The German Reich and the Second World War

Case Yellow

Commander in Chief of the German Armed Forces
Erich von Manstein

Commander in Chief of the German Army
Gerd von Rundstedt

Top Secret
Senior commanders only

OKW headquarters, Berlin
31 October 1939

Directive No. 7
Case Yellow​

Following swift action the eastern border has been pacified, and through diplomatic means the Soviet Union has been made a friend of Germany. The only threat left remaining to the Reich is Britain and France. Political attempts to provide a peaceful solution have failed, and the English and French have resorted to offensive aerial actions. Therefore, to bring peace to the continent, a strike against the west is to be organised.

The German Armed Forces must be prepared to crush the combined might of the Anglo-French militaries in a lighting campaign. As France is the primary land-based power of the Allied forces, the attention of the armed forces will be on defeating France first before follow-up attacks on the United Kingdom are considered. During recent fighting on the border it has been determined that the French lack the ability to break through the West Wall, while our forces lack the strength to likewise breakthrough the Maginot Line. It has therefore been decided that the attack on France will be launched through the Low Countries.

For this purpose OB West, under the command of von Rundstedt, has been assigned 1,170,000 men in 102 divisions. The main strike will be launched by the Panzer Army (under the personal command of von Manstein) through Belgium aiming for Paris, while von Leeb’s Army Group B will clear the Netherlands and move to trap the main French Army in the Maginot Line (see appendix A). The initial forces that will be met will be the Dutch and Belgium armies. The Dutch Army comprises of at least eight divisions and can be mostly discounted, while the Belgium force of around 28 divisions may provide the Allies with a strong outer shell. The latest intelligence reports suggest that the French Army contains close to 100 divisions, however only 75 are based in mainland France with the majority being assigned to the Maginot Line. Our reports indicate that the United Kingdom’s forces are largely colonial, and based accordingly. However, two British divisions have already been identified supporting the Maginot Line, and several Corps headquarters have been detected at Dunkirk suggesting the size of the British Expeditionary Force is no more than 10 divisions strong.

Direction of operations against France:

I. The main strike will be launched by I.Panzerarmee, containing 12 army panzer divisions and the three SS divisions of the SS Panzer Corps. The army will strike through northern Belgium, bypassing the strong Belgium fortifications, capturing the capital before advancing for Paris to bring about a rapid end to the war.

II. Army Group B, under the command of von Leeb, will launch operations to encircle the Maginot Line and clear the Netherlands.
IIa. Third Army (von Wietersheim), Fourth Army (von Kuchler), Seventh Army (von Reichenau), and Ninth Army (Eicke) will advance through southern Belgium and Luxembourg, avoiding the strong border defences, aiming to block French forces from moving north while at the same time battling to encircle and then destroy the main French Army.
IIb. First Army (Adam) will break through the Dutch border defences, and conduct a rapid advance on the capital. If the Dutch do not surrender then First Army will clear the Netherlands of enemy forces, otherwise they will then advance into Belgium and clear the pockets created by the advance of the main force

III. Tenth Army and the paratroopers will be held in reserve and employed as needed.

IV. Kostring’s Army Group C, 32 divisions strong, will defend the border and ensure French forces do not cross into Germany.

V. The Luftwaffe is to provide a maximum effort in support of break through operations while achieving air superiority.

VI. No role is envisioned for the Kriegsmarine during the initial battle for France.

Direction of Operations in Poland:

German forces (26 divisions spread across OKH, under the command of von Bock, and Army Group A, under the command of von Kluge) in Poland are to continue with their current objectives of pacifying the region and manning the border defences.

Erich von Manstein

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Appendix I

I think complicated describes it exactly! Am a few weeks into the invasion already, and things are not exactly going to plan. I wish i could take you up on your advice to avoid Brussels! o

I was wondering why Belgium was proving to be such a tough nut to crack! Well i think i have the latest version of the mod installed, but the funky borders dont bother me

Thanks for the comments guys!

