"Where are the strategic reserves?" Churchill decided to find out the situation first.
Since Churchill spoke in French, both Gamelin and Reynaud could quickly figure out what he meant without having to use a slow translator.
Unfortunately, Churchill was answered with a helpless look on Reno's face.
"We may lose the battle." Renault lowered his head and said.
Then, in the face of Churchill's different expression, Gamelin said: "There is no strategic reserve! Because we have sent all the troops we can mobilize to northern Belgium."
In Gamelin's previous D-shaped counterattack plan, the three-nation coalition forces were required to use their maximum strength in northern Belgium to defeat the German surprise attack force in one fell swoop and complete the victory in one battle! Therefore, he did not have any reserved troops at all.
At the beginning, the feint attack of the German Army Group C on the front of the Maginot Line confirmed Gamelin's first step of conjecture. This was also exactly the same as the advance plan deliberately released by Reinhardt captured by the coalition forces in Belgium.
Then, when he learned that a powerful German army group appeared in northern Belgium that could instantly defeat Belgium's 10 main divisions, Gamelin basically concluded without any doubt that this was the real back-up plan of the German army.
The feint attack of Army Group C was naturally false. Gamelin was not an idiot. After a little thought, he realized that it was a feint attack. The German assault in the second direction in northern Belgium also confirmed Gamelin's assumption.
Now that you have seen through the German army's feint and main attack strategies, you must boldly attack!
Being able to defeat 10 Belgian divisions in one fell swoop, what is it if it is not the main force of the German army? And in order to cover this main force, the German army has used an army group to launch a feint attack on the front of the Maginot Line. All phenomena point to their own inference. At this time, it is still
Wouldn't it be foolish not to give it a try?
Therefore, the confident Gamelin arbitrarily demanded that the coalition forces use all available troops and must follow Plan D to block the main force of the German army in northern Belgium.
For this reason, he also severely despised the British general named Montgomery at the war meeting and laughed at his cowardly idea of suggesting to leave a reserve force.
But now, knowing that Churchill mentioned the matter again, Gamelin discovered that these British people were right!
"The Germans are too cunning. In order to deceive us, they formulated a nearly perfect "Yellow Plan" for us to capture." Gamelin held his head with one hand and said heavily: "They used an army group to blatantly attack the Macedonians.
The Nordic Line launched a suicidal attack just to show us that it was a feint attack."
Churchill knew everything Gamelin was saying now.
At the beginning, I heard that it was a Belgian officer who rescued the documents that the Germans tried to destroy from the fire at the cost of burning his hands, allowing the coalition forces to finally restore the German offensive plan. The Belgian officer who "made a meritorious service"
, for this reason, he secretly received a large bonus from the coalition command.
However, they did not expect that it was this captured plan that caused the coalition forces to fall into the German trap.
"We really didn't expect that the German troops that could defeat ten elite divisions of Belgium in one morning were just a feint attack force. Their real back-up force was not the Army Group in northern Belgium, but the Ardennes Forest in southern Belgium.
The third army group!" Gamelin said loudly: "They use armored forces in forest areas! They appear in the most unlikely locations!"
In fact, as long as a French division or a British division is left in the Ardennes Forest and defended according to danger, it is not difficult to use the geographical defense advantages to stop the German vanguard.
However, Gamelin and everyone in the coalition command believed that since it was completely unsuitable for an attack, the German commanders would not be stupid enough to take this route that was least suitable for an attack. It was this mentality that caused
The coalition forces did not send a reliable force to defend the area.
"It's really risky to appear in the most unlikely place." Churchill said in surprise: "And they used two army groups as bait to lure us out. Feint attack after feint attack, I still find it incredible!"
Looking at the history of European wars, it is pretty good to think of using a feint to divert the enemy's attention. Like the "Sickle Harvest Plan", a feint was used as a cover for the feint, so that the enemy mistakenly regarded the second feint as the main attack.
, this is the first time it appears!
It has to be said that Manstein has surpassed the level of famous generals in the traditional European cognition, and has reached the peak of famous generals who can even calculate ordinary famous generals!
"Then where else can we gather a large amount of manpower and material resources? Let's mobilize them quickly." Churchill hurriedly suggested: "Transfer all the troops in the rear that can be mobilized to relieve the siege. There should be reserve mobile troops responsible for garrison, right?"
"No!" Gamelin shook his head and continued to deny: "I have already said it. All the troops that can be dispatched have been dispatched to northern Belgium as soon as possible."
Not even a reserve force?! Churchill was so excited that he spoke. Even if he was not a professional military strategist like Gamelin, he knew that a large army should definitely leave a reserve force or a reserve force for emergencies.
However, Gan Molin, the dignified French general and commander-in-chief of the Three Kingdoms Allied Forces, did not do this!
"The only thing that can save the coalition now is the British Empire, which still has some remaining strength." Prime Minister Reno quickly brought the topic back to the topic: "If the Royal Air Force can send one more... No
, send two more groups of fighter planes! In that case, we will definitely be able to regain air superiority."
In fact, the fighter jets sent by the Royal Air Force to the French battlefield have not had a good record. In less than a week, the Royal Air Force has shot down more than 200 aircraft in the skies of France. And this number is still correct.
growing........
"I can't agree to this." Churchill refused a little unkindly: "The British air force must be maintained at a level sufficient to protect itself. This is our national policy!"
Sighing, Churchill shook his head and said: "There is no way to give you more fighters. In fact, the support that exists now is the limit of what I can get for you."
Churchill's words undoubtedly cut off the last thoughts and hopes of Gamelin and Reynaud. However, he did not discourage the two French senior officials for too long.
"Although the Royal Air Force cannot provide support, the Royal Navy of the British Empire can do a favor to the coalition forces." Churchill squeezed out a smile and encouraged: "The way back is cut off on the road, so we will use transport ships to transport the troops in the encirclement.
Transport it away from the sea. In this way, you can also achieve the purpose of jumping out of the encirclement!"
