Nah, both OTL and ITTL Hitler's obsession is getting a Lebensraum in the East by destroying Russia as a country. This means that, once again both here and in OTL, he want to force France to support the German war effort while also costing as little to occupy and maintain order and German authority over it. Doing things like destroying Paris simply don't fit in that framework, not for any moral reason, obviously but merely because of what the Nazis considered expeditient at this point in time.
Fantasque Time Line (France Fights On) - English Translation
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018
June 10th, 1940
Southeastern Algerian Sahara - During the night, 200 Italian goumiers and soldiers coming from Ghat, in Libya, encircled the post of Tin Alkoun, 80 kilometers east of Djanet. The "strategic" character of the operation is attested by the size of the French garrison: about fifteen (!) meharists from the Hoggar company, including two radio operators. The
French have the order, in case of attack, to abandon the fort and to settle in the mountain above the post itself. In the early morning, the French moved off towards Abd-n-Foq, on the road to Djanet, except for the chief brigadier who commanded the group and resisted alone for several hours with his machine gun and hand grenades, before being wounded and captured. His conduct earned him a mention in the divisional order, as well as two of his meharists.
The tiny size of the forces involved did not prevent the Italian radio from proclaiming victory, which annoyed the French and gave them some ideas.
Southeastern Algerian Sahara - During the night, 200 Italian goumiers and soldiers coming from Ghat, in Libya, encircled the post of Tin Alkoun, 80 kilometers east of Djanet. The "strategic" character of the operation is attested by the size of the French garrison: about fifteen (!) meharists from the Hoggar company, including two radio operators. The
French have the order, in case of attack, to abandon the fort and to settle in the mountain above the post itself. In the early morning, the French moved off towards Abd-n-Foq, on the road to Djanet, except for the chief brigadier who commanded the group and resisted alone for several hours with his machine gun and hand grenades, before being wounded and captured. His conduct earned him a mention in the divisional order, as well as two of his meharists.
The tiny size of the forces involved did not prevent the Italian radio from proclaiming victory, which annoyed the French and gave them some ideas.
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019
June 10th, 1940
Northern France - The French GQG is transferred from Montry to Briare.
Normandy - Rommel's 7. PzD reaches the English Channel at Petites-Dalles. However, Allied units are still fighting on the coast. The British demolition teams scuttle three old ships, including the Belgian Améthyste and Turquoise, in order to block the harbour of Dieppe. Only the small ports of Saint-Valéry-en-Caux and Veules-les-Roses remain
accessible for an evacuation, which organized as best as it can be.
The Basse-Seine is crossed at several points and despite the counter-attacks of the 3rd DLC, the 9. ID, progressing from Les Andelys, occupying a large strip of land on the left bank of the Seine in the evening. Vernon is attacked by the 46. ID, without any reinforcements being able to be spared to help. The garrison, decimated by violent aerial bombardments, only put up a weak resistance.
Regrouped around Rambouillet and Montlhéry after their evacuation from Dunkirk and their return to France (before the infantry), the 12,000 men of the Cavalry Corps, rearmed and reorganized into three reduced DLMs, were placed under the command of General Langlois. This one will try to support the front of the Seine
Paris (Chauvineau Line) - The divisions of the 25th CA regroup behind the Oise river, after the destruction of most of the bridges, and work on defense work, the 85th DIA at Pontoise, the 13th DI at l'Isle-Adam and the 19th at Boran, the remains of the 4th DIC and the 24th DI occupying the intervals between the latter two. The 11th ID, last division in position on the Aisne, dismounted around 1800 to to reach the Ormoy gap. What remains of the VIIth Army joins its positions on the Nonette or on the Ourcq.
The advanced elements of the 94. ID are on the heels of the retreating troops. At the end of the evening contact is made at Mareuil-sur-Ourcq. A fierce attack on Crépy-en-Valois forces the 3rd DLI to withdraw prematurely, exposing covering elements of the 57th ID which are encircled and captured.
Champagne-Lorraine -
Unable to rely on the VIth Army, the IVth Army breaks down. The German armored vehicles break through the French front at Rethel, enter the breach and push on the Rethourne.
South of the Aisne, the Groupement Cuirassé Buisson is created, with the remains of three divisions: the 7th DLM, the 3rd DIM and the 3rd DCR (which still had 30 B1bis tanks, 50 H-39 tanks and 40 H-35 tanks; a few days earlier, the 41st BCC had taken over the tanks of the 49th BCC and the 10th BCC was attached to the division). The Group managed to delay the advance of the XXXIX. AK (mot), but it received calls for help from all sides. The 3rd DCR attacked in the direction of Perthes and the Rethel-Reims railroad. Without infantry support, several tanks were destroyed by 47 mm guns captured by the enemy. However, the 7th DLM attacks on the Rethourne river and makes the German tanks turn around, allowing the 14th ID to take back part of the lost ground.
But most of the French infantry, covered by the cavalry of the GRDI and GRCA, retreats towards the Marne, fighting during the day and retreating at night, pursued by the 6th and 9th German armies. South of the river, we can find the 238th DLI (which had arrived the day before), the first elements of the 20th ID (which arrived from the east) and the remains of the 28th DIAlp. Right behind them are the 7th ID and the 27th DIAlp regrouped, severely tested by the fighting of the previous days. North of the Marne, leaning on the Montagne de Reims, are the 45th ID, the 44th ID (which will be entrusted with the elements of the 28th DIAlp) and the 42nd ID which retreats
on the Vesle, east of Reims, while Guderian's tanks are already in the suburbs of the city. The 82nd ID hold the Montagne de Reims, south of the city. The 10th and 2nd ID
(accompanied by the 23rd BCC, with R-35s) are overwhelmed by German armor. The remains of the first reunited with the 235th DLI, while those of the second withdrew southward. In fine, only the 14th ID holds its position. But it must be said that its General de Lattre, was able to "requisition" precious support elements, to the great displeasure of his of his colleagues: part of the 3rd BCC, on R-35s, the 60th GRDI (of the former 71st ID) and the 10th GRCA (of the 8th CA) as well as various artillery groups (coming from other divisions that had been slashed during the fighting). During the night of the 10th to the 11th, the 14th ID finally received the order to withdraw. The 36th ID does the same in the direction of Vouziers, but in this region the German attack is weak. Indeed, the German infantry divisions in the sector of Rethel (and in particular in Voncq) had been severely tested by the fighting and the French counter-attacks of the previous days, counting several hundred dead and prisoners. However, the 7th BCC is destroyed by the German air force, and the last FCM-36 tanks are evacuated. The 6th ID and 1st DIC also resist very well on the west bank of the Meuse. Following the retreat of the VIth Army leading to that of the IVth Army, the order of general retreat is given to GA 4, including its 2nd Army. This one is at the junction with the GA 2 and for her, the order is to be executed with a first stage of 20 km in the night of the 10th to the 11th.
Northern France - The French GQG is transferred from Montry to Briare.
Normandy - Rommel's 7. PzD reaches the English Channel at Petites-Dalles. However, Allied units are still fighting on the coast. The British demolition teams scuttle three old ships, including the Belgian Améthyste and Turquoise, in order to block the harbour of Dieppe. Only the small ports of Saint-Valéry-en-Caux and Veules-les-Roses remain
accessible for an evacuation, which organized as best as it can be.
The Basse-Seine is crossed at several points and despite the counter-attacks of the 3rd DLC, the 9. ID, progressing from Les Andelys, occupying a large strip of land on the left bank of the Seine in the evening. Vernon is attacked by the 46. ID, without any reinforcements being able to be spared to help. The garrison, decimated by violent aerial bombardments, only put up a weak resistance.
Regrouped around Rambouillet and Montlhéry after their evacuation from Dunkirk and their return to France (before the infantry), the 12,000 men of the Cavalry Corps, rearmed and reorganized into three reduced DLMs, were placed under the command of General Langlois. This one will try to support the front of the Seine
Paris (Chauvineau Line) - The divisions of the 25th CA regroup behind the Oise river, after the destruction of most of the bridges, and work on defense work, the 85th DIA at Pontoise, the 13th DI at l'Isle-Adam and the 19th at Boran, the remains of the 4th DIC and the 24th DI occupying the intervals between the latter two. The 11th ID, last division in position on the Aisne, dismounted around 1800 to to reach the Ormoy gap. What remains of the VIIth Army joins its positions on the Nonette or on the Ourcq.
The advanced elements of the 94. ID are on the heels of the retreating troops. At the end of the evening contact is made at Mareuil-sur-Ourcq. A fierce attack on Crépy-en-Valois forces the 3rd DLI to withdraw prematurely, exposing covering elements of the 57th ID which are encircled and captured.
Champagne-Lorraine -
Unable to rely on the VIth Army, the IVth Army breaks down. The German armored vehicles break through the French front at Rethel, enter the breach and push on the Rethourne.
South of the Aisne, the Groupement Cuirassé Buisson is created, with the remains of three divisions: the 7th DLM, the 3rd DIM and the 3rd DCR (which still had 30 B1bis tanks, 50 H-39 tanks and 40 H-35 tanks; a few days earlier, the 41st BCC had taken over the tanks of the 49th BCC and the 10th BCC was attached to the division). The Group managed to delay the advance of the XXXIX. AK (mot), but it received calls for help from all sides. The 3rd DCR attacked in the direction of Perthes and the Rethel-Reims railroad. Without infantry support, several tanks were destroyed by 47 mm guns captured by the enemy. However, the 7th DLM attacks on the Rethourne river and makes the German tanks turn around, allowing the 14th ID to take back part of the lost ground.
But most of the French infantry, covered by the cavalry of the GRDI and GRCA, retreats towards the Marne, fighting during the day and retreating at night, pursued by the 6th and 9th German armies. South of the river, we can find the 238th DLI (which had arrived the day before), the first elements of the 20th ID (which arrived from the east) and the remains of the 28th DIAlp. Right behind them are the 7th ID and the 27th DIAlp regrouped, severely tested by the fighting of the previous days. North of the Marne, leaning on the Montagne de Reims, are the 45th ID, the 44th ID (which will be entrusted with the elements of the 28th DIAlp) and the 42nd ID which retreats
on the Vesle, east of Reims, while Guderian's tanks are already in the suburbs of the city. The 82nd ID hold the Montagne de Reims, south of the city. The 10th and 2nd ID
(accompanied by the 23rd BCC, with R-35s) are overwhelmed by German armor. The remains of the first reunited with the 235th DLI, while those of the second withdrew southward. In fine, only the 14th ID holds its position. But it must be said that its General de Lattre, was able to "requisition" precious support elements, to the great displeasure of his of his colleagues: part of the 3rd BCC, on R-35s, the 60th GRDI (of the former 71st ID) and the 10th GRCA (of the 8th CA) as well as various artillery groups (coming from other divisions that had been slashed during the fighting). During the night of the 10th to the 11th, the 14th ID finally received the order to withdraw. The 36th ID does the same in the direction of Vouziers, but in this region the German attack is weak. Indeed, the German infantry divisions in the sector of Rethel (and in particular in Voncq) had been severely tested by the fighting and the French counter-attacks of the previous days, counting several hundred dead and prisoners. However, the 7th BCC is destroyed by the German air force, and the last FCM-36 tanks are evacuated. The 6th ID and 1st DIC also resist very well on the west bank of the Meuse. Following the retreat of the VIth Army leading to that of the IVth Army, the order of general retreat is given to GA 4, including its 2nd Army. This one is at the junction with the GA 2 and for her, the order is to be executed with a first stage of 20 km in the night of the 10th to the 11th.
