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CHAPTER 2 WESERÜBUNG
In september the 17th, the resistance of the Polish regular army had ceased in homeland, whereas the eastern provinces of the nation had been invaded by the Red Army. An usual dismemberment between central european countries, since Czechoslovakia. Bombed by Lufwaffe and Heer heavy guns, WARSAW had been the first martyred city of the new total war.
USSR and Finland were at war since november.
The battle had been fierce between the Royal Navy and Kriegsmarine. Great Britain had lost the equivalent of 7 transport and 2 destroyer flotillas. Ramillies battleship and Dehli cruiser had been sunk. Germany had lost the equivalent of 7 Uboot and 1 Zerstörer flotillas. Schleswig-Holstein and Emden cruisers had been sunk.
The winter 1939 was the harsher for several years and large operations were also frozen in the west.
In january the 1st, ‘Grossdeutschland’, Hungary and Slovakia aligned 130 divisions -64 along the Maginot Line- and 33 ‘Geschwader’. The 88 French divisions were now at full strength, 76 on northern and eastern borders. Their modernization was proceeding. 213.000 men were in depots but the army increase was slow, far from the architecture planned by GAMELIN in september. Only one new division had been created, the ‘101ème DIF’ -division d’infanterie de forteresse-, embryo of the ‘VIIe corps’, garrison of the Maginot line in Haut-Rhin (MULHOUSE). In return, the ‘Armée de l’Air’ expansion had been spectacular. Each of the 17 ‘groupes’ had then the size of an enemy ‘Geswhader’. France aligned 1080 interceptors, from D510 to VG33, 480 tactical bombers -Amiot 143 and MB210-, 120 Potez 633 dive bombers and 360 naval bombers.
Several officers were promoted, especially
* DE GAULLE => ‘Corps de cavalerie’ : 1st, 2nd and 3rd DLM.
* DE LATTRE DE TASSIGNY => ‘Ier corps’ : 3rd , 5th and 25th DIM.
* JUIN => ‘IIe corps’ : 1st, 12th and 15th DIM.
* BETHOUARD => ‘IIe corps de montagne’ : 28th, 29th and 31st DI.
A new generation : all of them had been lieutenants at the beginning of WWI. DE LATTRE DE TASSIGNY was the ‘older’, from the 1911 SAINT CYR promotion, wounded five times. The three others were from the same 1912 promotion, 100 KIA among 223. JUIN had been the ‘major’, one wound. BETHOUARD had been wounded 3 times, like DE GAULLE, POW at VERDUN in 1916, 5 escape attempts until 1918. In Germany, he had met the major CATROUX and a young russian officer : THOUKHATCHEVSKI. Later they had been opponents : between 1919 and 1921, DE GAULLE had been adviser for the Polish army.
In september the 17th, the resistance of the Polish regular army had ceased in homeland, whereas the eastern provinces of the nation had been invaded by the Red Army. An usual dismemberment between central european countries, since Czechoslovakia. Bombed by Lufwaffe and Heer heavy guns, WARSAW had been the first martyred city of the new total war.
USSR and Finland were at war since november.
The battle had been fierce between the Royal Navy and Kriegsmarine. Great Britain had lost the equivalent of 7 transport and 2 destroyer flotillas. Ramillies battleship and Dehli cruiser had been sunk. Germany had lost the equivalent of 7 Uboot and 1 Zerstörer flotillas. Schleswig-Holstein and Emden cruisers had been sunk.
The winter 1939 was the harsher for several years and large operations were also frozen in the west.
In january the 1st, ‘Grossdeutschland’, Hungary and Slovakia aligned 130 divisions -64 along the Maginot Line- and 33 ‘Geschwader’. The 88 French divisions were now at full strength, 76 on northern and eastern borders. Their modernization was proceeding. 213.000 men were in depots but the army increase was slow, far from the architecture planned by GAMELIN in september. Only one new division had been created, the ‘101ème DIF’ -division d’infanterie de forteresse-, embryo of the ‘VIIe corps’, garrison of the Maginot line in Haut-Rhin (MULHOUSE). In return, the ‘Armée de l’Air’ expansion had been spectacular. Each of the 17 ‘groupes’ had then the size of an enemy ‘Geswhader’. France aligned 1080 interceptors, from D510 to VG33, 480 tactical bombers -Amiot 143 and MB210-, 120 Potez 633 dive bombers and 360 naval bombers.
