Trapped Fox, a WW2 TL

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A New Hope
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    • CrimsonCosmonaut

    CrimsonCosmonaut

    May 18, 1940.

    upload_2019-9-30_9-39-44.jpeg


    General Gamelin surveyed the map in front of him. All around him, the feeling of defeat felt to be seeping through his headquarters. In just eight short days the Germans had obliterated the Netherlands and rammed hundreds of thousands of troops through the Ardennes, with the Allied line entirely in tatters. The German armored spearhead had cut through his Somme defenses like a hot knife through butter, and the relentless advance of German armor seemed unstoppable. But hope lingered. In between the German infantry and their armor was a gap in the German lines. German armor had long since crossed the Somme, but his forces in Arras had reorganized and were ready for offensive operations. From the way it looked, if his forces could cut off and trap the German spearhead along the Somme, perhaps maybe there was hope for the Third Republic yet. A knock on his office door disrupted his thinking. A messenger stood at the door, holding a envelope. It wasn’t classified, and that strangely worried him. A notice from Edouard Daladier informed him that he was to be relieved of his position. Gamelin was furious. He believed that’s only he could prevent this collapse, and he realized he would have to make calls. He knew that although the military still struggled to make phone calls, the civilian government had plenty of phone lines. Calling Daladier, he was surprised to hear he actually picked up, or at least, the secretary passed him to Daladier. After half an hour of arguing and begging, Gamelin finally budged Daladier, promising that his offensive that he has planned can save France, and to give him just time for one more offensive to give the Republic a fighting chance.
     
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    • Breaking the Fox by the legs
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    • CrimsonCosmonaut

    CrimsonCosmonaut

    May 19, 1940

    Erwin Rommel surveyed the landscape. Rommel’s forces had moved for hours without stopping. No more were French troops in sight. Village after village, hillside after hillside, all that could be seen was the hoovemarks of French cavalry that was once there. To him, it seemed the French had all but given up on defending. Silent. He sported British reconnaissance biplanes, but nothing else. Following the Somme, at this rate he’d be at the Channel before nightfall. Without any resistance, he saw a town up ahead. His tanks wouldn’t stop to occupy it, that would be left for Keitel to do. Suddenly his radio operator called his name. Looking down, the radio operator exclaimed “Urgent news from the Fuhrer, withdraw immediately. Reconnaissance in force has been withdrawn, the French have broken our flanks!” Rommel’s face turned pale. Hitler had been right after all, he thought. Suddenly, from the village, a loud bang. The tank nearby him ripped into pieces as French field artillery began shelling his position. Ordering his driver to backpedal quickly, he ducked his head back into the tank and took sometime to think. He was beyond the Somme, if the French took the bridges already, he feared he might not ever see Germany again.
     
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    • GarethC

    GarethC

    I'm seeing a new purchase coming up...

    Amazon Kindle Store said:
    Shattered Sickle, The Untold Story of the Battle of Arras, by Jonathon Parshall and Anthony Tully

    Many consider the Battle of Arras to have turned the tide of the European War. It is without question one of the most famous battles in history. Now, for the first time since Gordon W. Prange’s bestselling Miracle On the Meuse, Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully offer a new interpretation of this great armored engagement. Unlike previous accounts, Shattered Sickle makes extensive use of German primary sources. It also corrects the many errors of Heinz Guderian’s Arras: The Battle That Doomed Nazism, an uncritical reliance upon which has tainted every previous Entente account. It thus forces a major, potentially controversial reevaluation of the great battle.

    Parshall and Tully examine the battle in detail and effortlessly place it within the context of the Heer’s doctrine and technology. With a foreword by leading World War II armor historian John Keegan, Shattered Sword is an indispensable part of any military buff’s library.
    Click to expand...
     

    Carl Schwamberger

    Dathi THorfinnsson said:
    Hitler ordering a retreat???
    Click to expand...

    Read the history of the campaign. Hitler had been nervous about the whole thing from autumn. Like most German leaders he overrated the ability of the French senior commanders, he'd seen the result of repeated war-games run by Halder at Zossen, Rundsteadts Army Group A, and the subordinate armies & understood all the flaws in the several plans tested, he also understood some the weaknesses in the Wehrmacht. All throughout the autumn, winter, & spring Hitler had waffled on which plan to use, had alternately supported then opposed the development of the 'high risk' Sickle Cut Plan. On May 12th & 13th when Kleists armored group reached the Meuse River & started crossing Hitler conferred with Halder on the advisability of stopping the river crossing until the infantry caught up. Halder talked him out of it. Twice more between the 14th & 18th May Hitlers concern reached a near panic state & he demanded the three armored corps in Kliests group halt. Each time Halder had a more difficult time talking him out of it. The armored advance was briefly stopped for part of a day before the order came to get moving again. Finally after the battle of Arras Rundsteadt also recommended a 'panzer halt' & Hitler agreed. Goerings claim the air force could cover the break in action encouraged Hitler to stick with the halt order. This time it took Halder more than a day to get things moving again.