020
June 10th, 1940
Paris, 1900 - Reynaud receives Huntziger at Matignon and entrusts him, he said in his Memoirs, "one of the most serious, saddest and most necessary missions that an officer can receive from his government: to slow down the invasion of the national territory by the enemy, without hope of victory, but only to delay it in order to allow the evacuation of as many forces as possible, in order to pursue the struggle in exile." Huntziger understands the purpose and necessity of his task, but he insists that it be specified in the official act of his appointment that he accepts it only out of duty.
Briare (French High Command), 2100 - Despite his moods, Huntziger, once appointed, immediately sets to work. He starts by checking the status of the orders that he had given the day before, in his previous functions. This is how he learns that the transport groups had not yet begun to move the 3rd DINA, that it was necessary to redeploy
from the Maginot Line to the Marne-Rhine Canal. Furious, he uses his authority to speed up the redeployment and called General Mast, who commanded this division, to confirm the importance of his role and to specify that he intended that he wanted his unit to be positioned behind the water lines to face the incoming panzers.
Huntziger knows that his night was going to be long. He summons a bewildered Georges to draw up a plan. One of the key points of this plan is to avoid
the encirclement of GA 2, even at the cost of weakening the defense of the east. At this time, German troops are still north of the Seine and Marne rivers. But their
axes of progression are now visible: in the west, Hoth and Rommel aim at Normandy. In the east, bypassing Paris, the movement of Kleist's and Guderian's motorized corps becomes visible, with a probable threat on the with a probable threat to the rear of the Maginot Line.
Two priorities become apparent:
- In the west, as soon as the Seine is crossed by the enemy, the only possible resistance would be on a line combining the Orne and the Sarthe. Given the forces available, this can only be a delaying line, covering the movement towards Brest of the units returning from Dunkirk, which would have to be re-embarked in Brest or Nantes. It is not the "Breton redoubt", but an attempt to evacuate in good order, which implies that the German vanguards to be contained.
- To the east of the capital, the main problem is the near absence of reserves if the Germans were to achieve a breakthrough in the area, which they would then exploit. The nature of the exploitation is not yet clear: at a minimum, it could take the form of an ascent to the north-east towards Verdun to encircle the IInd Army while a more ambitious version would allow the Germans to rush towards the Moselle between Nancy and Epinal (via Saint-Dizier and Chaumont) to encircle the Second Army and flank the Third.
The most pessimistic members of the general staff contemplate, in view of the precedent of the race to the sea at the beginning of May, a complete encirclement of the GA 2 by going up the high valley of the Marne, via Chaumont, Langres and then Besançon. The role of Chaumont as a lock becomes obvious, as well as the necessity to delay the Germans on the rivers and canals (the "wet cuts" in military language). The weakness of the Weygand line made it necessary to get rid of the covering forces for the fortress divisions of the Maginot Line, but it is an acceptable price, insofar as the objective is no longer that of Weygand - to keep as much territory in the perspective of a negociation of an armistice, but that of De Gaulle - to gain as much time as possible and to keep as many troops as possible in the the prospect of an evacuation to Africa. The same question arises in Champagne: would the operation be aimed solely at encircling and destroying the VIth and IVth Armies or a continuation towards Burgundy, or even the Loire? In this part of the front, which has little reserves, apart from those that could be sent to it from GA 2, caution dictates that the Seine should be defended, at the very least.
In addition, General Cartier was appointed to head a heterogeneous group of forces that he has to create from scratch in order to in order to protect the northern flank of the army of the Alps.
Finally, Huntziger put an end to the transfer of troops from North Africa to metropolitan France. He even orders the dismissal of certain troops from the colonies. This is the beginning of what will be knownas the "Grand Déménagement". The first troops sent back had just landed - some soldiers will cross the Mediterranean Sea again without having had time to put a single foot on the ground.
Paris, 1900 - Reynaud receives Huntziger at Matignon and entrusts him, he said in his Memoirs, "one of the most serious, saddest and most necessary missions that an officer can receive from his government: to slow down the invasion of the national territory by the enemy, without hope of victory, but only to delay it in order to allow the evacuation of as many forces as possible, in order to pursue the struggle in exile." Huntziger understands the purpose and necessity of his task, but he insists that it be specified in the official act of his appointment that he accepts it only out of duty.
Briare (French High Command), 2100 - Despite his moods, Huntziger, once appointed, immediately sets to work. He starts by checking the status of the orders that he had given the day before, in his previous functions. This is how he learns that the transport groups had not yet begun to move the 3rd DINA, that it was necessary to redeploy
from the Maginot Line to the Marne-Rhine Canal. Furious, he uses his authority to speed up the redeployment and called General Mast, who commanded this division, to confirm the importance of his role and to specify that he intended that he wanted his unit to be positioned behind the water lines to face the incoming panzers.
Huntziger knows that his night was going to be long. He summons a bewildered Georges to draw up a plan. One of the key points of this plan is to avoid
the encirclement of GA 2, even at the cost of weakening the defense of the east. At this time, German troops are still north of the Seine and Marne rivers. But their
axes of progression are now visible: in the west, Hoth and Rommel aim at Normandy. In the east, bypassing Paris, the movement of Kleist's and Guderian's motorized corps becomes visible, with a probable threat on the with a probable threat to the rear of the Maginot Line.
Two priorities become apparent:
- In the west, as soon as the Seine is crossed by the enemy, the only possible resistance would be on a line combining the Orne and the Sarthe. Given the forces available, this can only be a delaying line, covering the movement towards Brest of the units returning from Dunkirk, which would have to be re-embarked in Brest or Nantes. It is not the "Breton redoubt", but an attempt to evacuate in good order, which implies that the German vanguards to be contained.
- To the east of the capital, the main problem is the near absence of reserves if the Germans were to achieve a breakthrough in the area, which they would then exploit. The nature of the exploitation is not yet clear: at a minimum, it could take the form of an ascent to the north-east towards Verdun to encircle the IInd Army while a more ambitious version would allow the Germans to rush towards the Moselle between Nancy and Epinal (via Saint-Dizier and Chaumont) to encircle the Second Army and flank the Third.
The most pessimistic members of the general staff contemplate, in view of the precedent of the race to the sea at the beginning of May, a complete encirclement of the GA 2 by going up the high valley of the Marne, via Chaumont, Langres and then Besançon. The role of Chaumont as a lock becomes obvious, as well as the necessity to delay the Germans on the rivers and canals (the "wet cuts" in military language). The weakness of the Weygand line made it necessary to get rid of the covering forces for the fortress divisions of the Maginot Line, but it is an acceptable price, insofar as the objective is no longer that of Weygand - to keep as much territory in the perspective of a negociation of an armistice, but that of De Gaulle - to gain as much time as possible and to keep as many troops as possible in the the prospect of an evacuation to Africa. The same question arises in Champagne: would the operation be aimed solely at encircling and destroying the VIth and IVth Armies or a continuation towards Burgundy, or even the Loire? In this part of the front, which has little reserves, apart from those that could be sent to it from GA 2, caution dictates that the Seine should be defended, at the very least.
In addition, General Cartier was appointed to head a heterogeneous group of forces that he has to create from scratch in order to in order to protect the northern flank of the army of the Alps.
Finally, Huntziger put an end to the transfer of troops from North Africa to metropolitan France. He even orders the dismissal of certain troops from the colonies. This is the beginning of what will be knownas the "Grand Déménagement". The first troops sent back had just landed - some soldiers will cross the Mediterranean Sea again without having had time to put a single foot on the ground.
022
June 10th, 1940
Berlin - Some will take it as a kind of omen... The Farman 223-4 Jules-Verne, commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Daillière and based at Bordeaux-Mérignac, had bombed over the the previous days the railroad junctions of Aachen and Maastricht, Middelburg, Vlissingen, etc. And today, the German capital itself is the target of the Jules-Verne!
Arriving from the north, the Farman pretended to want to land at Tempelhof and then, flying at a height of 100 meters and at a speed of 350 km/h, dropped eight bombs on the Siemens factories as well as 80 small incendiary bombs launched by gunner-bomber Deschamps and mechanic Corneillet. The plane then goes on to land without incident at Orly in the morning of the 11th.
Berlin - Some will take it as a kind of omen... The Farman 223-4 Jules-Verne, commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Daillière and based at Bordeaux-Mérignac, had bombed over the the previous days the railroad junctions of Aachen and Maastricht, Middelburg, Vlissingen, etc. And today, the German capital itself is the target of the Jules-Verne!
Arriving from the north, the Farman pretended to want to land at Tempelhof and then, flying at a height of 100 meters and at a speed of 350 km/h, dropped eight bombs on the Siemens factories as well as 80 small incendiary bombs launched by gunner-bomber Deschamps and mechanic Corneillet. The plane then goes on to land without incident at Orly in the morning of the 11th.
023
June 11th, 1940
Around the Loire River - French authorities settle on the Loire: Reynaud at the Château de Chissay, President of the Republic Albert Lebrun, at the château de Cangé (where the Council of Ministers is to take place), De Gaulle at the château de Beauvais and Huntziger at the château du Muguet, near Briare (where the Interallied Council is to meet). Mandel and the Ministry of the Interior move to Tours and the Foreign Office at the Château de Villandry. During this installation, Margerie warns Reynaud that Paul Baudouin (secretary to the War Committee) "had spoken with with Pétain and Weygand."
In the afternoon, in response to Mussolini's declaration, France declares war on Italy, followed by Great Britain and its dominions, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
Briare (Chateau du Muguet), Interallied Supreme Council, 1900 - After many adventures, the British delegation, announced for 1700, finally arrives. It is composed of Winston Churchill (Prime Minister), Anthony Eden (Minister of War), Generals Sir John Dill (Chief of the Imperial Staff), Ismay (Chief of Staff of the British Army) and Spears, and Captain Berkeley. The French delegation included Paul Reynaud, Philippe Pétain (as Vice-President of the Council), Charles de Gaulle, General Huntziger (to whom Pétain did not bother adressing a single word), General Georges (summoned at the request of Ismay and Churchill) and Roland de Margerie. Pétain, already unhappy at being deprived of Weygand, notes with disguised fury the absence of Villelume.
The meeting starts at 2200, after a dinner where Churchill and De Gaulle had time to talk freely for a while. At the same time, Reynaud leaves for a moment to meet with Baudouin, accompanied by Leca and de Margerie. Baudouin, who had been warmly recommended to Reynaud by Hélène de Portes, to the point that he had obtained the post originally intended for De Gaulle, felt that in the absence of his protector and of Villelume, his position had become fragile. He does not, however, shy away from the questions that Reynaud and Margerie have about his contacts with Weygand and Pétain: "In the country's current situation, I wanted to maintain a link with these two great soldiers to avoid a disaster with disastrous consequences for France. Both of them told me that prolonging the fighting was useless, given the desperate desperate turn of events. Stubbornness could only lead to a harder peace, and the longer the fighting goes on, the harder it will be. Mr. President of the Council, I beg you please do not get bogged down in a lifeless position! Colonel (sic) de Gaulle's unbridled ambition is the only reason for his attitude!
