The Rise of the Third Reich

General Maurice Gustave Gamelin, like his boss Reno, did not know that his opponent was cheating.

Unlike the prime minister who was a lawyer, he was a veteran who participated in the First World War. He not only served as the chief of operations in the French army base camp, but also led combat troops at the brigade and division level. It also suppressed the armed uprising of the working people of Syria after the war. He is a general with rich combat experience, and he also thinks that he knows the German and French armies very well - of course, he knows about the German army in World War I who did not cheat and the French army in World War I who could smile and die for the country. …

So when he learned that the German army had launched a large-scale attack on Belgium and half of the Eben-Emel fortress in Belgium had been captured by the German army in a surprise attack, General Gamelin was not too nervous and remained calm and leisurely (since Emperor Napoleon was unlucky, the French had fought He was such a "slow" at that time) and issued an order to the Northeastern Front for the main force of the 1st Army Group to move in to implement the "Dyer River" plan. At the same time, he also strengthened the 1st Reserve Armored Division for the 1st Army Group.

Then he asked Charles de Gaulle and General Verrick, the commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force, to come to the headquarters in Vincennes. And he himself went to bed - the general had some insomnia before the German army started taking action, but now he could rest peacefully. As for the specific command of the front line, that is the job of General Joseph George, commander of the Northeast Front.

It was near noon that the old general woke up from his sleep and had something to eat. At this time, the latest battle report arrived together with Colonel Charles de Gaulle.

So, the old general met with de Gaulle while reading the battle report.

"Char, I plan to let you command the 4th Reserve Armored Division. This is an elite force, better than the German armored divisions." The old general looked at the battle report. The news was very bad. The fortress of Eben-Emel was still in German hands, and the Germans also captured two nearby bridges.

Plus, Luxembourg has fallen! This year's Grand Duchess of Luxembourg is as pro-German as her sister (she is German) and did not choose to fight bravely against the German invaders, but this is also expected. Moreover, the French High Command has already prepared a response plan - if Germany destroys Luxembourg's neutrality, then it must be extremely vigilant for the German army to break through Luxembourg from the middle!

The "Maginot" defense line was only built as far as the Longion area of ​​Lorraine (bordering Luxembourg and Belgium) (militarily belonging to the Metz fortification area), but there was no defense line on the French-Belgian border north of Longion. This meant that the Germans could bypass the Metz fortification area through the narrow flat area of ​​southern Luxembourg-southern Belgium. Moreover, transportation in southern Luxembourg is very developed, with a railway network extending in all directions. Once the German army breaks through from southern Luxembourg, it will be able to penetrate directly into the back of the "Maginot Line" and surround 50 French divisions in one fell swoop.

Therefore, in the plan of the French High Command, after Luxembourg was captured by Germany, encircling the back of the "Maginot" defense line was more important than reinforcing Belgium.

To this end, the Second Army owned by the 1st Army Group will be deployed in Metz to cover the back path of the "Maginot" line of defense. At the same time, 11 divisions (including the 1st Reserve Armored Division) were transferred from the reserves to the Northeast Front, which filled the gap in strength left by the withdrawal of the 2nd Army Group from the 1st Army Group.

In other words, after Luxembourg is occupied by Germany, the number of reserves directly controlled by the French High Command will be greatly reduced, and at the same time, the frontal strength of the Ardennes Forest will also be greatly reduced - in fact, the French High Command guessed to a certain extent When they arrived, Germany would break through from the middle, but they did not expect that the German breakthrough would be in the Ardennes Forest instead of southern Luxembourg, which has convenient transportation.

However, even if the German army breaks through from southern Luxembourg, the French Second Army alone cannot stop the 64 divisions of Army Group A.

"Charles," Gamelin handed the battle report to de Gaulle, "take a look at this, what do you think?"

De Gaulle looked down and frowned. He also knew the high command's response plan for the fall of Luxembourg-all French operations were carried out around the "Maginot" line of defense. With so many troops already concentrated on this line of defense, adding more troops to cover the flanks is likely to result in insufficient troops on the Belgian battlefield.

"General," de Gaulle whispered, "if the reinforcements to Belgium are only the 1st Army, the 7th Army and the 9 divisions of the British Expeditionary Force, it may be difficult to defeat the main force of the Germans."

"There is no need to defeat," Gamelin said with a smile, "As long as we can reach a stalemate in Belgium... the strength required for defense is definitely less than that for offense. Charles, your fourth reserve armor The division may be sent to Belgium to participate in the defense in one month. Work hard!”

The 4th Reserve Armored Division was not a newly built unit out of thin air, but was formed on the basis of the 4th Light Mechanized Division (also a newly built division after the start of the World War), so it took a relatively short time to complete.

