Operation Moltke (11 October - 1 November)
Twenty-Six years ago, Field Marshal Moltke led the German army across France aiming for Paris to end the war on the Western Front before it could really begin. With a similar goal in mind, this last chance operation to end the war on the Western Front, before winter, would bear his name.
During the final days of September, a conference was held to establish how the army would breakthrough the well-entrenched French positions and achieve victory. After much consultation, a plan was worked out. The bombers would be moved to forward airfields, and commence softening up operations against the twenty French divisions known to be holding the frontier. Meanwhile half a million men and 5,000 tanks would assemble in the region around Dunkirk.
Green Sector: held by Fourth Army. Orange Sector: held by Eighth Army. Yellow Sector: held by First Army. Blue sector: held by the strategic reserve of 2nd and 4th Corps. Most of the frontline is supported by numerous static divisons nominally under the command of Second Army, and originally charged with holding the German border.
The thurst lines for Operation Moltke are also shown
The battleplan decided upon, called for Third and Fourth Army to assault four sectors of the frontline and achieve a breakthrough. Following the breakthrough, the Panzer Army and SS Panzer Corps would exploit the openings and race for Paris. Since the Luftwaffe had already wrestled control of the air away from the Anglo-French (shooting down over 1,000 aircraft during the opening weeks of the Battle of France), as the armoured forces neared Paris the Airborne Corps would be dropped directly on the city to help facilitate its rapid capture. Seventh and Ninth Armies would follow in the panzer’s wake, clearing pockets, guarding the flanks, and aiding in any other way. All available forces would then help capture the city of Lille. In order to divert Allied attention, First and Eighth Armies, along with the strategic reserve, would launch diversionary attacks along the entire front in Belgium.
On 11 October 1940, after days of softening up bombing raids, the massed artillery of Third and Fourth armies opened fire. The infantry of both armies surged forward hitting the French frontier forces from Calais to Lille. From Lille to Luxembourg, the entire skyline was also lit up by our artillery as the supporting attacks were launched. The entire front moved as one, as hundreds of thousands of men struck allied positions.
After four days of intense fighting along the main sector of the front, correct operational use of our forces saw a breakthrough achieved north of Lille. Hours later, the French troops holding Calais routed and started to flee west. The tanks were ordered forward, with a small fraction ordered to breakoff and help crack the bastion of French troops holding St Omer.
On the 16th, massed Panzer forces collided with a lone French armoured division in the Battle of Calais-Boulogne. The French were able to, temporarily, hold up our forces, but were mauled in the process. By the 20th, the French were in retreat, and the advance was once more on. At this stage the airborne drop was considered, yet the paratroopers were not ready.
A captured French photograph showing the French armoured forces near Boulogne
The frontline on 20 October: the planned advance routes of several of the panzer divisions can be seen. The capture of bridgeheads over the Seine was an absolute priority.
Within 48 hours, bridgeheads had been established across the River Seine and our troops were now around only 80 miles from the French capital. By the evening of the 25th, panzer divisions had reached the outskirts. The Airborne forces, now ready, boarded their transports and the order was given to capture Paris.
Elements of the Seventh and Ninth armies move forward in support, in places passing devestated areas of the old frontline.
The next day, after 15 days of fighting, Lille fell to our forces. At midday, the panzer divisions - with no time to await the paratroopers - launched their attack on Paris. The next day, 30,000 parachutes descended over the skies of Paris by a swarm of transport planes. For three days, panzergrenadiers attempted to push back the tiny city garrison, while the paratroopers, in small groups, attempted to stall the flood of reinforcements. By 1 November, the paratroopers had fallen back – linking up with the panzergrenadiers – and evacuated the city. The brief window to capture Paris, without much of a fight, had passed. Over 134,000 French troops had now taken up positions in the northern, devastated, suburbs of the city. The late arrival of the paratroopers had resulted in a major setback.
Operation Moltke had brought about the decisive breakthrough needed, and had nearly brought victory with it, but in the end had failed on the doorstep of Paris. An ironic end, mirroring the events of 1914. One-fifth of all casualties thus far suffered on the Western Front, had been received during the breakthrough and the drive on Paris – the main attack – of this less than month long operation.
While the first attempt to take Paris had failed, the fight to encircle the city now began. Further operations were launched to tie down French troops in Belgium. Of note, Hasselt woods fell on 6 November for the loss of only 1,000 men. On 10 November, Italy joined the Axis, and the next day started the mobilisation of her forces.
The frontline on 11 November: the Second Siege of Paris underway.