- I thank you for your honesty," Reynaud replies, "but my decision is made. You know the grief that affects me; however, I have, today, a duty to France and to France alone. You will understand that, under these conditions, I cannot keep you in the position you presently occupy."
Thus ends the paradox which had seen Reynaud, chosen for his adamancy regarding the pursuit of the war, appoint as secretary of the Committee for War a man who was
convinced of the uselessness of the latter. Baudouin presented his resignation, which was immediately accepted.
The Council therefore began at 2200. Several sources (including the minutes written by Roland de Margerie) allow us today to describe its course with some degree of accuracy.
As the two delegations enter the room where the Council is to meet, Margerie announces to General de Gaulle that he will immediately inherit Baudouin's responsibilities. The Under-Secretary of State didn't blink. Churchill, whose hearing knew, when it was necessary, to be quite acute, turned to turned to Edward Spears (his liaison officer with the French government, who would recount the anecdote in his Memoirs) and said to him in French "Voici l'homme du destin!" If De Gaulle hears this remark worthy of the witches of Macbeth, he doesn't react to it.
The Council begins with a report from Huntziger on the military situation. The new commander-in-chief of the French armies, visibly tired (he had slept only two hours the night before) paints a bleak, but not hopeless, picture: "Our intelligence knows that the enemy forces, while still far more powerful than the French Army can muster, are in urgent need of supplies and of making up their losses. A defense in good order, provided that it is immediately decided and undertaken, would certainly allow to... to hold for several weeks."
- But where could you stop them?" asked Churchill. "On the Loire? Elsewhere?"
- I'm afraid, Prime Minister," Huntziger said in a deafened voice, "that we can only stop them at the Mediterranean. I must admit that there can be no doubt about the outcome of the fighting in France."
Winston Churchill did not hide his astonishment, which was perhaps feigned: "Could you not keep a bridgehead on the Atlantic, in Brittany for example?" He recalled that in the spring of 1918, we had come back from a situation that everyone thought was lost. He also announces the arrival of four British divisions and stated: "If the French Army can hold out, twenty to twenty-five British divisions will be at its disposal in the spring of 1941."
Pétain reacts violently: "The Loire! Brittany! These are dangerous dreams! At the time to which you allude, when Marshal Gough's forces were endangered by the Germans, I launched forty divisions to their rescue. Where are your forty divisions today?"
Churchill doesn't give up: "If it is impossible to establish a classic line of defense on the Loire, guerrilla warfare could substantially slow down the enemy advance."
Pétain almost chokes: "Guerrilla warfare? Do you wish to see our country fall?"
- That's enough, Mr. Vice President of the Council!" exclaimes De Gaulle. It is despicable to want to make our allies bear responsibilities that are only too French!
- French responsibilities? Who do you think you are referring to?" the old marshal rumbles.
- You know the answer to that question!
The enmity between the two men is violent and mutual. Before the stunned eyes of the British delegation, Reynaud has to intervene to interrupt the altercation: "Monsieur le
Marechal, I must ask you to consider, whatever your opinion of the policy of our allies, that on March 28th we signed an agreement with Mr. Chamberlain that forbade any separate peace."
- Should the French Army be forced to cease its participation in the war", Churchill proclaimed, "England will continue it, hoping that Hitler will be ruined by his own victories. In any case, England will continue the struggle, even if she is invaded and experiences all the horrors of war on its territory. With its air force and its fleet, the Empire will be able to resist for years and impose the most severe blockade on Europe. It will quickly become a war of continents. It is possible that the Nazis will dominate Europe, but it will be a Europe in revolt, and everything can only end with the fall of a regime supported mainly by the victory of its machines. We only hope that the French fleet will remain on our side."
- The determination of the French government is similar, Reynaud asserts in the most solemn tone (although his voice did not help him much). "France will fight, whether in the whether in France or in the Empire, and its fleet will continue to work in close coordination with the the British navy. Whatever the military aspect of the question, the problem of the pursuit of the war is a political one and is a matter for the government to decide of."
The discussion then resumes in a calmer tone, even if the tension is still high. De Gaulle asks Huntziger to recover the R-35-equipped BCCs of the GA 2 to regroup the tanks into a battleship corps, the only one able to face the German armoured units. Huntziger takes note of this, without guaranteeing anything.
General Georges asks once again for the massive commitment of a large quantity of British aircraft in France. Churchill refuses: "It would be a mistake to relocate the only
warfare instrument that we have left to bring to the battle of France an insubstantial contribution to tip the balance of the situation.
Huntziger takes the floor again to express his doubts about the "Brittany redoubt", but he does not totally condemn the idea. At least a defense on the Vilaine would allow for an orderly evacuation of the forces located in Lower Normandy and Brittany to proceed from the ports of Lorient and Brest.
Reynaud and De Gaulle intervene once again to affirm their determination to do everything possible to allow the passage to North Africa of a the highest amount of means to continue the struggle.
Churchill assures the French delegation of the total commitment of the Royal Navy to help with this evacuation: "As soon as this Council is over, I shall give Admirals Cunningham and Somerville instructions to this effect. Furthermore, the British forces remaining in France will not hesitate to fight with the French forces to delay the enemy's advance."
The meeting of the Supreme Allied Council is adjourned at midnight
Around the Loire River - French authorities settle on the Loire: Reynaud at the Château de Chissay, President of the Republic Albert Lebrun, at the château de Cangé (where the Council of Ministers is to take place), De Gaulle at the château de Beauvais and Huntziger at the château du Muguet, near Briare (where the Interallied Council is to meet). Mandel and the Ministry of the Interior move to Tours and the Foreign Office at the Château de Villandry. During this installation, Margerie warns Reynaud that Paul Baudouin (secretary to the War Committee) "had spoken with with Pétain and Weygand."
In the afternoon, in response to Mussolini's declaration, France declares war on Italy, followed by Great Britain and its dominions, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
Briare (Chateau du Muguet), Interallied Supreme Council, 1900 - After many adventures, the British delegation, announced for 1700, finally arrives. It is composed of Winston Churchill (Prime Minister), Anthony Eden (Minister of War), Generals Sir John Dill (Chief of the Imperial Staff), Ismay (Chief of Staff of the British Army) and Spears, and Captain Berkeley. The French delegation included Paul Reynaud, Philippe Pétain (as Vice-President of the Council), Charles de Gaulle, General Huntziger (to whom Pétain did not bother adressing a single word), General Georges (summoned at the request of Ismay and Churchill) and Roland de Margerie. Pétain, already unhappy at being deprived of Weygand, notes with disguised fury the absence of Villelume.
The meeting starts at 2200, after a dinner where Churchill and De Gaulle had time to talk freely for a while. At the same time, Reynaud leaves for a moment to meet with Baudouin, accompanied by Leca and de Margerie. Baudouin, who had been warmly recommended to Reynaud by Hélène de Portes, to the point that he had obtained the post originally intended for De Gaulle, felt that in the absence of his protector and of Villelume, his position had become fragile. He does not, however, shy away from the questions that Reynaud and Margerie have about his contacts with Weygand and Pétain: "In the country's current situation, I wanted to maintain a link with these two great soldiers to avoid a disaster with disastrous consequences for France. Both of them told me that prolonging the fighting was useless, given the desperate desperate turn of events. Stubbornness could only lead to a harder peace, and the longer the fighting goes on, the harder it will be. Mr. President of the Council, I beg you please do not get bogged down in a lifeless position! Colonel (sic) de Gaulle's unbridled ambition is the only reason for his attitude!
- I thank you for your honesty," Reynaud replies, "but my decision is made. You know the grief that affects me; however, I have, today, a duty to France and to France alone. You will understand that, under these conditions, I cannot keep you in the position you presently occupy."
Thus ends the paradox which had seen Reynaud, chosen for his adamancy regarding the pursuit of the war, appoint as secretary of the Committee for War a man who was
convinced of the uselessness of the latter. Baudouin presented his resignation, which was immediately accepted.
The Council therefore began at 2200. Several sources (including the minutes written by Roland de Margerie) allow us today to describe its course with some degree of accuracy.
As the two delegations enter the room where the Council is to meet, Margerie announces to General de Gaulle that he will immediately inherit Baudouin's responsibilities. The Under-Secretary of State didn't blink. Churchill, whose hearing knew, when it was necessary, to be quite acute, turned to turned to Edward Spears (his liaison officer with the French government, who would recount the anecdote in his Memoirs) and said to him in French "Voici l'homme du destin!" If De Gaulle hears this remark worthy of the witches of Macbeth, he doesn't react to it.
The Council begins with a report from Huntziger on the military situation. The new commander-in-chief of the French armies, visibly tired (he had slept only two hours the night before) paints a bleak, but not hopeless, picture: "Our intelligence knows that the enemy forces, while still far more powerful than the French Army can muster, are in urgent need of supplies and of making up their losses. A defense in good order, provided that it is immediately decided and undertaken, would certainly allow to... to hold for several weeks."
- But where could you stop them?" asked Churchill. "On the Loire? Elsewhere?"
- I'm afraid, Prime Minister," Huntziger said in a deafened voice, "that we can only stop them at the Mediterranean. I must admit that there can be no doubt about the outcome of the fighting in France."
Winston Churchill did not hide his astonishment, which was perhaps feigned: "Could you not keep a bridgehead on the Atlantic, in Brittany for example?" He recalled that in the spring of 1918, we had come back from a situation that everyone thought was lost. He also announces the arrival of four British divisions and stated: "If the French Army can hold out, twenty to twenty-five British divisions will be at its disposal in the spring of 1941."
Pétain reacts violently: "The Loire! Brittany! These are dangerous dreams! At the time to which you allude, when Marshal Gough's forces were endangered by the Germans, I launched forty divisions to their rescue. Where are your forty divisions today?"
Churchill doesn't give up: "If it is impossible to establish a classic line of defense on the Loire, guerrilla warfare could substantially slow down the enemy advance."
Pétain almost chokes: "Guerrilla warfare? Do you wish to see our country fall?"
- That's enough, Mr. Vice President of the Council!" exclaimes De Gaulle. It is despicable to want to make our allies bear responsibilities that are only too French!
- French responsibilities? Who do you think you are referring to?" the old marshal rumbles.
- You know the answer to that question!
The enmity between the two men is violent and mutual. Before the stunned eyes of the British delegation, Reynaud has to intervene to interrupt the altercation: "Monsieur le
Marechal, I must ask you to consider, whatever your opinion of the policy of our allies, that on March 28th we signed an agreement with Mr. Chamberlain that forbade any separate peace."