"Understood, General." De Gaulle understood Gamelin's conservative thoughts and said nothing more. He performed a military salute and left to take over his Fourth Reserve Armored Division.

After a while, the British Admiral Verrick hurried over. Because the land war in Western Europe has begun, the British Expeditionary Force Command and the Allied Forces General Command will be merged.

"Has His Excellency Churchill become prime minister?" Gamelin invited General Verrick to have lunch and continued to discuss the changes in the British political situation with him slowly.

"I heard that he is a staunch anti-German," Gamelin asked tentatively. "Does this mean that it will be difficult for us to make peace with Germany after a stalemate on the Belgian battlefield?"

Of course there is a stalemate on the Belgian battlefield, otherwise what else could happen? The 30 divisions of the British and French forces (which will be added later) plus the 22 divisions of the Belgian army are defending on a rather narrow battlefield. It is impossible for the Germans to achieve a breakthrough like they did in Poland.

"Impossible!" General Verrick felt that the French general was testing Britain's attitude. He quickly said, "Germany is launching an attack because its fuel reserves are unable to cope with a protracted war." His point of view is "This is a risky gamble. If the Germans lose... we can win by strengthening the blockade."

"Oh," Admiral Gamelin nodded, then took a sip of champagne and just murmured, "This should be the ending. It will be good for all of us."

…

"Marshal, our people have arrived in Luxembourg City (referring to the capital of Luxembourg)!" General Halder was as happy as a child, dancing and waving a copy of the telegram. "There is no reaction from the French... they are just sitting in silence!"

Due to the close distance between Luxembourg City and the "Maginot Line", the German General Staff had been worried that the French army would occupy it before Germany and then carry out full destruction. This small Germanic country has abundant iron ore resources (which is exactly what Germany needs), and the transportation is very convenient, which is conducive to the entry and exit of large armies.

More importantly, the French's "Maginot" Line did not cover the French-Luxembourg border. This means that Germany has another route to attack France! Although Germany may not attack from the south of Luxembourg, France must mobilize heavy troops to defend it.

"That's good." Hessmann was eating in the No. 1 Command Center of the General Staff with some slices of bread, meat, and milk. He also laughed when he heard Halder's words. "The French want to send troops into Belgium, and at the same time they want to mobilize troops to defend Metz... The front of the Ardennes must be empty. This is not only conducive to the breakthrough of the armored forces, but also conducive to our airborne landing west of the Meas River!"

Airborne to the west bank of the Maas River! This was not found in the original "Manstein Plan" and "Operation Sickle". But now that there is no Battle of Norway and the Battle of the Netherlands to fight, the German Wehrmacht has enough airborne troops and transport aircraft to use. Moreover, Germany's air superiority is now considerable, and "escort fighters" such as the Fokker Zero are available. Naturally, an airborne operation can be launched to cooperate with the breakthrough of the 1st Armored Group Army (the commander is General Guderian).

"If the Meuse River can break through, then the victory of this war will be determined!" General Halder said to Hessmann with admiration, "Marshal, His Majesty the Emperor has really become the master of the Palace of Versailles!"

"The Meuse River will definitely be able to break through!" Hessmann was confident, "But the victory of the war has not yet been determined...unless we can get the French Mediterranean Fleet!"

"Marshal, I will try my best." Halder said. He is the commander-in-chief or deputy commander-in-chief of the soon-to-be-established Southern Front Headquarters, and capturing the French Mediterranean Fleet is the key to the Southern Front Operation-if this operation fails, Germany will have to rely on the Italian Navy in the Mediterranean. This will be Put your destiny in the control of others.

"This is not just military, but also involves political and diplomatic issues!" Hersman shook his head. "There are too many uncertain factors." He paused and asked again: "Have you made plans to land on the British mainland?"

"We are advancing with the Navy," Halder said. "The Navy believes that it is necessary to conduct a decisive battle of the main fleet in the English Channel... This will be a sea and air battle. If there are only 2'Bismarck' class ships and 1'Gneissen No', three Deutsche-class ships and three Admiral Hipper-class ships are not enough."

"Isn't there the Air Force and Naval Aviation?" Hersman took a bite of the homemade sandwich, chewed a few mouthfuls and swallowed it. "It's April now, and the battle in France is likely to be decided in June. July and August are the time windows to implement the 'landing plan'... Regardless of whether we want to land or not, there must be a plan!" He thought for a while and said, "You don't have to worry about this matter. Just concentrate on the Liberator Plan. After the 1st Armored Group completes its breakthrough, I will personally discuss it with Marshal Redel."