Hitler 5/25/1940 France
Part 1
An
Alternate History By Michael W Moore
“Maybe I am a Military Genius”, thought Adolph Hitler out loud.
“Pardon mine Furer”, said an aide.
“Nothing, go about your business”, said Hitler turning back to the wall map, still astonished at the concept that had just occurred to him.
He had been fretting for days almost overcome with anxiety. The attack against France had gone better than anyone could have imagined.
How could, what many people had regarded as the best army in the world, have just crumbled in two weeks?
Boulogne had fallen and Calais was just holding on. He’d just hours ago agreed to a temporary halt of his Panzer Army less than 25 km from Dunkirk.
It was almost impossible to believe what had happened since May 10th. Our Panzers stand ready to crush the pocket forming around Dunkirk! Dunkirk, the last remaining port large enough to evacuate the thousands of French Troops and the BEF pinned against the sea.
Giddy with relief, he still stared at the wall map of northern France.
Behind him in the Command Center he could hear the organized tumult of argument and counter argument.
Still in his mind was the last conversation with Field Marshall Goring, who begged the honor of finishing off the French and English with his Luftwaffe, claiming he could handle it easily.
Some of the General Staff considered the terrain around the port unsuitable for Panzers and he was sure to lose many if he attacked Dunkirk with them.
Still concerned with the French armies to the south, how many Panzers could he afford to lose? What were the French reserves in the south of France?
Not much sleep for weeks. He had not been able to keep food down since the May 21st counter attack at Arras was beaten back. Constantly worried about that long and exposed Left Flank.
But
now, seemingly mesmerized by the wall map in front of him, his mind raced! Dare
he take such a gamble? What if there are no French Reserves?
It seemed as if he were alone in the room. All the commotion behind him seemed to fade away. He started to tick items off in his head.
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First- they had obviously over estimated the French capabilities, their planning and leadership laughingly inept.
Second- he and the German General Staff had underestimated their own potential. The German Army’s doctrine of combined arms, and Guderian’s vision of massed Panzers, had just been proven to be as wildly successful as it was revolutionary. What the West has been calling Blitzkrieg (Lighting War).
Third- we have no reliable intelligence as to how much of the French Army and the BEF we have in the bag at Dunkirk, and little more as to the possible French reserves in the South of France.
Fourth- In the North the British will have moved every man they could to Dunkirk.
Fifth- the British will move heaven and earth to evacuate the BEF! You cannot afford to underestimate this nation of seafarers!
Sixth- IF you can trap the BEF it will be a victory of unprecedented magnitude, possibly knocking Britain out of the war!
Once more he looked to the campaign map on the wall.
Exhilarated and terrified, he weighed the alternatives.
If he were wrong it could cost them the war, for they would be dangerously exposed to the enemy.
If he was right? A victory fitting of Napoleon, of Charlemagne, of a Caesar!
This was his moment in time, his destiny! He will be hailed a Warrior King!
Hitler whirled on the room startling an aide, who cried, “Actung!”
Hitler said, “Stop what you are doing and gather around”.
His excitement was obvious! Just as obvious, in place of the nervous and distraught leader of the past few days, now stood before them a Furer strong, decided, and ready to roll the dice!
He smashed the wall map over Dunkirk with his fist, “throw every thing at them, do it now!”
General Von Rundsdetd, “But what of our flank, what of the French reserve?”
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“There is no reserve (fingers crossed) I can feel it in my bones. Drive them into the sea!”
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…..and so they did.
In hours the German Panzers crashed into the French and English lines and began inexorably pushing them back.
The Luffwaffe was instructed to put every available plane in the air, with instructions to bomb and strafe the beaches unmercifully, and to interdict any and all shipping approaching Dunkirk.
Calais fell, and Operation Dynamo (the evacuation of the BEF from France) was put into effect May 26th.
But there would be no reprieve for the Allied Force trapped in the Dunkirk pocket. Embarkation had barely begun on the night of May 26-27 when the first Panzers rolled into sight of the evacuation beaches.
Monday May 27th all Britain awoke to the news of the worst military disaster in their history.
Less than 5,000 British soldiers were taken off Dunkirk.
Over a third of a million allied soldiers went into captivity.
Virtually all of the BEF equipment and supplies were captured by the Germans.
More than 150 assorted vessels had been sunk.
Hitler
had rolled the dice and won. There was no French reserve.
June 18th France formerly surrendered in the same railway car that had been used in 1918.
French casualties estimated in excess of 2,000,000.
German casualties less than 150,000.
Hitler danced down the Champs Elys’ees.
4
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But he didn’t dance long.
July 1st 1940 Berlin-
As he had stared at that campaign map of Northern France in the Command Center, he had been just as cognoscente of the map on the wall next to it, the map of Europe as a whole, which included North Africa and Russia.
That very same map now hung on his wall in Berlin.
Gathered was most of his General Staff with a few notable exceptions. A group of men now much more wary of the man many had derided behind his back as that upstart corporal. For there was no denying his startling steadfast victory in France or his popularity with the people.
Hitler had been planning since May 25th what he would say to his generals. (Time to take full credit for much happy accident).
“Gentlemen it is time. Time to unveil to you the entire strategy, that I had to keep secrete for so long (about 30 days anyway), to ensure our Thousand Year Reich.”
“I know some have had doubts at times. Wondering if there was a Greater War Strategy.”
He strides to the map, and slaps it sharply in turn with each of his points; (Hitler is nothing if not a showman).
He barks, “first West, the Rhineland in ’36 to take back our lands and secure our industry and resources there.”
