Posted on 05/18/2010 4:35:36 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
“Hitler wasn’t the only one who thought the panzers should pause and let the infantry catch up.”
FOG OF WAR...
The heavy tank casualties taken by 3 and 4 Pzd versus the French Cavalry Division during the battles of the 12-14 May are weighing in the High Command’s minds.
They know the French and British have more tanks, and are waiting for them to be committed, which explains Hitler’s concerns about a counter strike on the Southern flank.
What they don’t know is that Allied command and control of the field units is dissolving rapidly, and tank units are being committed piecemeal to plug local emergencies.
Actor Robert Montgomery describes this period pretty well in his book describing his service in the American Ambulance Service in France.
You’re right, it went beyond short. However, in cases like these it gets a little complicated; SOMEONE has to be punished, but in the middle of a major war you can’t afford to punish your best people.
As it was, Churchill was able to spin Dunkirk into a ‘victory’ and used it as a rallying point.
Churchill had just come to power as the Prime Minister of a National Unity Government, a coalition of the five largest parties in Parliament - Conservative, Labour, National Labour, Liberal, and National Liberal. This coalition controlled all but a few of the members of Parliament. Each party negotiated for and received seats in the cabinet, and therefore any criticism of the Churchill Government was muted by the fact that all of the major politicians of the time had a seat in the cabinet. This continued until July, 1945. When the war in Europe was over, the National Unity Government was ended, and long-delayed parliamentary elections were held, which the Labour Party won.
You bring up a very good point; the “fog of war” works both ways. At this point in the campaign, the French don’t really know where the Germans are, and the pace of the battle is beyond their control. As a result, their command and control has completely broken down. Units assembling for attack or defense are vanishing, with only a few dazed survivors escaping. (Sounds almost like a sci-fi disaster movie).
But I hadn’t looked at it from the German perspective before. The division commanders like Rommel have a pretty good idea where their troops are. The Corps commanders like Guderian have a general idea where their troops are, but are relying on the divisional commanders. The Gruppe commanders like Kleist and Hoth are probably less sure of the exact locations of their own forces. By the time you get to the level of Hitler or Halder, the French may know better where the panzers are than the “highest green table.”
In this highly fluid situation, at the highest level of command the Germans probably have little idea where the French are. All they know is that they are sweeping the debris of the “world’s finest army” before them. There has got to be some reservations on their part that surely it can’t be this easy.
Where? I looked, couldn't find it... ?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.