Oh yeah! I built up my garrison troops along my own border, the intention being they would be used to garrison the ports once the battle was over. Am sure i have enough, but ive already learnt i should have acted sooner! With what i have seen so far, i think it would be prudent to garrison Wilhelmshaven too ... although i havent yet!!!

I shall get troops there ASAP. I also realised i probably should keep Berlin garrisoned, considering i left it vacant for months :blush: a ballsy AI move could have really upset everything :laugh:

Case Orange

In the months since the Case Yellow directive was issued, the general staff met numerous times attempting to establish a feasible plan for quckly tackling the Low Countries to ensure the rapid defeat of France. They reached the conclusion that The Netherlands should be attacked first, and then all resources concentrated on the attack on Belgium. The new plan, codenamed Case Orange, would see First Army undertake their original attack plan per Case Yellow. The new plan however, would see Kurt Student’s two-division strong parachute corps jump ahead of First Army to capture the Dutch capital. The paratroopers would either end the campaign quickly by taking control of the capital, or paralyse the Dutch military and then wait to be relieved by First Army.

The operation aimed to install a pro-German government, rather than the outright annexation of the country, as well as securing a broader flank for an attack on Belgium. A rapid attack and lighting victory with few losses should aid the installation of the puppet government and ensure smooth relations for years to come. With Belgium not being attacked at the same time, it was envisioned there would be no response from them. With no land border, Anglo-French forces would also be kept at bay.


At first light 1 April 1940, the infantry moved across the border and attacked various Dutch outposts. The Dutch soldiers were taken by surprise but soon put up a spirited defence. The Luftwaffe quickly filled the skies, clashing with the Royal Air Force and Dutch fighters. In Berlin, Student’s men made their final preparation for a landing to take place the next day. By the end of the day the Norwegian ambassador had informed Berlin that they had refused the United Kingdom the right to land troops, and reported that the British had started to mine their waters. The Norwegians were clearly looking for our protection, but with our transport fleet only able to move four divisions at a time and total commitment needed for France, they would have to be left to their own devices for the time being.


During the first forty-eight hours the Dutch air force lost a third of their fighters. Realising their outdated machines were no match for the Bf109, they offered no more resistance. The Royal Air Force however, launched hundreds of sorties to attempt to wrestle control of the skies. Their actions resulted in the transport planes, incoming to drop the paratroopers, turning around and returning to Berlin before they reached Amsterdam. As fighter losses mounted, the Royal Air Force withdrew for the moment. In the opening created, on 5 April, the paratroopers finally jumped over Holland.

By the time the airborne assault was launched, 25th Corps was already moving forward towards Amsterdam. The paratroopers quickly secured the airfields and key targets around the city. With so many objectives they were unable to bring their superior numbers to bear on the small Dutch garrison. The assistance of 25th Corps would desperately be needed to bring the campaign to a conclusion.


The British and French air forces now put in a total effort to take control of the skies. The aerial battles resulted in heavy losses for both sides. It was not until 7 April, that it was realised why there was such dense air cover. The British Army had conducted a landing at The Hague. Leaving several divisions behind at their old positions, the Panzer Army was ordered to move through the gap created by First Army and destroy the British landing.


Two days later, 25th Corps reached the outskirts of Amsterdam and started to move into the city. Over the course of the next 48-hours, the five divisions now operating in the city rounded up the remaining Dutch forces and took over complete control. They were unable to stop several ministers and the Queen from fleeing, but by the end of 11 April a pro-German government had been installed. The new government issued a communique to the Dutch military praising their spirited defence of the nation, but called on them to remain loyal to the government and cease fighting with German forces. As a sign of good faith all Dutch soldiers captured, were paroled. To support the new Dutch government, 18,000 soldiers were moved into the city to protect them. First Army and the airborne divisions then started to redeploy to oppose the British landing, and take control of the ports north of Amsterdam to deter any further British efforts to depose the legitimate Dutch government now in power.