Several officers were promoted, especially
* DE GAULLE => ‘Corps de cavalerie’ : 1st, 2nd and 3rd DLM.
* DE LATTRE DE TASSIGNY => ‘Ier corps’ : 3rd , 5th and 25th DIM.
* JUIN => ‘IIe corps’ : 1st, 12th and 15th DIM.
* BETHOUARD => ‘IIe corps de montagne’ : 28th, 29th and 31st DI.
A new generation : all of them had been lieutenants at the beginning of WWI. DE LATTRE DE TASSIGNY was the ‘older’, from the 1911 SAINT CYR promotion, wounded five times. The three others were from the same 1912 promotion, 100 KIA among 223. JUIN had been the ‘major’, one wound. BETHOUARD had been wounded 3 times, like DE GAULLE, POW at VERDUN in 1916, 5 escape attempts until 1918. In Germany, he had met the major CATROUX and a young russian officer : THOUKHATCHEVSKI. Later they had been opponents : between 1919 and 1921, DE GAULLE had been adviser for the Polish army.
I love the painting of the planes with Tintin! Where did you found them?!
Oh, You still have old D-500 like? Why dont' you upgrade them?
Did the British send something? And how are the tanks?
Oh, You still have old D-500 like? Why dont' you upgrade them?
Did the British send something? And how are the tanks?
delestraint said:
The game says so?
Pff... Our Dive bombers were LN-41 and Breguet 693
Emp_Palpatine said:
I concur, they´re lovely! Now I you find some with Spirou et Fantasiou too, I you´ll definetely get my vote for the OscAAR!
Salut mon pote !
The paintings are from albums of the 50s or 60s. Kid, I had the chance to read them. I saw an original one along the Seine, about 10 years ago... 1000 francs. Very glad to find them on the Web.
http://users.skynet.be/tintinpassion/VOIRSAVOIR/Chromos.html
... the belgian contribution to european culture is huge !
The paintings are from albums of the 50s or 60s. Kid, I had the chance to read them. I saw an original one along the Seine, about 10 years ago... 1000 francs. Very glad to find them on the Web.
http://users.skynet.be/tintinpassion/VOIRSAVOIR/Chromos.html
... the belgian contribution to european culture is huge !
Hello Meltdown... and thanks. Above all, very glad that you enjoy.
Is it your date of birth... because I was in Germany at this date, and now... :wacko:
Only British planes in France. The upgrade is proceeding in january 1940.
My 4 armoured divisions are 'medium II', the equivalent of German Pzkpfw III, like at the beginning of the scenario -No research in this field now-, thus Somua S35 (I don't remember the name in vanilla game, because my models.csv is modified for French AFVs ; more historical I think).
Im very ingenuous about planes ; yes, the game told it about dive bombers.
Anyway, my only air ambition -as said GAMELIN in september- is to crush the German (AI) bombers with my interceptors.
Is it your date of birth... because I was in Germany at this date, and now... :wacko:
Emp_Palpatine said:Oh, You still have old D-500 like? Why dont' you upgrade them?
Did the British send something? And how are the tanks?
Only British planes in France. The upgrade is proceeding in january 1940.
My 4 armoured divisions are 'medium II', the equivalent of German Pzkpfw III, like at the beginning of the scenario -No research in this field now-, thus Somua S35 (I don't remember the name in vanilla game, because my models.csv is modified for French AFVs ; more historical I think).
Im very ingenuous about planes ; yes, the game told it about dive bombers.
Anyway, my only air ambition -as said GAMELIN in september- is to crush the German (AI) bombers with my interceptors.