- Should the French Army be forced to cease its participation in the war", Churchill proclaimed, "England will continue it, hoping that Hitler will be ruined by his own victories. In any case, England will continue the struggle, even if she is invaded and experiences all the horrors of war on its territory. With its air force and its fleet, the Empire will be able to resist for years and impose the most severe blockade on Europe. It will quickly become a war of continents. It is possible that the Nazis will dominate Europe, but it will be a Europe in revolt, and everything can only end with the fall of a regime supported mainly by the victory of its machines. We only hope that the French fleet will remain on our side."
- The determination of the French government is similar, Reynaud asserts in the most solemn tone (although his voice did not help him much). "France will fight, whether in the whether in France or in the Empire, and its fleet will continue to work in close coordination with the the British navy. Whatever the military aspect of the question, the problem of the pursuit of the war is a political one and is a matter for the government to decide of."
The discussion then resumes in a calmer tone, even if the tension is still high. De Gaulle asks Huntziger to recover the R-35-equipped BCCs of the GA 2 to regroup the tanks into a battleship corps, the only one able to face the German armoured units. Huntziger takes note of this, without guaranteeing anything.
General Georges asks once again for the massive commitment of a large quantity of British aircraft in France. Churchill refuses: "It would be a mistake to relocate the only
warfare instrument that we have left to bring to the battle of France an insubstantial contribution to tip the balance of the situation.
Huntziger takes the floor again to express his doubts about the "Brittany redoubt", but he does not totally condemn the idea. At least a defense on the Vilaine would allow for an orderly evacuation of the forces located in Lower Normandy and Brittany to proceed from the ports of Lorient and Brest.
Reynaud and De Gaulle intervene once again to affirm their determination to do everything possible to allow the passage to North Africa of a the highest amount of means to continue the struggle.
Churchill assures the French delegation of the total commitment of the Royal Navy to help with this evacuation: "As soon as this Council is over, I shall give Admirals Cunningham and Somerville instructions to this effect. Furthermore, the British forces remaining in France will not hesitate to fight with the French forces to delay the enemy's advance."
The meeting of the Supreme Allied Council is adjourned at midnight
024
June 11th, 1940
Italian East Africa - The Italian air force launches its first reconnaissance missions over Kassala, Port Sudan, Moyale, Djibouti and Aden. The British retaliate: Wellesleys of Sqn 14 hit the port of Massaoua, setting fire to a fuel depot. Thereafter, the Italians would try to better disperse and camouflage their depots.
During the following weeks, the two sides engage in almost daily attacks, albeit of limited intensity, given the forces involved. The British regularly strike Massaoua and Assab, to prevent any attack on naval traffic in the Red Sea (where a convoy system will be progressively set up), but also other enemy airfields, forcing the Italians to disperse their aircraft on secondary runways. The oil installations in Acico Bay, near Massaoua, are also targeted. For their part, the Italians mainly divide their efforts between Port-Sudan, Djibouti and Aden. At first, these raids met with little opposition, but they were carried out by groups of 3 to 8 Ca.133 or SM.81, and did little damage. Khartoum will be bombed during the first week of the conflict in this region, but the bombs will cause more panic than actual damage.
"The Allied air forces were facing much more powerful Italian forces, at least on paper. It was urgent to send reinforcements to face the impressive Italian armada. The commander of the French air detachment in Djibouti (the GAM-CFS) is given this answer to the message informing him that the French Air Force had very few front-line aircraft to send him in the immediate future: "I don't care if they are front-line. Send me planes, any planes...as long as they can fly." His RAF colleagues in Sudan and Kenya surely said the same. The South Africans even put old Valencia biplanes back into service for bombing missions." (A. Lenoir, op.cit.)
Italian East Africa - The Italian air force launches its first reconnaissance missions over Kassala, Port Sudan, Moyale, Djibouti and Aden. The British retaliate: Wellesleys of Sqn 14 hit the port of Massaoua, setting fire to a fuel depot. Thereafter, the Italians would try to better disperse and camouflage their depots.
During the following weeks, the two sides engage in almost daily attacks, albeit of limited intensity, given the forces involved. The British regularly strike Massaoua and Assab, to prevent any attack on naval traffic in the Red Sea (where a convoy system will be progressively set up), but also other enemy airfields, forcing the Italians to disperse their aircraft on secondary runways. The oil installations in Acico Bay, near Massaoua, are also targeted. For their part, the Italians mainly divide their efforts between Port-Sudan, Djibouti and Aden. At first, these raids met with little opposition, but they were carried out by groups of 3 to 8 Ca.133 or SM.81, and did little damage. Khartoum will be bombed during the first week of the conflict in this region, but the bombs will cause more panic than actual damage.
"The Allied air forces were facing much more powerful Italian forces, at least on paper. It was urgent to send reinforcements to face the impressive Italian armada. The commander of the French air detachment in Djibouti (the GAM-CFS) is given this answer to the message informing him that the French Air Force had very few front-line aircraft to send him in the immediate future: "I don't care if they are front-line. Send me planes, any planes...as long as they can fly." His RAF colleagues in Sudan and Kenya surely said the same. The South Africans even put old Valencia biplanes back into service for bombing missions." (A. Lenoir, op.cit.)
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025
June 11th, 1940
Somaliland - The Italians seize the border village of Borama, cutting off the road between Hargeisa and Zeila.
Aden - Australian light cruiser HMAS Hobart and British destroyers HMS Kingston and Khartoum are to comb the Red Sea off the coast of Eritrea. While the Regia Marina did not show up, some Italian bombers tried to attack the small flotilla, without any real success, before it returned to Aden the next day.
Somaliland - The Italians seize the border village of Borama, cutting off the road between Hargeisa and Zeila.
Aden - Australian light cruiser HMAS Hobart and British destroyers HMS Kingston and Khartoum are to comb the Red Sea off the coast of Eritrea. While the Regia Marina did not show up, some Italian bombers tried to attack the small flotilla, without any real success, before it returned to Aden the next day.
026
June 11th, 1940
The new organization chart of the General Staff of the National Defense is in fact the precursor of the application of the "Dutch solution", which will soon take another name: Le Grand Déménagement.
- Generalissimo and Chief of the General Staff of the National Defense: Army General Huntziger.
- General Staff of the National Defense: Army General Doumenc, Vice-Admiral Castex, Air Force General Mouchard.
- Commander-in-Chief of the Land Forces in Europe and Chief of the Grand Quartier Général: General Georges.
- Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces: Admiral Darlan.
- Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force: Air Force General Houdemon [1].
- Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Forces in North Africa: Army General Noguès.
Entitled Conduite à tenir dans les semaines à venir, General de Gaulle's "road map" set out a policy that only left high command, in an odd napoleonic conception, only the choice of the enforcement of the rules:
"- To slow down the German advance from stop line to stop line, taking advantage of all natural obstacles and cuts. From this point of view, the geography will benefit the defense since we will be able to rely on the Jura and the Alps as well as on the Massif Central, while it will be relatively easy to lock down, at least temporarily, the Rhone valley and the and the Strabon isthmus. It is necessary for us to wear down the enemy till the bitter end and to disrupt its already disproportionately lengthened lines of communication.
- To hold on without retreating our resistance positions on the Italian border, from the Swiss border to Menton, even if it means "lowering the flap" as we go along according to the to keep our freedom of operations in the Rhone axis and to preserve Toulon.
- To put an end without delay to the sending of reinforcements from North Africa or other colonies. The fight will continue to be carried out in France with the only resources that
were there on June 10th.
- Immediately direct to NAF (North Africa) the students and instructors of the schools - of all ranks and specialties - of the three Armies.
- To prepare the evacuation to North Africa, as our front lines shorten, of all the personnel essential to the replenishment of a core of land forces which could not be less than thirty divisions [2], all armored, mechanized or motorized, with the exception of our mountain units, whose organization must be studied right now. This figure does not include the necessary elements of sovereignty already on the ground.
- The regiment or battalion commanders, and if necessary the company or squadron commanders, will have to ensure that they take care to carry only individual weapons, FMs, mortars and, if possible, two fire units.
- In view of the joint Franco-British maneuver being prepared against Libya, transfer to Algiers or Bône as many Renault R-35 or D1 tanks and AMD Panhard type AFN. The other models of armoured vehicles, which are heavier and whose transportation could hinder transport of the men, will have to be abandoned and destroyed in Metropolitan France, with the only
exception of the most advanced prototypes (B1 ter tanks, Somua S-40 and Au-40, ARL 40, AMD Panhard, AMD Gendron-Somua, Lorraine tractors) which are to be sent immediately to North Africa or, at the very least, to Great Britain.
- To limit the evacuation of artillery equipment to modern tubes (type 105 L) or modernized (75 and 105 C on tires, 155 GPFT), anti-tank 25 and especially 47, 25, 75 and 90 anti-armor guns, corresponding ammunition and ad hoc traction means.
- Evacuate all resources from our arsenals and Atlantic ports. All the ships and boats in a condition to go to sea, even in tow, will have to depart, either for our main bases in Africa (Oran, Casablanca, Dakar), or towards the British coast. The unfinished hulls or those not in a condition to go to sea will be destroyed or scuttled. It is important to embark, without worrying about overloading, all the reserves of ammunition, spare parts and fuel.
- Our Mediterranean ports must remain open until the last second, in order to allow the departure of a maximum amount of men and equipment.
- Prepare and implement as quickly as operations permit the transport of all Air Force technical personnel and their equipment. The air force personnel and aircrafts in flying condition - war-ready or not, in units or in establishments of the general reserve, even taken at the factories' exits - will fly to the south as needed, depending solely on the necessities of combat.
- To organize as of today the departure to NAF of personnel and machines of our and armament factories, with the study blueprints and manufacturing plans.
- The above orders also concern Polish and Czech soldiers serving in our armies. After consultation and agreement with General Denis, they should also apply to Belgian units
units, as well as, in cooperation with CIGS [3], to the British elements that may be mixed with ours."
[1] General Jean-Paul Houdemon replaces General Vuillemin, who tended his resignation in the early hours of the morning.
[2] General De Gaulle falls victim to a bit of wishful thinking, unless he means to raise moral in High Command.
[3] Chief of Imperial General Staff, Sir John Dill
The new organization chart of the General Staff of the National Defense is in fact the precursor of the application of the "Dutch solution", which will soon take another name: Le Grand Déménagement.
- Generalissimo and Chief of the General Staff of the National Defense: Army General Huntziger.
- General Staff of the National Defense: Army General Doumenc, Vice-Admiral Castex, Air Force General Mouchard.
- Commander-in-Chief of the Land Forces in Europe and Chief of the Grand Quartier Général: General Georges.
- Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces: Admiral Darlan.
- Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force: Air Force General Houdemon [1].
- Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Forces in North Africa: Army General Noguès.
Entitled Conduite à tenir dans les semaines à venir, General de Gaulle's "road map" set out a policy that only left high command, in an odd napoleonic conception, only the choice of the enforcement of the rules:
"- To slow down the German advance from stop line to stop line, taking advantage of all natural obstacles and cuts. From this point of view, the geography will benefit the defense since we will be able to rely on the Jura and the Alps as well as on the Massif Central, while it will be relatively easy to lock down, at least temporarily, the Rhone valley and the and the Strabon isthmus. It is necessary for us to wear down the enemy till the bitter end and to disrupt its already disproportionately lengthened lines of communication.