Fighting soon erupted around Amsterdam between British and German soldiers. Rather worrying, some British soldiers were posing as Dutch and had moved towards the border. Tenth Army, in reserve and stationed near the Danish border, was now redeployed to ensure this British false flag force did not cross into Germany. By the 21st, all major ports had been seized and a British division captured. The fighting with the British forces had been costly, but soon ended (with the panzers baring down on them the British stopped fighting). The Dutch proceeded to offer the remaining British forces asylum. Five divisions (one in Rotterdam, one near the border, and three north of Amsterdam) were allowed to retain their weapons as long as they stopped fighting and in return they would be protected from German attack. This arrangement was frowned upon by Berlin, however nothing could be done about it.


While the campaign against the Dutch had only taken ten days, it had taken the rest of the month to sort out the mess caused by the British. 3,279 German soldiers had been killed in the fighting; although just a little over 600 had been inflicted by the Dutch army. 36 single-engine fighters and 76 twin-engine fighters had been lost during the campaign raising the total casualties to 3,344. The Dutch 1,729 men and 27 fighters. The British losses during the month amounted to 5,079 men killed and 9,941 taken prisoner; 80 Hurricanes and 40 Whitley bombers were also shot down during missions to support the ground forces. Likewise, 76 French fighters were shot down, resulting in 50 men killed and a further 26 taken as prisoners of war.

Case Blue

With Case Orange a success, troops were now redeployed along the Belgium border or the upcoming Battle of France. The previous war plans had assumed a strike through eastern Belgium, however thanks to the previous months fighting an assault from the north was now possible. The new plan, dubbed Case Blue, went through several revisions to ensure victory. The initial plan called for the Panzer Army and the SS Panzer Corps to advance through northern Belgium and head for Paris, while Army Group B would advance through most of the rest of the country and pivot to encircle the Maginot Line. Little else had changed from the original Case Yellow plan.


It was soon realised that something a little more creative would be needed. Therefore Case blue evolved into a three stage operation. Initially, Fourth Army would attack along the northern flank to open up the Belgium defences, while First Army attacked south to capture Brussels. This first stage was envisioned to rapidly knock Belgium out of the war. With the border defences ruptured, the panzer divisions would be unleashed for a drive on Paris and a further envisioned knockout blow. The third stage would utilise the majority of Army Group B, and would wait on the French response to our attacks. It was likely they would disengage their mobile forces from the Maginot Line and move to intercept the panzers and reinforce the Belgians. When they have committed to such a move, Army Group B would be unleashed into their flank. The airborne corps would be held in reserve, while Tenth Army would take up positions to tackle the British forces in The Netherlands.

Thanks for that! I didnt quit between the end of that fighting and the invasion of Belgium, but luckly i had a few resources nearby to try and sort of the mess that developed! :laugh: But one does have to write with a bit of a slant

There will be around another three update, then we will all be up to date.

The Battle of France. The battle of the frontier (18-24 May)

In the pre-dawn hours of 18 May, the final orders were issued for First and Fourth Armies to launch their attack on Belgium. At first light the artillery opened up on Belgian forward positions. After a short bombardment to pin down the defenders, the infantry launched their assault. While the attack on Belgium was declared a limited war, as the 18th wore on our new found Dutch allies also declared war. As the Dutch re-joined the conflict, the United Kingdom declared war on The Netherlands. Tenth Army immediately launched attacks on the British troops in Holland.


The week passed slowly, as artillery fire and casualties on both sides mounted. The Luftwaffe duelled in the skies over Belgium and France as the allied air forces made a concerted effort to halt our aerial attacks in support of the ground offensive. In an effort to throw off Allied strategy and to gain prestige for his force, Admiral Raeder launched a sortie towards Scapa Flow. After several uneventful days at sea Raeder’s force returned to base without having engaged the Royal Navy. While the fighting raged on the Western Front, Hungary beseeched-like the Norwegians earlier-for German intervention against foreign intruders. With Rumanian troops massing on the border ready to invade Hungary, German peace makers organised the Second Vienna Peace Award. To avoid German troops from enforcing peace, Rumania agreed to back down, and as reparation for threating the peace they would cede territory to Hungary that they had unlawfully annexed twenty years earlier.


