France

At the start of the Second World War, France was amgst one of the world super powers, with a standing military of 117 divisions, and massive fortification projects born out of a desire to prevent the same catatrophy as was experienced diring the First World War. The French army also included armoured formations equiped with vehicles that outclassed their German counterparts.

Unfortunatly the French had placed their faith in massive fortifications, leading to a military doctrine wedded to leveraging the Maginot Line of fortifications, which lead to a relatively static defence posture.

But the greatest disadvantage faced by the French was a lack of tactical inovation. For example, General Maurice Gamelin who commanded the French Army, did so from the Château de Vincennes. The Château lacked even a simple telephone line, military communications carried out by message riders who manually delivered military communications by hand to the Château!

Radio communication had become key to a new age of military tactical doctrine that was focusd on quick manouvor, not static defence lines as seen in the First World War.

After the German invasion of Poland, France declaired war upon Nazi Germany and the French army was placed on a state of readyness. The garrisons of the Maginot Line forsts were called up to active service and the British Expaditionary Force (BEF) crossed the channel to join their French brothers in arms. The Germans for their part manned fortifications on the German side of the border, then... nothing happened.

The Phoney War from September 1939 to April 1940 became the norm, both sides dug in and waited to see what the other would do. The French wedded to their defensive Forts exchanged limited artillery fire across the border with the Germans. While the neutrality of Belgium kept the Western Allies from moving forwards to preempt any German action. But everyone expected a German attack through the low countries, as if replaying the First World War.

The Germans were indeed planning an attack, operation Fall Gelb or Case Yellow in English. The British and French sumised a German attack would push through Belgium, in such a case the BEF and French forces would move into Belgium to link up with Belgium's armed forces to counter a German attack.

Couriosly rivalries between German officers was effecting the creation of a plan that was acceptable to all involved parties. The initial attack plan was formulated by General Franz Halder, chief of staff of Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH, Army High Command), but this plan was considered by many to be clumsy in execution. While the respected senior General, and rival of Halder, Gerd von Rundstedt, rejected the plan and ordered General Manstein to revise the plan of attack.

On the 10th of January 1940 the Mechelen Affair occured when a German aircraft crashed on Belgium terratory, onboard was a German officer who was carrying plans for Fall Gelb. The Belgium authorities informed their French and British Allies of the discovery and Military forces were put on high alert. But as the dates in the battle plans came and went without action, the Phoney War rolled on.

Although the German High Command was already fishing about for a new battle plan, the leak of the origional Battle Plan to the Western Allies now forced the need to revise the attack plan, the task having been asigned to General Manstein.

Manstein discussed the plans with Generalleutnant (Lieutenant-General) Heinz Guderian (commander of XIX Panzer Corps), who advocated for a quick thrust towards the English Channel by Panzer formations. Avoiding the main bulk of the British and French forces who would then be cut off from their southern supply lines.

At this point Manstein did not fully add Guderians discussed panzer thrust into the revision of Fall Gelb, partially because Manstein worried about a French southern counter attack and because Guderian was considered a radical inovator by the German High Command. Instead Manstein's revised plan relyed on a northern push with limited panzer protection in the south.

The revised plan was presented to OKH, but the rivalries between German officers once again played a part. The new plan was rejected by Halder and Walther von Brauchitsch, who were rivals of Manstein. But Hitler had heard about Manstein's plan through the Grape Vine (people on Manstein's staff had a word in the ear of Hitler's army attaché), and Hitler invited Manstein to the Reich Chancellery to personaly make a proposal in the presence of Alfred Jodl and Erwin Rommel.

Hitler was impressed with Manstein's plan and ordered Halder to revise Fall Gelb to conform with Manstein's plan. Halder now had to revise his rivals plan, which now put the main thrust through the Ardennes forest in southern Belgium, pushing Army Group A across the Meuse River between Namur and Sedan towards Amiens. While Army Group B would perform a feint attack in the north to lure the Western Allies into Belgium.

This plan became Aufmarschanweisung N°4, Fall Gelb. On the 10th of May 1940 the German army executed Fall Gelb and invaded Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Army Group A pushed through the heavly wooded Ardennes sector, with inantry divisions securing river bridgeheads before the Panzer spearheads were unleashed. Seperating French and British forces in Belgium from their supplylines.

Although the saying goes that, "No plan survives first contact with the enemy," perhapse the saying should be, "No plan survives first contact with inovative officers!" Guderian and Rommel disobeyed their orders and the race to the Channel Coast was on for young and old! Creating further havoc for French and forces who at times didn't know where the Germans were. Even the German high command had trouble keeping track of the Panzer spearheads.