The tech is available at the beginning of the scenario ; not a single research about planes in january 40. This is the result of upgrading and reinforcements in the game system. Another example : my armoured divisions were 'medium II' at the beginning of the game. But in may 40, only one third of S35 among the 260 tracked AFVs of a DLM, along H35 and AMR35. In return the S35 can be regard as the average value of a DCR (B1bis and H39).
By playing 'historical', I mean no exploit. But on the other hand, I'm using the game system... TO WIN... and you will see naval bombers in action during Weserübung
Globally, the French OOB and perhaps industrial capacity -but I don't know- are a bit 'plombé' in 39 scenario. On the other hand, it is the true that the upgrading and reinforcements systems are gainful. Globally, I think the French shortage environment is very well simulated in the game
By playing 'historical', I mean no exploit. But on the other hand, I'm using the game system... TO WIN... and you will see naval bombers in action during Weserübung
Globally, the French OOB and perhaps industrial capacity -but I don't know- are a bit 'plombé' in 39 scenario. On the other hand, it is the true that the upgrading and reinforcements systems are gainful. Globally, I think the French shortage environment is very well simulated in the game
Very nice AAR! I especially appreciated the dialogue between the different cabinet members and the Generals.
I'm in dire need of 30s 40s and ww2 pictures of French military hardware, soldiers and combat for my own AAR. Any sites you can point me to?
I’m looking forward to following this one, keep up the good work.
Emp_Palpatine: You civil war AAR looks great (picture wise) and it's unfortunate that my command of the French language is nonexistent.
I'm in dire need of 30s 40s and ww2 pictures of French military hardware, soldiers and combat for my own AAR. Any sites you can point me to?
I’m looking forward to following this one, keep up the good work.
Emp_Palpatine: You civil war AAR looks great (picture wise) and it's unfortunate that my command of the French language is nonexistent.
cthulhu said:
Well... If you know the name of the equipment you are looking for, try "google image"
Thanks!
Emp_Palpatine said:
I've tried that, and it works OK for tanks, planes and ships, but I lack good combat pictures and pics of soldiers. Of course, I'm sure I'd get better results if I could write the search criteria in French. But that doesn't help me much.
well... One rarely take photo of defeat
Combat scene are rare. Soldiers more common... I'll check that
Combat scene are rare. Soldiers more common... I'll check that
cthulhu said:
Salut Cthulhu... and thanks !
Very difficult to find, especially on the Web...
Despite the defeat unrest, some subjects are favoured : Narvik and the battle of the Alps
(silly... I think every single of the 100.000 may-june KIA should be honored)The first and second soldiers pictures in this thread are "infanterie alpine" and "chasseurs alpins", with the special uniform for Narvik expedition in the second case. Many sites about mountainers. Thus the question is also "troupes de montagne", "armée des alpes", "général olry", "bethouard"...
Another favoured subject and what a justice... My marocan "goumier" is in fact in Italy, 1943. Many sites about "troupes coloniales", "armée d'afrique", "tirailleurs algériens", "tabor"...
Generals also are difficult to find. The 'old ones' picture is scanned from one of my book. DE GAULLE is an extract of a DVD which carries a French documentary of 1974 ! A superb collection with for example interview of SKORZENY -in French with his accent... a great moment- about the battle of the Bulge...
Many 'compagnons' pictures nevertheless on the "ordre de la libération" site, but impossible to download because of JavaScript... even now with my linux distribution
“… et merde à Monsieur Hitler qui nous a déclaré la guerre…”
(1940 version of an old Breton sailors song)
At night, the way was rapid from the ‘rue de Varenne’, on the other bank of the Seine. Getting out ‘place de la Concorde’, Edouard DALADIER -‘président du Conseil’- found the ‘ministère de la marine’ square in agitation.
DALADIER loved this former ‘place de la Révolution’, where in front of the jubilant people, children playing near the Guillotine, Louis XVI lost his head… later, the raising of LOUXOR obelisk, a gift from the Pacha Mouhammad Ali (o ) to Louis-Philippe, the ‘bourgeois’ king.
