Part 22 Rommel’s Ghost Division: The Blitzkrieg Neither Side Saw Coming
June 5th Germany begins Fall Rot (Case Red) phase 2 of their Invasion of France. During the Battle, and evacuation, of Dunkirk the French used the time to build a new defense dubbed the Weygand line, named after the new commander of the French Army General Maxime Weygand.
It’s NOT a defense in depth and despite how weak the French army was, having lost large quantities of men and armor, it seemed to do the job at holding off the Germans initially. Except for Rommel who powered through it taking Le Quesnoy.
“At 16.00 hours sharp, the tanks moved to the attack. The various arms worked in such perfect coordination that it might have been a peacetime exercise. The French colonial troops opposing us, who were dug in in the small woods on the southern slopes of hills 116 and 104 with large numbers of field and anti-tank guns, defended themselves desperately.”
The next day he (Rommel) drove another 50 kilometers and by the 7th reached Elbeuf on the river Seine. He apparently advanced so far so fast that at one point he had to stop because he was in danger of being bombed by the Luftwaffe if he went further. On the 8th he took Rouen, but the bridges there were destroyed.
Still by June 9th the 7th Panzer Division along with the 5th and 2nd Panzer Divisions , cut and surrounded the French 9th corps off from Le Havre, where they hoped to be evacuated in Operation Cycle. On the morning of the 12th at Saint-Valery-en-Caux, French General Marcel Ihler gave the order to surrender despite the protests of the British 51st Highland division.
except for raml who powered through it taking leoi at 1600 hours sharp the tanks moved to the attack the various arms worked in such perfect coordination that it might have been a peacetime exercise the French Colonial troops opposing us who were dug in in the small Woods on the southern slopes of the hills 116 and 104 with large numbers of field and anti-tank guns defended themselves desperately the next day he drove another 50 km and by the 7th reached elu on the river sen he apparently Advanced so far so fast that at one point he had to stop because he was in danger of being bombed by the lift wafa if he went any further on the eth he took ruen but the bridges there were destroyed still by June 9th the seventh Panzer Division along with the fifth and second Panzer divisions cut and surrounded the French ninth Corp off from lar where they hoped to be evacuated in operation cycle on the morning of the 12th at St valer onu French General Marcel AER gave the order to surrender despite the protests of the British