By the end of the first week, First and Fourth Armies had broken through along their entire sectors. The fighting had been costly. More men had been killed trying to punch through the outer defences, than had during the month of fighting in Holland. Bruges, on the extreme western flank, was the first to fall. With the hole created, the panzer army was ordered to exploit. Antwerp and Gent fell next leaving the entire Belgian flank open and exposed.

Panzer advance (25-31 May)


With the Belgian frontline ruptured the panzer divisions were ordered forward. The 15 divisions were issued instructions to advance narrowly forward, down the main roads now under German control, then spread out to capture forward French airfield and Channel Ports. As the infantry take Brussels and move up to support their flank, the tanks would then be unleashed for a drive on Paris (so not to leave an exposed flank and allow the French to cut them off).


All went well but by 27 May, having reached the French border, the panzers had to halt for 60 hours to reorganise and allow their support units to catch up. While the mass of German armour sat inactive near the border, the infantry breached the Albert Canal and advanced on Brussels. The leading infantry of First Army launched an attack on the outer Belgian defences north of Brussels, while Fourth Army launched an attack to the west of the capital.


By 28 May French troops had crossed the border into Belgium; the grace period in which we could operate solely against Belgium was over. Diversion attacks were launched across north-eastern Belgium in an attempt to divert Belgian and French attention away from Brussels. This latest development had been anticipated, and von Leeb watched the flow of intel reports informing him of French dispositions awaiting the right moment to unleash his troops.


While the battle in Belgium was the main attraction, the side show in the Netherlands was claiming more lives. Tenth Army and the paratroopers had managed to contain the British garrison but were unable to destroy their base. With the defeat of our initial attack the British were able to secure the port city of Den Helder. While our forces regrouped for a second attack, Tenth Army positioned itself to encircle the British lodgement.

In Belgium, the panzers were moving forward again. Within days they had overrun the forward French airfields near Lille, while driving back the British rear echelon forces from Dunkirk and Calais. With this success they once again had to halt, the supply columns again being unable to keep up.

Battle of Brussels (1-7 June)


During the first week of June, the fighting for Brussels intensified. The panzer advance halted, awaiting a successful outcome at Brussels. French troops started to arrive in force around the front, bolstering the Belgian defences and launching counterattacks. The diversionary attacks by our own forces were stepped up, but the main Army Group B attack was for the moment held back. A Franco-Belgian attack was launched upon our troops attacking Brussels resulting in some confused back and forth fighting. As the week progressed, this situation resulted in both sides lacking the ability to thoroughly defeat the other. With much of the Panzer Army now needed to just hold what had been gained, they could not be redeployed to assist the infantry. The Luftwaffe attacks were stepped up but even with overwhelming air support the Franco-Belgian force were too entrenched around the capital to be routed. The only success came to the west of the city where Fourth Army was able to push back Belgian forces. This 'success' only resulted in Fourth Army opening up its flanks to a French counterattack, and more back and forth fighting followed.


On 3 June, in a British Broadcasting Corporation World Service news bulletin it was revealed to the world that the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, had resigned. His reasons were given as old age, his deteriorating health, as well as his believe that a government supported by all parties was essential for the United Kingdom’s war effort. In a further news report later the same day, it was announced that Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, had been appointed the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This was a worrying turn of events as Great Britain now, no longer appeared to have a weak government in power. A rapid defeat of England may have just faded.


As if to reinforce the point that there was a new man in charge, and one not going to take half measures towards our nation, on 6 June 1940 a British landing took place in The Netherlands. Less than twenty miles away from Amsterdam seven British divisions, under the command of Alan Cunningham, came ashore. In total, there were now twelve British divisions operating in The Netherlands outnumbering Tenth Army and the airborne soldiers. Intelligence reports highlighted that these British formations were largely defensive orientated and lacked much offensive capability. Regardless, rapid measures were taken to contain the British landing. Army Group B started to move reserves towards the British land, while the OBWest strategic reserves based in Berlin - the 13th Panzer Division - as well as the entire Fifth Army – based on the Eastern Front – were ordered to converge on the British lodgment and destroy it.