- To hold on without retreating our resistance positions on the Italian border, from the Swiss border to Menton, even if it means "lowering the flap" as we go along according to the to keep our freedom of operations in the Rhone axis and to preserve Toulon.
- To put an end without delay to the sending of reinforcements from North Africa or other colonies. The fight will continue to be carried out in France with the only resources that
were there on June 10th.
- Immediately direct to NAF (North Africa) the students and instructors of the schools - of all ranks and specialties - of the three Armies.
- To prepare the evacuation to North Africa, as our front lines shorten, of all the personnel essential to the replenishment of a core of land forces which could not be less than thirty divisions [2], all armored, mechanized or motorized, with the exception of our mountain units, whose organization must be studied right now. This figure does not include the necessary elements of sovereignty already on the ground.
- The regiment or battalion commanders, and if necessary the company or squadron commanders, will have to ensure that they take care to carry only individual weapons, FMs, mortars and, if possible, two fire units.
- In view of the joint Franco-British maneuver being prepared against Libya, transfer to Algiers or Bône as many Renault R-35 or D1 tanks and AMD Panhard type AFN. The other models of armoured vehicles, which are heavier and whose transportation could hinder transport of the men, will have to be abandoned and destroyed in Metropolitan France, with the only
exception of the most advanced prototypes (B1 ter tanks, Somua S-40 and Au-40, ARL 40, AMD Panhard, AMD Gendron-Somua, Lorraine tractors) which are to be sent immediately to North Africa or, at the very least, to Great Britain.
- To limit the evacuation of artillery equipment to modern tubes (type 105 L) or modernized (75 and 105 C on tires, 155 GPFT), anti-tank 25 and especially 47, 25, 75 and 90 anti-armor guns, corresponding ammunition and ad hoc traction means.
- Evacuate all resources from our arsenals and Atlantic ports. All the ships and boats in a condition to go to sea, even in tow, will have to depart, either for our main bases in Africa (Oran, Casablanca, Dakar), or towards the British coast. The unfinished hulls or those not in a condition to go to sea will be destroyed or scuttled. It is important to embark, without worrying about overloading, all the reserves of ammunition, spare parts and fuel.
- Our Mediterranean ports must remain open until the last second, in order to allow the departure of a maximum amount of men and equipment.
- Prepare and implement as quickly as operations permit the transport of all Air Force technical personnel and their equipment. The air force personnel and aircrafts in flying condition - war-ready or not, in units or in establishments of the general reserve, even taken at the factories' exits - will fly to the south as needed, depending solely on the necessities of combat.
- To organize as of today the departure to NAF of personnel and machines of our and armament factories, with the study blueprints and manufacturing plans.
- The above orders also concern Polish and Czech soldiers serving in our armies. After consultation and agreement with General Denis, they should also apply to Belgian units
units, as well as, in cooperation with CIGS [3], to the British elements that may be mixed with ours."
[1] General Jean-Paul Houdemon replaces General Vuillemin, who tended his resignation in the early hours of the morning.
[2] General De Gaulle falls victim to a bit of wishful thinking, unless he means to raise moral in High Command.
[3] Chief of Imperial General Staff, Sir John Dill
027
June 11th, 1940
Mediterranean - During the night of the 11th to the 12th, 36 Whitley bombers take off from England towards Italy, 1,200 km away, which they had to reach after refuelling in the Anglo-Norman islands. Due to weather problems over the Alps, only 9 planes reached Turin, but they missed their main objective, the Fiat factories. The Italians escape a second
second bombing: 12 Wellingtons that arrived in the south of France during the day were denied permission to take off, as the French feared Italian reprisals. It takes several days of arguing between the French and the English before the latter received the authorization to use the Salon-de-Provence airfield.
.........
The French authorities hastened to get their hands on the Italian merchant ships present in the French ports. However, the booty was rather small. One ship was seized in Bordeaux: the steamer San Pietro (5,199 GRT). The others were seized in Marseille: Capo Olmo (4,712 GRT), Dandolo (4,964 GRT) and Nicolò Odero (6,003 GRT), in Marseille itself, and Tagliamento (5,448 GRT), Rosandra (8,034 GRT) and Mayan (2,571 GRT) [1] in Caronte. To these ships were added the Semien (6,942 GRT), captured in Dakar, and the Fortunata (4,786 GRT), captured at sea on 14 June by aviso D'Entrecasteaux and taken to Casablanca. For their part, the British seized 27 Italian ships throughout the British Empire, totalling more than 155,000 GRT. Some others escaped capture by scuttling.
.........
Athens - General Alexander Papagos, chief of staff of the Greek army, responds energetically to the aggressive statements that Mussolini had multiplied against Greece (the previous day's attempt at appeasement hasn't made people forget). He assures that he will make respect the neutrality of his country, if necessary by arms. In private, he considers that after the declaration of war to the French and the British, the confrontation between his country and Italy has become unavoidable.
[1] Although sailing under panamean flag, the sailors of the Mayan were exclusively italian.
Mediterranean - During the night of the 11th to the 12th, 36 Whitley bombers take off from England towards Italy, 1,200 km away, which they had to reach after refuelling in the Anglo-Norman islands. Due to weather problems over the Alps, only 9 planes reached Turin, but they missed their main objective, the Fiat factories. The Italians escape a second
second bombing: 12 Wellingtons that arrived in the south of France during the day were denied permission to take off, as the French feared Italian reprisals. It takes several days of arguing between the French and the English before the latter received the authorization to use the Salon-de-Provence airfield.
.........
The French authorities hastened to get their hands on the Italian merchant ships present in the French ports. However, the booty was rather small. One ship was seized in Bordeaux: the steamer San Pietro (5,199 GRT). The others were seized in Marseille: Capo Olmo (4,712 GRT), Dandolo (4,964 GRT) and Nicolò Odero (6,003 GRT), in Marseille itself, and Tagliamento (5,448 GRT), Rosandra (8,034 GRT) and Mayan (2,571 GRT) [1] in Caronte. To these ships were added the Semien (6,942 GRT), captured in Dakar, and the Fortunata (4,786 GRT), captured at sea on 14 June by aviso D'Entrecasteaux and taken to Casablanca. For their part, the British seized 27 Italian ships throughout the British Empire, totalling more than 155,000 GRT. Some others escaped capture by scuttling.
.........
Athens - General Alexander Papagos, chief of staff of the Greek army, responds energetically to the aggressive statements that Mussolini had multiplied against Greece (the previous day's attempt at appeasement hasn't made people forget). He assures that he will make respect the neutrality of his country, if necessary by arms. In private, he considers that after the declaration of war to the French and the British, the confrontation between his country and Italy has become unavoidable.
[1] Although sailing under panamean flag, the sailors of the Mayan were exclusively italian.
028
June 11th, 1940
Gibraltar - British cable layer Mirror and Danish tug Valkyrian set sail with an escort to cut the submarine telegraph cables in the Mediterranean. If the Danish ship's equipment proves inadequate, the Mirror will carry out its task and return to port on the 14th, after having cut the Malaga-Rome and Malaga-Barcelona cables.
Gibraltar - British cable layer Mirror and Danish tug Valkyrian set sail with an escort to cut the submarine telegraph cables in the Mediterranean. If the Danish ship's equipment proves inadequate, the Mirror will carry out its task and return to port on the 14th, after having cut the Malaga-Rome and Malaga-Barcelona cables.
029
June 11th, 1940
French North Africa - Italian planes and seaplanes make reconnaissance flights over Bizerte, Karouba, Sidi Ahmed, Algiers and Oran. French submarines Monge and Pégase (5th DSM) leave Bizerte to monitor the lines of communication between southern Italy and Tripolitania. The Tonnant (1st DSM) does the same to patrol the shallow waters of the Esquerins (marine plateau along the northeast coast of Tunisia).
French North Africa - Italian planes and seaplanes make reconnaissance flights over Bizerte, Karouba, Sidi Ahmed, Algiers and Oran. French submarines Monge and Pégase (5th DSM) leave Bizerte to monitor the lines of communication between southern Italy and Tripolitania. The Tonnant (1st DSM) does the same to patrol the shallow waters of the Esquerins (marine plateau along the northeast coast of Tunisia).
030
June 11th, 1940
Strait of Sicily - The Italian mines are effective, but they do not distinguish nationalities. Greek cargo ships, and therefore neutral, Zinovia (2,975 GRT) and Makis (3,546 GRT)
hit mines of Field 1 AN and sink.
Two Italian flotillas patrol the Strait of Sicily: the first group is made up of heavy cruisers Bolzano, Pola and Trento (3rd cruiser division), whose escort was replaced by the 11th CT squadron (Artigliere, Aviere, Camicia Nera, Geniere), and the second by light cruisers Duca d'Aosta and Muzio Attendolo (7th cruiser division), with the 12th squadron of CT Ascari, Carabiniere, Corrazziere and Lanciere (the last two coming back from their mission to lay mines the day before).
Strait of Sicily - The Italian mines are effective, but they do not distinguish nationalities. Greek cargo ships, and therefore neutral, Zinovia (2,975 GRT) and Makis (3,546 GRT)
hit mines of Field 1 AN and sink.
Two Italian flotillas patrol the Strait of Sicily: the first group is made up of heavy cruisers Bolzano, Pola and Trento (3rd cruiser division), whose escort was replaced by the 11th CT squadron (Artigliere, Aviere, Camicia Nera, Geniere), and the second by light cruisers Duca d'Aosta and Muzio Attendolo (7th cruiser division), with the 12th squadron of CT Ascari, Carabiniere, Corrazziere and Lanciere (the last two coming back from their mission to lay mines the day before).
031
June 11th, 1940
Malta - In the early morning, 55 SM.79 escorted by 18 MC.200 take off from Sicily and launch their first bombs on Malta, targeting Valletta, Hal Far airfield and the Kalafrana seaplane base. The raid is detected by the Dingli Cliffs radar. Three Sea Gladiators take off to intercept the Italians, but only one SM.79 is damaged, while the pilots of the MC.200, despite their numerical superiority, realize that the British biplanes were very maneuverable [1]. Another SM.79, sent a few hours later to evaluate the (poor) result of the attack, is in turn caught in the hunt and slightly damaged. In the afternoon, a second raid, without escort, attacks the same targets, but escapes interception.
[1] Especially since the Macchi pilots can fear an irrecoverable stall of their machines, which will soon be forbidden to fly until a structural defect in the wing of the MC.200 is corrected.
Malta - In the early morning, 55 SM.79 escorted by 18 MC.200 take off from Sicily and launch their first bombs on Malta, targeting Valletta, Hal Far airfield and the Kalafrana seaplane base. The raid is detected by the Dingli Cliffs radar. Three Sea Gladiators take off to intercept the Italians, but only one SM.79 is damaged, while the pilots of the MC.200, despite their numerical superiority, realize that the British biplanes were very maneuverable [1]. Another SM.79, sent a few hours later to evaluate the (poor) result of the attack, is in turn caught in the hunt and slightly damaged. In the afternoon, a second raid, without escort, attacks the same targets, but escapes interception.
[1] Especially since the Macchi pilots can fear an irrecoverable stall of their machines, which will soon be forbidden to fly until a structural defect in the wing of the MC.200 is corrected.