“Then Southwest, to Spain, where at somebody else’s expense we get to field test our planes and panzers, and battle harden our troopers while killing a few communists.”(practiced hard smile)
“Next, South in ’38, and Anchloss with Austria, immeasurably strengthening our Reich.”
“Next, South and East, ’38 Munich were I easily manipulated those fools into giving us the Sudentland and the rest of Czechoslovakia, including the Skoda works, without firing a shot.”
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“In ’39 East, first that murdering communist Stalin is duped into signing a ‘non-aggression pact’, this ensures we don’t make the mistake our fathers did in fighting on two fronts simultaneously. We then smash Poland, taking back the land stolen from the Father Land, and putting a buffer between us and the communist hordes.”
“In ’40 we strike North and catch everyone off balance! We, in one bold move secure our Northern flank, Swedish ore, and unlimited access to the North Atlantic.”
He’s really rolling now, for he has convinced himself this had all come to pass just as he had planned. “Then West, we go through the French and English like butter. Capturing the wealth of France and putting her on her knees.”
“Think of how great was our victory in France!”
“The Alsace-Lorraine once more ours!”
“The French factories and farms now serve the Reich, as do the Dutch and Belgium!”
“A million prisoners of war! The entire French army and BEF!”
“Tens of thousands of tons of supplies, vehicles, and armaments left on the beaches of Dunkirk!”
“With capturing the coasts of France we are in a position to control all north Atlantic shipping, and all Britain is within range of our Lufewaffe!”
“Most importantly we have now secured our Western flank! Stalin is crapping in his pants (much laughter), and the English bulldog Churchill barks, but already we receive peace feelers.”
Softly, “But it’s a little too soon to let Mr. Churchill off the hook, don’t you think? What with all their experienced officers and non-coms vacationing in Germany along with all their equipment. (chuckles)
General Manstien places any ability for the British to take any serious offensive action at least 2 years away. Meanwhile we are commencing a major Luffewaffe campaign to convince them invasion is imminent, code named ‘Sea Kitty’.”
Pointing to the map, “We’ve done pretty well with this…. shall we say, counterclockwise map progression haven’t we?”
To general acclaim and cheers, “Yavol mine Fuher!”
“Well, that would mean some move in a Southerly direction would seem appropriate wouldn’t you say?”
“Yavol mine Furer!”
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“Very well, and I suppose we have to rule out our gallant Italian allies. (chuckles) Here’s what I propose gentlemen, oh and by the way, have already put into action.” (restive wonderings, there have been many rumors, they are in the palm of his hand now)
He goes to the map and draws a heavy black arrow slashing south through Italy into Africa. “Phase one gentlemen is, ‘Operation Stepping Stone’.”
He circles Malta on the map.
General Manstien is now Hitler’s personal favorite on the General Staff when it comes to planning, creating a new General Staff position and promoting him.
For Manstien had done a fabulous job of implementing Hitler’s larger strategic ideas for the French attack. (At least that’s how Hitler remembers it and Manstien has prudently gone along with that version of events)
The plan and overall strategy, he is about to outline and take credit for, was suggested by General Manstein several weeks ago.
In secrete consultation Hitler had demanded an immediate plan for the invasion of England. He had been assured, in no uncertain terms by Manstien, that no invasion of England was practical. They had in no way planned for success on such a massive scale.
By the time they could mount an invasion England would no longer be prostrate, and he had no answer for the Royal Navy, outside of achieving complete air supremacy by the Luffewaffe, a prospect he thought rather dim.
However Manstien had another idea.
“Malta! Malta gentlemen is the key to British control of the Mediterranean. It is the choke point! An unsinkable aircraft carrier smack in the middle.”
“The objective of ‘Operation Stepping Stone’ is securing for our use the island of Malta, it’s harbor and airfields, no later than July 15th”.
“This will be accomplished by airborne and seaward assault. This should be more of an occupation rather than invasion, as the British have not anticipated our ability to strike here, the island is basically unfortified.”
“Airborne troops and an air fleet under command of General Geissler are in route and will be in Sicily within the week.”
“This will be a joint exercise with our ‘gallant’ Italian allies.”
The week before Field Marshall Goring had flown to Italy to have a visit with Il Duce, and with a little arm twisting had finally gotten him to agree to joint operations in the Mediterranean region for certain compensations.
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“With Malta in our hands, and our supply lines secure, we will commence phase two, code named ‘Operation Suez’,” all eyes dart to Egypt on the map.
“Gentlemen the Italians already have an army in Libya facing the British in Egypt. This army though large is very suspect in quality, however I feel they will be adequate as follow up infantry and garrison forces.”
“We are going to put a German tip of steel on this Italian noodle!”
“Preparations are underway as we speak to move two Panzer, and two Motorized Infantry divisions to Libya”. (the absence of General Rommel had been noted by the men in the room)
“We will also be shifting an air fleet to this theater of operations that will insure complete air supremacy for our forces.”
“The British are expecting to go up against the Italians have no idea what’s in store for them, and are in no way prepared for the Blitzkrieg we will unleash on them.” (Hitler had taken a liking to the term Blitzkrieg)
“The Suez Canal will be in our hands by fall.”
“The whole of the Middle East will be there for the taking by Christmas. I will outline ‘Operation Zagros’ and ‘Operation Torch’ at our next meeting.”
As the meeting is breaking up General Guderian approaches Adolf Hitler, he asks if there is a role for him in this coming action. Hitler directs his attention to the wall map of continental Europe.
“You wont be going south general. You will be going east in the spring.”
End Part 1