeks but it wasn't enough. The French were out-numbered now two to one and the Wehrmacht enacted a breakthrough once again.
The Germans were on the heels every step of the way, they captured Paris on June 14th, 1940. It wasn't long before Marshal Petain requested an armistice. This was signed on June 22nd, 1940...France had fallen, Britain stood alone.

the lancaster kicks ass · May 9, 2005

pD said:
this became the greatest evacuation in history lifting off over 300,000 troops of British, French and Belgian origin

do you know how you can tell planD here is a patriotic britian from this?? he has called the miracle of dunkerque an evacuation, and has not said we've run away as some might see it, because we weren't running away, it was a tactical withdrawal of troops................

cheddar cheese · May 9, 2005

It wasnt retreating - It was advancing in a different way

DerAdlerIstGelandet · May 9, 2005

Great pics here again.

plan_D · May 9, 2005

There is a difference between retreating and running away, CC. Retreating is withdrawing from the face of a superior enemy as an army, unit cohesion still in existance. Operation Dynamo wasn't a panic, it was a well laid plan that went much better than expected.

Running away is everyone turning tail and running without any care in the world for their force or their unit. They just want to survive. That is called being routed.

A retreat and a tactical withdrawal can also be seperated. For instance, if Guderian had ordered his 24th Panzer Corps (which he wanted to do) away from Moscow in December 1941, and placed them in positions around Smolensk then it would have been a tactical withdrawal.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · May 10, 2005

Tactical withdrawals also can be necessarry to keep the strength of your forces. Better to run and live to fight another day. Throughout history tactical withdrawals have been used to the advantage of the unit with drawing.

the lancaster kicks ass · May 10, 2005

yes there is no point in staying to fight a battle you cannot win when you can retreat, unless it's to but time or defend a specific objective......

Fall Gelb

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