032
June 11th, 1940
Alexandria - Covered by the RAF, cruisers Orion, Neptune, Sydney, Liverpool and Gloucester (7th Cruiser Squadron) set sail. Commanded by Vice Admiral Tovey, they are charged with attacking any enemy ship between Tobruk and Benghazi. The main group follows an hour and a half later, with aircraft carrier Eagle, battleships Malaya and Warspite and ten destroyers. It is joined during the day by cruisers Caledon and Calypso along with two destroyers.
For their part, the French naval forces in the Levant set sail from Beirut. Submarines Protée, Espadon and Phoque are to patrol the Dodecanese. The Acheron and Actéon remain in reserve, while the Dauphin is being overhauled in Alexandria (until the 14th). The surface fleet (heavy cruisers Suffren, Duquesne, Tourville, light cruiser Duguay-Trouin, destroyers Basque, Forbin and Le Fortuné), under the command of Admiral Godfroy, are to push on to the Strait of Kassos (east of Crete) and pass briefly to the north of the large island, to create a diversion for the operations planned on the Ligurian coast (Operation Samoyed). The French ships would then return to Alexandria.
Alexandria - Covered by the RAF, cruisers Orion, Neptune, Sydney, Liverpool and Gloucester (7th Cruiser Squadron) set sail. Commanded by Vice Admiral Tovey, they are charged with attacking any enemy ship between Tobruk and Benghazi. The main group follows an hour and a half later, with aircraft carrier Eagle, battleships Malaya and Warspite and ten destroyers. It is joined during the day by cruisers Caledon and Calypso along with two destroyers.
For their part, the French naval forces in the Levant set sail from Beirut. Submarines Protée, Espadon and Phoque are to patrol the Dodecanese. The Acheron and Actéon remain in reserve, while the Dauphin is being overhauled in Alexandria (until the 14th). The surface fleet (heavy cruisers Suffren, Duquesne, Tourville, light cruiser Duguay-Trouin, destroyers Basque, Forbin and Le Fortuné), under the command of Admiral Godfroy, are to push on to the Strait of Kassos (east of Crete) and pass briefly to the north of the large island, to create a diversion for the operations planned on the Ligurian coast (Operation Samoyed). The French ships would then return to Alexandria.
033
June 11th, 1940
Libya (Cyrenaica) - British machine guns ambush Italian trucks near Fort Capuzzo. In the following days, other skirmishes take place on the border between Libya and Egypt, undermining the morale of the men of the 30th Sector of the Guardia alla Frontiera and advanced elements of the 10a Armata (XXI Corps and 1st Libyan Division).
The RAF launches its first raids on Libya. The early morning reconnaissance flights having found no interesting target in the port of Tobruk, it was the airfield of El Adem airfield which was targeted, with Italian planes lined up as if on parade. One SM.79 is destroyed and four damaged, as well as one CR.32, five Ro.37, two Ca.309 and six SM.81. The ground crews also suffer. The British lose two Blenheims, while five others are damaged.
At the end of the day, a new reconnaissance flight spots ships in Tobruk; orders are given to attack the port the next morning, to force the Italian ships to leave under the gunfire of Royal Navy vessels.
Libya (Cyrenaica) - British machine guns ambush Italian trucks near Fort Capuzzo. In the following days, other skirmishes take place on the border between Libya and Egypt, undermining the morale of the men of the 30th Sector of the Guardia alla Frontiera and advanced elements of the 10a Armata (XXI Corps and 1st Libyan Division).
The RAF launches its first raids on Libya. The early morning reconnaissance flights having found no interesting target in the port of Tobruk, it was the airfield of El Adem airfield which was targeted, with Italian planes lined up as if on parade. One SM.79 is destroyed and four damaged, as well as one CR.32, five Ro.37, two Ca.309 and six SM.81. The ground crews also suffer. The British lose two Blenheims, while five others are damaged.
At the end of the day, a new reconnaissance flight spots ships in Tobruk; orders are given to attack the port the next morning, to force the Italian ships to leave under the gunfire of Royal Navy vessels.
034
June 11th, 1941
Paris, 0630 - A captain from General Héring's staff knocks on the door of General Gamelin's private apartment, Avenue Foch. With his only arm, he hands
the ex-generalissimo, still in his robe, a letter from the ministry informing him of the government's decision to send him immediately to North Africa by plane. The plane, a Dewoitine 338 that three Moranes would escort to Marseille, was to take off from Orly at 10 am at the latest. At the highest level of government, it was deemed unthinkable to
risk the former commander-in-chief being captured by the Germans and therefore he is included in the not yet acknowledged "Grand Déménagement".
- General," insisted the captain (whose jacket was adorned with the bar of the Croix de Guerre with two palms), your luggage and that of Madame Gamelin, as light as possible of course, have to be ready at 9 o'clock. I will pick you up. My respects, General." The captain saluted, left hand on kepi.
At the same time, a second lieutenant accomplished a similar mission with Commandant Petibon, Gamelin's former chief of staff.
Paris, 0630 - A captain from General Héring's staff knocks on the door of General Gamelin's private apartment, Avenue Foch. With his only arm, he hands
the ex-generalissimo, still in his robe, a letter from the ministry informing him of the government's decision to send him immediately to North Africa by plane. The plane, a Dewoitine 338 that three Moranes would escort to Marseille, was to take off from Orly at 10 am at the latest. At the highest level of government, it was deemed unthinkable to
risk the former commander-in-chief being captured by the Germans and therefore he is included in the not yet acknowledged "Grand Déménagement".
- General," insisted the captain (whose jacket was adorned with the bar of the Croix de Guerre with two palms), your luggage and that of Madame Gamelin, as light as possible of course, have to be ready at 9 o'clock. I will pick you up. My respects, General." The captain saluted, left hand on kepi.
At the same time, a second lieutenant accomplished a similar mission with Commandant Petibon, Gamelin's former chief of staff.
035
June 11th, 1940
Normandy - In the port of Le Havre, the refineries that had been deliberately set on fire the day before are still burning; flames and smoke create an apocalyptic atmosphere that would be repeated many times around the world in the following years... Five merchant ships participating in the evacuation (including two Belgians, the liner Albertville and the steamer Piriapolis) are sunk by stukas and a sixth had to run aground; two others are victims of mines. The old battleship Paris, who covered the area with its twin Courbet, is also damaged. It has to go to Brest to be repaired.
Spearheaded by Rommel, the 7. PzD moves up the coast towards Saint-Valéry-en-Caux, destroying resistance centers such as Fécamp.
Facing the Xth Army, on the south bank of the Seine, the Germans consolidate their positions. Some bridges are operational in Andelys, Courcelles and Vernon - but the Allied air force however, succeeds in destroying the latter during the day and the others are damaged by mines laid in the Seine by the French Navy. But the French exhausted their reserves by trying to destroy the bridgeheads.
At Louviers, the 3rd DLC and the 236th DLI defend themselves on foot and several counter-attacks succeed in driving back the Germans. In retaliation, the Luftwaffe destroys most of the city, which was fortunately deserted by its inhabitants.
Another counter-attack is led on Vernon by the 2nd DLM supported by the infantry of the 8th DLIC. It comes up against the 46. ID coming out of the Bizy forest. The progression of the Germans is stopped, they are pushed back into the forest where they remain until nightfall.
The 1st DLM, supported by the B1 tanks of the 352nd CACC, work to clear the forest of Pacy, capturing about forty German soldiers.
In spite of these courageous efforts, the front is broken in the center. Around 1800, reconnaissance elements of the 27. ID cross the Eure between Heudebourg and Autheuil, while in the evening German side-cars arrive near Evreux.
The link between the Xth Army and the Army of Paris is broken. The 3rd CA (3rd DLM, 3rd DLC and 236th DLI) is forced to withdraw to the Elbeuf-Evreux line.
Ile-de-France (Chauvineau Line) - On the Oise, the Germans limit themselves to probing attacks on the French defense. Only the 28. ID tried to cross the river, nar Boran. It is pushed back by the 19th ID but manages to keep a small bridgehead in the Epulle wood, near Précy.
French artillery carries out harassment fire on concentrations located north of l'Isle-Adam. The response increases as German artillery is deployed and the duels continue for most of the night.
The 29th DIAlp and the 47th ID, which marched all night, occupy the course of the Nonette by morning. From 1100 on, they are under pressure from the 87. and 44. ID which advance on Chantilly and Senlis, respectively. Thanks to the reinforcement of a detachment of the 1st DCR, the 47th ID manages to hold south of Senlis and Pontarmé, albeit with heavy losses.
The 11th ID (General Arlabosse) occupies the Ormoy gap between Nonette and Grivette, without any natural obstacle to hold on to. It is there that the Germans will make their main push in their march on Paris. An attack of the 94. ID on Ormoy is repulsed, as almost simultaneously the 4. ID invests Rosière, at the junction between the 11th ID and the 7th DINA. The situation requires a counter-attack. At nightfall, the II/26th RI, supported by four artillery groups, knocks down the men of the 4. ID and around 2200 the defense line is re-established. The enemy reacts by shelling the French positions for the rest of the night.
In the capital, General Héring, commander of the Army of Paris, orders the destruction of all the fuel reserves in the region that cannot be evacuated.
Champagne - Facing the VIth Army, German tanks (Kleist) force the Ourcq and reach the Marne at Château-Thierry. The German 6th Army begins to force the passage of the river, to allow the advance of the 16th. AK (mot). The XIV. AK (mot), on the other hand, finishes recovering from the battle of the Somme (after whichonly 45% of its tanks were operational).
Facing them, the 27th DIAlp and the 238th DLI withdrew to Montmirail, dragging the 7th ID, which was in the second echelon. Further east, the front had to withdraw to the Marne (IVth and IInd Armies), to align itself with the VIth Army. The bulk of the 20th ID, landed between Dormans and Epernay,
is engaged in a mess before being gathered. The 45th ID is organized in Verneuil. The 44th ID (with the remains of the 28th) finishes to reposition itself behind the Marne, while the 42nd ID and the 82nd DIA continue their withdrawal, and the 235th DLI/2nd ID/10th ID group continues its retreat towards Châlons-sur-Marne. The 14th ID, which recovered part of the 2nd ID elements, withdraws in in good order. In the evening, the 3rd BCC, which still has about ten R-35 tanks, regroups to to be placed at the disposal of 8th CA, although in practice it remained alongside the 14th ID, which not only covered the rear-guard, but also maintained its cohesion for the most part. The 23rd BCC withdraws between Reims and Epernay.
For its part, the GC Buisson breaks up. The 3rd DCR remains alone. The 3rd DIM covers the withdrawal of the 36th and 14th ID between Suippes and the north of the Argonne, opposite Guderian. The 7th DLM, which only has about thirty tanks left, leads rear-guard fights (Detachment
Grévy) in the sector of the 14th ID, in the way of Guderian's tanks crossing the Suippe river. It receives the order to deploy slightly south of Epernay, a position it would reach the next day, to support the left flank of the 23rd Corps which has to evacuate Reims. The city was about to fall, tanks of Guderian's PanzerGruppe had been in the suburbs since the day before.