His chauffeur let him in front of the ‘Hôtel de Crillon’, a few meters away, in the direction of the US embassy. A the front door, he met Henri ROY -‘ministre de l’intérieur’-. The staff’s car was not there ; coming from ‘château de Vincennes’, in the eastern suburb, GAMELIN would arrive later.
In the corridors, DALADIER seemed excited and ROY didn’t try to interrupt him.
“… we had told about it. The German war machine ‘pète plus haut que son cul’. They need ressources, especially iron. Besides, they live on credit. I will transmit to you very interesting and ‘trés secrets’ documents from the ‘2ème bureau’. It’s about an Usan banker… I don’t remember his name… who has injected 50.000.000 $ in the ‘Vereinte Stahlwerke’ of Monsieur THYSSEN. But it’s an other story…”
DALADIER remembered the banker had met a German messenger in a bavarian restaurant, near PORTLAND (Oregon), where he wasn’t known. The photo showed him gorging bretzels.
“Bonjour Amiral”
“Mes respects, Monsieur le président du Conseil” said DARLAN, getting up.
"What is your analysis, Amiral ?"
“ I think that the admiral RAEDER plans cruisers and Uboote bases along the norvegian coast, to launch easily pirate raids against the British commercial routes…”
“That’s it ! The question is economy. Thanks Amiral…. My friend, this fleet is precious… I mean you won’t have an other one… be cautious. No British support ; they have already done a Great job across the Atlantik and seem not ready to change the coast guard mission of the Home Fleet.”
(1940 version of an old Breton sailors song)
At night, the way was rapid from the ‘rue de Varenne’, on the other bank of the Seine. Getting out ‘place de la Concorde’, Edouard DALADIER -‘président du Conseil’- found the ‘ministère de la marine’ square in agitation.
DALADIER loved this former ‘place de la Révolution’, where in front of the jubilant people, children playing near the Guillotine, Louis XVI lost his head… later, the raising of LOUXOR obelisk, a gift from the Pacha Mouhammad Ali (
o ) to Louis-Philippe, the ‘bourgeois’ king.His chauffeur let him in front of the ‘Hôtel de Crillon’, a few meters away, in the direction of the US embassy. A the front door, he met Henri ROY -‘ministre de l’intérieur’-. The staff’s car was not there ; coming from ‘château de Vincennes’, in the eastern suburb, GAMELIN would arrive later.
In the corridors, DALADIER seemed excited and ROY didn’t try to interrupt him.
“… we had told about it. The German war machine ‘pète plus haut que son cul’. They need ressources, especially iron. Besides, they live on credit. I will transmit to you very interesting and ‘trés secrets’ documents from the ‘2ème bureau’. It’s about an Usan banker… I don’t remember his name… who has injected 50.000.000 $ in the ‘Vereinte Stahlwerke’ of Monsieur THYSSEN. But it’s an other story…”
DALADIER remembered the banker had met a German messenger in a bavarian restaurant, near PORTLAND (Oregon), where he wasn’t known. The photo showed him gorging bretzels.
“Bonjour Amiral”
“Mes respects, Monsieur le président du Conseil” said DARLAN, getting up.
"What is your analysis, Amiral ?"
“ I think that the admiral RAEDER plans cruisers and Uboote bases along the norvegian coast, to launch easily pirate raids against the British commercial routes…”
“That’s it ! The question is economy. Thanks Amiral…. My friend, this fleet is precious… I mean you won’t have an other one… be cautious. No British support ; they have already done a Great job across the Atlantik and seem not ready to change the coast guard mission of the Home Fleet.”
Emp_Palpatine said:
We can't camarade.
GAMELIN needs BETHOUARD and his mountain divisions on the Rhine, to send more troops in Belgium.
No half-measure this time (a few from the ones and the others on this point, the same on an other point). Remember our fleet is gathered at CHERBOURG. DARLAN is now in the plane from LE BOURGET airfield, to take his command. And all naval bombers are in LILLE
, brought back from colonies and now to full strength.The mission is naval interdiction. In case of German landing, it will change : crushing the convoys to the beachheads.
Expeditionnary forces would be a British task. After all, they are the most concerned...