The 53rd DLI, a general reserve division coming from Mailly, settles between Châlons-sur-Marne and Outrepont (on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin, east of Vitry-le-François). But it has to hold a fifty kilometer front... It is therefore concentrated near the bridges.
Huntziger's orders arrive at the GA 4 HQ, where General Réquin has taken over. Now that it seems impossible to hold on to the Marne, it is necessary to contain the advance of Kleist's armored divisions to prevent them from crossing the Seine and the Aube too quickly. The only large units in a position to do so were the 59th and 240th DLI. These two divisions had only just been formed, but the staff had little choice. It was imperative to reinforce the local units in charge of defending the bridges to allow the withdrawal of other units, while preparing to blow up the bridges in order to delay the enemy.
The 240th DLI (General Boucher) has only half its strength (the equivalent of six training battalions, but the units from which they came were in combat with the 14th ID at the beginning of the month), very little artillery (only a few 25 mm anti-tank guns), its staff is incomplete, its staff is incomplete, its engineer company is still on the way, its GRDI has not been formed and the planned artillery regiment cannot be found. It nevertheless receives the order to leave Bar-sur-Seine and to move to the region of Nogent, further north on the Seine. The distance to be covered is not negligible and the division only disposes of a few vehicles. However, the German air force is for now concentrated against the French defense on the Marne and should therefore not hinder its movements. In addition, part of its elements will be able to use the railroad that runs along the Seine and a CAT of the IVth Army will be temporarily allocated to it.
Also attached to this division, the 10th Polish Armoured Brigade of General Maczek [1] was formed in a hurry at the end of May in the Paris region. This unit, composed of survivors of the Polish campaign (where it had been nicknamed the "Black Brigade" because of the because of the black leather jackets worn by its soldiers), has only one tank battalion (the second one will withdraw to the Loire) and a mounted battalion. The brigade was sent hastily to the Marne, west of Epernay. It was therefore necessary to urgently withdraw it from the front!
The 59th DLI (General Lascroux) leaves its regrouping zone north of Laheycourt (northwest of Bar-le-Duc) to be redeployed between Montmirail and Sézanne. While its
trains were in the vicinity of Troyes, he was ordered to disembark at Romilly, to defend the Seine and its confluence with the Aube, between Romilly and Arcis-sur-Aube.
Nevertheless, it was obvious that this barrier would not last very long. The German armor, once it had crossed the Seine, could seize the bridges over the Aube and drive a wedge between Army Groups 3 and 4.
Moreover, the general staff orders the destruction of the important railway junction of Laroche-Migennes (a little north of Auxerre). But, due to a lack of resources, the destruction was only partially carried out.
Alsace-Lorraine - The first stage of the IInd Army's retreat goes well: the fighting of the last two days had been very hard for the Germans, their vanguard only made contact in the middle of the afternoon. The units of the IInd Army, protected from the air force by the fog, are only lightly impeded.
Shortly before noon, Huntziger's orders arrive at GA 2, to the great relief of its leader, General Prételat, who had been asking for two weeks the authorization to study the withdrawal of his group of armies and the abandonment of the Maginot Line. The best units had to move immediately move towards the Saône to lock down the Burgundy Lock, while keeping a road for the GA 2 to retreat. Alas, no preparation having been made, it will take some time to bring the trains to bring the units closer to the units to the stations and to bring in the CAT (automobile transport companies). The two Polish divisions and the 30th DIAlp will be the first to leave in the direction of the Saône, followed by the 54th ID and finally by the 62nd and 70th ID. The 67th ID must reach the Dijon sector. The defense of Belfort will be organized by the 63rd ID and the 45th CAF. Verdun must not be evacuated; the forts and the city must be defended, and hope to block the enemy advance for a few hours or days. However, the motorized squadrons of the 16th GRCA are redeployed in the Chaumont sector, preceding the redeployment of the 18th Corps, although some of its organic elements would remain at the disposal of General
Dubuisson, commander of the forts of Verdun.
Similarly, the garrisons of the Maginot Line works remain in place, as well as a few small covering troops to fill in the gaps (one section per fortress regiment).
The immediate departure towards the Rhone corridor of the motorized units and services of the VIth, VIIth and XXth military regions must be organized. What cannot be evacuated (depots, fuel etc.) has to be burned or destroyed. The Air Force was asked to make an effort to to cover the east of France to protect the railway network.
All these movements are not going to be carried out without difficulty (the first rail movements, those of the 1st DIP, did not take place until the night of the 11th to the 12th, and the departures on foot during the night of the 12th to the 13th), but at least the orders given were going in the right direction.
Provence & Alps - During the night that followed the declaration of war by Italy, the French blew up all the structures, bridges, roads, tunnels, that the Italians were likely to use to cross the Alps. At the border, for the time being, only aerial reconnaissance from both sides was noted. Despite the bad weather conditions, a Fiat BR-20 of the 43rd Stormo (based in Cameri) carried out a reconnaissance mission over Toulon and managed to take many photographs of the port.
[1] Commanding officer of the Polish military camp at Coëtquidan, Maczek wrote a detailed report on tactics of the Blitzkrieg, following his personal experience in Poland. The French general staff did not take it into account.
Normandy - In the port of Le Havre, the refineries that had been deliberately set on fire the day before are still burning; flames and smoke create an apocalyptic atmosphere that would be repeated many times around the world in the following years... Five merchant ships participating in the evacuation (including two Belgians, the liner Albertville and the steamer Piriapolis) are sunk by stukas and a sixth had to run aground; two others are victims of mines. The old battleship Paris, who covered the area with its twin Courbet, is also damaged. It has to go to Brest to be repaired.
Spearheaded by Rommel, the 7. PzD moves up the coast towards Saint-Valéry-en-Caux, destroying resistance centers such as Fécamp.
Facing the Xth Army, on the south bank of the Seine, the Germans consolidate their positions. Some bridges are operational in Andelys, Courcelles and Vernon - but the Allied air force however, succeeds in destroying the latter during the day and the others are damaged by mines laid in the Seine by the French Navy. But the French exhausted their reserves by trying to destroy the bridgeheads.
At Louviers, the 3rd DLC and the 236th DLI defend themselves on foot and several counter-attacks succeed in driving back the Germans. In retaliation, the Luftwaffe destroys most of the city, which was fortunately deserted by its inhabitants.
Another counter-attack is led on Vernon by the 2nd DLM supported by the infantry of the 8th DLIC. It comes up against the 46. ID coming out of the Bizy forest. The progression of the Germans is stopped, they are pushed back into the forest where they remain until nightfall.
The 1st DLM, supported by the B1 tanks of the 352nd CACC, work to clear the forest of Pacy, capturing about forty German soldiers.
In spite of these courageous efforts, the front is broken in the center. Around 1800, reconnaissance elements of the 27. ID cross the Eure between Heudebourg and Autheuil, while in the evening German side-cars arrive near Evreux.
The link between the Xth Army and the Army of Paris is broken. The 3rd CA (3rd DLM, 3rd DLC and 236th DLI) is forced to withdraw to the Elbeuf-Evreux line.
Ile-de-France (Chauvineau Line) - On the Oise, the Germans limit themselves to probing attacks on the French defense. Only the 28. ID tried to cross the river, nar Boran. It is pushed back by the 19th ID but manages to keep a small bridgehead in the Epulle wood, near Précy.
French artillery carries out harassment fire on concentrations located north of l'Isle-Adam. The response increases as German artillery is deployed and the duels continue for most of the night.
The 29th DIAlp and the 47th ID, which marched all night, occupy the course of the Nonette by morning. From 1100 on, they are under pressure from the 87. and 44. ID which advance on Chantilly and Senlis, respectively. Thanks to the reinforcement of a detachment of the 1st DCR, the 47th ID manages to hold south of Senlis and Pontarmé, albeit with heavy losses.
The 11th ID (General Arlabosse) occupies the Ormoy gap between Nonette and Grivette, without any natural obstacle to hold on to. It is there that the Germans will make their main push in their march on Paris. An attack of the 94. ID on Ormoy is repulsed, as almost simultaneously the 4. ID invests Rosière, at the junction between the 11th ID and the 7th DINA. The situation requires a counter-attack. At nightfall, the II/26th RI, supported by four artillery groups, knocks down the men of the 4. ID and around 2200 the defense line is re-established. The enemy reacts by shelling the French positions for the rest of the night.
In the capital, General Héring, commander of the Army of Paris, orders the destruction of all the fuel reserves in the region that cannot be evacuated.
Champagne - Facing the VIth Army, German tanks (Kleist) force the Ourcq and reach the Marne at Château-Thierry. The German 6th Army begins to force the passage of the river, to allow the advance of the 16th. AK (mot). The XIV. AK (mot), on the other hand, finishes recovering from the battle of the Somme (after whichonly 45% of its tanks were operational).
Facing them, the 27th DIAlp and the 238th DLI withdrew to Montmirail, dragging the 7th ID, which was in the second echelon. Further east, the front had to withdraw to the Marne (IVth and IInd Armies), to align itself with the VIth Army. The bulk of the 20th ID, landed between Dormans and Epernay,
is engaged in a mess before being gathered. The 45th ID is organized in Verneuil. The 44th ID (with the remains of the 28th) finishes to reposition itself behind the Marne, while the 42nd ID and the 82nd DIA continue their withdrawal, and the 235th DLI/2nd ID/10th ID group continues its retreat towards Châlons-sur-Marne. The 14th ID, which recovered part of the 2nd ID elements, withdraws in in good order. In the evening, the 3rd BCC, which still has about ten R-35 tanks, regroups to to be placed at the disposal of 8th CA, although in practice it remained alongside the 14th ID, which not only covered the rear-guard, but also maintained its cohesion for the most part. The 23rd BCC withdraws between Reims and Epernay.
For its part, the GC Buisson breaks up. The 3rd DCR remains alone. The 3rd DIM covers the withdrawal of the 36th and 14th ID between Suippes and the north of the Argonne, opposite Guderian. The 7th DLM, which only has about thirty tanks left, leads rear-guard fights (Detachment
Grévy) in the sector of the 14th ID, in the way of Guderian's tanks crossing the Suippe river. It receives the order to deploy slightly south of Epernay, a position it would reach the next day, to support the left flank of the 23rd Corps which has to evacuate Reims. The city was about to fall, tanks of Guderian's PanzerGruppe had been in the suburbs since the day before.
The 53rd DLI, a general reserve division coming from Mailly, settles between Châlons-sur-Marne and Outrepont (on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin, east of Vitry-le-François). But it has to hold a fifty kilometer front... It is therefore concentrated near the bridges.
Huntziger's orders arrive at the GA 4 HQ, where General Réquin has taken over. Now that it seems impossible to hold on to the Marne, it is necessary to contain the advance of Kleist's armored divisions to prevent them from crossing the Seine and the Aube too quickly. The only large units in a position to do so were the 59th and 240th DLI. These two divisions had only just been formed, but the staff had little choice. It was imperative to reinforce the local units in charge of defending the bridges to allow the withdrawal of other units, while preparing to blow up the bridges in order to delay the enemy.
The 240th DLI (General Boucher) has only half its strength (the equivalent of six training battalions, but the units from which they came were in combat with the 14th ID at the beginning of the month), very little artillery (only a few 25 mm anti-tank guns), its staff is incomplete, its staff is incomplete, its engineer company is still on the way, its GRDI has not been formed and the planned artillery regiment cannot be found. It nevertheless receives the order to leave Bar-sur-Seine and to move to the region of Nogent, further north on the Seine. The distance to be covered is not negligible and the division only disposes of a few vehicles. However, the German air force is for now concentrated against the French defense on the Marne and should therefore not hinder its movements. In addition, part of its elements will be able to use the railroad that runs along the Seine and a CAT of the IVth Army will be temporarily allocated to it.
Also attached to this division, the 10th Polish Armoured Brigade of General Maczek [1] was formed in a hurry at the end of May in the Paris region. This unit, composed of survivors of the Polish campaign (where it had been nicknamed the "Black Brigade" because of the because of the black leather jackets worn by its soldiers), has only one tank battalion (the second one will withdraw to the Loire) and a mounted battalion. The brigade was sent hastily to the Marne, west of Epernay. It was therefore necessary to urgently withdraw it from the front!
The 59th DLI (General Lascroux) leaves its regrouping zone north of Laheycourt (northwest of Bar-le-Duc) to be redeployed between Montmirail and Sézanne. While its
trains were in the vicinity of Troyes, he was ordered to disembark at Romilly, to defend the Seine and its confluence with the Aube, between Romilly and Arcis-sur-Aube.
Nevertheless, it was obvious that this barrier would not last very long. The German armor, once it had crossed the Seine, could seize the bridges over the Aube and drive a wedge between Army Groups 3 and 4.
Moreover, the general staff orders the destruction of the important railway junction of Laroche-Migennes (a little north of Auxerre). But, due to a lack of resources, the destruction was only partially carried out.
Alsace-Lorraine - The first stage of the IInd Army's retreat goes well: the fighting of the last two days had been very hard for the Germans, their vanguard only made contact in the middle of the afternoon. The units of the IInd Army, protected from the air force by the fog, are only lightly impeded.
Shortly before noon, Huntziger's orders arrive at GA 2, to the great relief of its leader, General Prételat, who had been asking for two weeks the authorization to study the withdrawal of his group of armies and the abandonment of the Maginot Line. The best units had to move immediately move towards the Saône to lock down the Burgundy Lock, while keeping a road for the GA 2 to retreat. Alas, no preparation having been made, it will take some time to bring the trains to bring the units closer to the units to the stations and to bring in the CAT (automobile transport companies). The two Polish divisions and the 30th DIAlp will be the first to leave in the direction of the Saône, followed by the 54th ID and finally by the 62nd and 70th ID. The 67th ID must reach the Dijon sector. The defense of Belfort will be organized by the 63rd ID and the 45th CAF. Verdun must not be evacuated; the forts and the city must be defended, and hope to block the enemy advance for a few hours or days. However, the motorized squadrons of the 16th GRCA are redeployed in the Chaumont sector, preceding the redeployment of the 18th Corps, although some of its organic elements would remain at the disposal of General
Dubuisson, commander of the forts of Verdun.
Similarly, the garrisons of the Maginot Line works remain in place, as well as a few small covering troops to fill in the gaps (one section per fortress regiment).
The immediate departure towards the Rhone corridor of the motorized units and services of the VIth, VIIth and XXth military regions must be organized. What cannot be evacuated (depots, fuel etc.) has to be burned or destroyed. The Air Force was asked to make an effort to to cover the east of France to protect the railway network.
All these movements are not going to be carried out without difficulty (the first rail movements, those of the 1st DIP, did not take place until the night of the 11th to the 12th, and the departures on foot during the night of the 12th to the 13th), but at least the orders given were going in the right direction.
Provence & Alps - During the night that followed the declaration of war by Italy, the French blew up all the structures, bridges, roads, tunnels, that the Italians were likely to use to cross the Alps. At the border, for the time being, only aerial reconnaissance from both sides was noted. Despite the bad weather conditions, a Fiat BR-20 of the 43rd Stormo (based in Cameri) carried out a reconnaissance mission over Toulon and managed to take many photographs of the port.
[1] Commanding officer of the Polish military camp at Coëtquidan, Maczek wrote a detailed report on tactics of the Blitzkrieg, following his personal experience in Poland. The French general staff did not take it into account.
036
June 12th, 1940
Blois - Reynaud withdrew for a time, exhausted by fatigue and grief, and tried to find some rest. Meanwhile, Margerie organizes a meeting between Mandel, Blum and De Gaulle, which takes place at dawn. While Blum had already been in contact with De Gaulle, Mandel knew little about the new general. He wanted to make sure that he was reliable: "We will need you at the next Council of Ministers, General. You understand that we will need a soldier, a man who knows how to fight and who is ready to continue. Some of us come from political groups that may not have your sympathy, but in the face of these perillous times, everyone must know how to overcome their prejudices..." De Gaulle understood Mandel's plea very well: "As you said, Mr. Minister, it is a question of fighting. And today, there is no longer the right or the left, there are only those who lie down and those who fight. I had feared that the former would be the majority in the government, but since you are fighting, I will be at your side."
The four men decide to join their efforts to support Paul Reynaud's resolution to fight to the end and to do everything possible to thwart the maneuvers of the "defeatist party". The "June 12th pact", which was denounced by the supporters of the armistice as the "Blois conspiracy", included Blum's decision to officially commit the SFIO to the government, by participating personally, if Reynaud needed it [1]. As for Mandel, he stated that he was ready to "have all defeatists arrested and put out of action, just as Clemenceau did in 1918 [2]. " In the meantime, he managed to reach Louis Marin (Minister of State), Alphonse Rio and César Campinchi (Ministers of the Merchant Navy and of the Military Navy) and to ensure their support.
Briare-Chatillon Airport - Before taking his plane, Churchill, still fearing a possible change in posture in the French government, exchanges a few words with Admiral Darlan:
"I hope you will never surrender the fleet," he said. "There is no question of that. It would be contrary to our naval tradition and to honor," replies Darlan.
The latter was definitely very sought after: the day before, it was Pétain who invited him to to accompany him to the airfield to welcome the British. On the way, the marshal told him straight out that, in view of the government's indecision, the establishment of a "consulate" was in his eyes desirable and that a possible first consul could only be Darlan. It was not the first time that Pétain had probed the admiral's intentions. On May 5th, while Pétain was still ambassador to Spain, he had visited him at his headquarters in Maintenon and had explicitly asked him for his support in the trials to come.
Tours - While De Gaulle drives to Rennes, where, at the request of Churchill and Reynaud, he had to explore the possibilities of defending Brittany, Margerie, Blum and Mandel go to Tours. In the morning, they met with Edouard Herriot (President of the Chamber of Deputies) and Jules Jeanneney (President of the Senate). The two men agree to join the "Pacte de Blois", especially Jeanneney who, like Mandel, is a former collaborator of Clemenceau. Herriot was more hesitant in his support. Finally, he bends to to the lum's arguments, who explains to him that the SFIO, the main party of the Chamber is decidedly favorable to the continuation of the war and that, if the House voted, it would be in favor of the pursuit of hostilities.
Rennes - De Gaulle, having consulted the local military leaders, notes that the option of the "Brittany redoubt" is now impossible to put into place. At most, one could hope that Brest could hold out until June 21st or 22nd, giving time to evacuate a considerable number of troops in good order. De Gaulle then returns to the Beauvais castle (about 20 km from Tours).
[1] Section Française de l’Internationale Ouvrière, the Socialist Party's predecessor, whose deputies form by far the largest group in the current Assembly, elected in 1936.
[2] Referencing the trials against Caillaux and Vigo, but also Bolo-Pacha and Mata-Hari.
Blois - Reynaud withdrew for a time, exhausted by fatigue and grief, and tried to find some rest. Meanwhile, Margerie organizes a meeting between Mandel, Blum and De Gaulle, which takes place at dawn. While Blum had already been in contact with De Gaulle, Mandel knew little about the new general. He wanted to make sure that he was reliable: "We will need you at the next Council of Ministers, General. You understand that we will need a soldier, a man who knows how to fight and who is ready to continue. Some of us come from political groups that may not have your sympathy, but in the face of these perillous times, everyone must know how to overcome their prejudices..." De Gaulle understood Mandel's plea very well: "As you said, Mr. Minister, it is a question of fighting. And today, there is no longer the right or the left, there are only those who lie down and those who fight. I had feared that the former would be the majority in the government, but since you are fighting, I will be at your side."
The four men decide to join their efforts to support Paul Reynaud's resolution to fight to the end and to do everything possible to thwart the maneuvers of the "defeatist party". The "June 12th pact", which was denounced by the supporters of the armistice as the "Blois conspiracy", included Blum's decision to officially commit the SFIO to the government, by participating personally, if Reynaud needed it [1]. As for Mandel, he stated that he was ready to "have all defeatists arrested and put out of action, just as Clemenceau did in 1918 [2]. " In the meantime, he managed to reach Louis Marin (Minister of State), Alphonse Rio and César Campinchi (Ministers of the Merchant Navy and of the Military Navy) and to ensure their support.
Briare-Chatillon Airport - Before taking his plane, Churchill, still fearing a possible change in posture in the French government, exchanges a few words with Admiral Darlan:
"I hope you will never surrender the fleet," he said. "There is no question of that. It would be contrary to our naval tradition and to honor," replies Darlan.
The latter was definitely very sought after: the day before, it was Pétain who invited him to to accompany him to the airfield to welcome the British. On the way, the marshal told him straight out that, in view of the government's indecision, the establishment of a "consulate" was in his eyes desirable and that a possible first consul could only be Darlan. It was not the first time that Pétain had probed the admiral's intentions. On May 5th, while Pétain was still ambassador to Spain, he had visited him at his headquarters in Maintenon and had explicitly asked him for his support in the trials to come.
Tours - While De Gaulle drives to Rennes, where, at the request of Churchill and Reynaud, he had to explore the possibilities of defending Brittany, Margerie, Blum and Mandel go to Tours. In the morning, they met with Edouard Herriot (President of the Chamber of Deputies) and Jules Jeanneney (President of the Senate). The two men agree to join the "Pacte de Blois", especially Jeanneney who, like Mandel, is a former collaborator of Clemenceau. Herriot was more hesitant in his support. Finally, he bends to to the lum's arguments, who explains to him that the SFIO, the main party of the Chamber is decidedly favorable to the continuation of the war and that, if the House voted, it would be in favor of the pursuit of hostilities.
Rennes - De Gaulle, having consulted the local military leaders, notes that the option of the "Brittany redoubt" is now impossible to put into place. At most, one could hope that Brest could hold out until June 21st or 22nd, giving time to evacuate a considerable number of troops in good order. De Gaulle then returns to the Beauvais castle (about 20 km from Tours).
[1] Section Française de l’Internationale Ouvrière, the Socialist Party's predecessor, whose deputies form by far the largest group in the current Assembly, elected in 1936.
[2] Referencing the trials against Caillaux and Vigo, but also Bolo-Pacha and Mata-Hari.
- Status