    Its largely a myth the Sickle Cut plan was the result of Hitlers perception. From the record of the messages and conferences planning it its evident Hitler never really understood what Guderian or Kliest were up to, nor Mansteins original concept. When he saw in the war-games & field test reports how 70% of the tank force were to be attacking the French days ahead of the main army & unsupported by infantry corps or heavy artillery he repeatedly went cold on the plan. Halder, & the others had nothing better and many worse plans to offer. So, ultimately Hitler was persuaded to go along with the armored group outrunning the advance of Army Group A. It worked & after everyone including Hitler claimed the plan as their own genius.

    Many historians like Chapman, Horne, Jackson, Doughty, or Mays refer to Hitlers nervous waffling as the campaign progressed. Guderian & other German leaders refer to the stop-start orders.

    So yes, its plausible, even probable Hitler panics & orders the seven PzDiv of Kliests armored group to be saved by retreat.
     
    Riots in Rotterdam
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    • CrimsonCosmonaut

    CrimsonCosmonaut

    May 26, 1940

    c1-i1.jpg


    Fedor von Bock had ridden into Rotterdam just two weeks ago. Now, he was told to evacuate, as British shelling began of the city. Surveying the landscape of the city, the Dutch resistance was up in full force. German forces battled on the streets as a newly reinvigorated populous was up at arms as the roar of artillery blasted buildings, gunfire ringing around. Still, Fedor was safe. On a car driving to the railway station, other vehicles were escorting him in the front and back of his taxi. Suddenly a grenade ripped apart a vehicle in front. Other vehicles moved to push it out of the way as Dutch resistance forces emerged. SS soldiers, newly equipped with MP 40s, had managed to mow them down successfully, but it would still take time. Looking up, British fighters circled like vultures around him.

    "Where was Kesselring when he needed him?" He thought. Soldiers of the German paratrooper brigades marched forward in columns on the sidewalks. After a while, the burned vehicle was moved out of the way and his passage continued. Suddenly massive explosions blanketed the area in a stark white, concrete had been blown to bits. The artillery bombardment has been occurring for the last few hours now, he wondered if the British were using any parts of the fleet for this scale of bombardment. gunfire echoed in the distance. Had the British crossed the bridges already? For the last week, a ceaseless British counterattack had pushed his forces out of Zeeland, now Fedor was retreating Rotterdam with his tail between his legs. It was humiliating, to say the least. As he rounded corners and twisted away from the burning rubble, his convoy stopped at a roadblock. the area had been obliterated by the previous battle and the British concentrated bombardment hadn't served to help his escape. rubble in the way, the cars had to back up. After turning another corner, a large Dutch crowd had filled the streets. German SS and police officers tried to push them back. The scenery was violent, and Fedor was confused. He thought most of the Dutch populous evacuated, but they hadn't. British airplanes were surely telling British bombardment on where the Dutch were and where they weren't, as nearly all British bombings had hit German installations despite the immense crowd of Dutch protestors. As the convoy backed up, the Dutch spotted Bock and the crowd erupted in chaos. The SS shoved revolters back and soon began firing. Screams and shouting ensued, shots began being fired by both sides, but multiple SS soldiers were being trampled. while dozens already lay on the ground, bleeding. The cars quickly turned back as the crowd raced after him. Bock felt terrified for his own life and held onto his pocket pistol, but luckily more SS forces were able to arrive to stop the insurrectionists. Bock knew he would have to file a lot of paperwork after this. From what reports he could hear, the British and French had retaken Brussels.

    Luckily for him, he reached an area of relative safety. Cursing himself for not fleeing the city until just barely too late, the car docked at the train station and began to leave the city. Many phone calls would be necessary at his new headquarters at Eindhoven. Asking his staff what the military situation was on the train, his lower commanders reported that British naval bombardment had pushed the German forces from the coast, and the BEF has crossed the bridges into Rotterdam. The Dutch insurrectionists had made secure lines impossible. The Battle of Rotterdam was about to end.
     
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    • John Fredrick Parker

    Donor
    Interesting; don't think I recall any TLs where the Nazis militarily fail this early in the war;* will be keeping an eye on this.

    *(aside from the ongoing ASB TL on the Battle of Westerplatte, and that's shaping up to be a very different thing)
     

    duckie

    GroßDeutchesKaiserreich said:
    May 26, 1940

    c1-i1.jpg


    Fedor von Bock had ridden into Rotterdam just two weeks ago. Now, he was told to evacuate, as British shelling began of the city. Surveying the landscape of the city, the Dutch resistance was up in full force. German forces battled on the streets as a newly reinvigorated populous was up at arms as the roar of artillery blasted buildings, gunfire ringing around. Still, Fedor was safe. On a car driving to the railway station, other vehicles were escorting him in the front and back of his taxi. Suddenly a grenade ripped apart a vehicle in front. Other vehicles moved to push it out of the way as Dutch resistance forces emerged. SS soldiers, newly equipped with MP 40s, had managed to mow them down successfully, but it would still take time. Looking up, British fighters circled like vultures around him.

    "Where was Kesselring when he needed him?" He thought. Soldiers of the German paratrooper brigades marched forward in columns on the sidewalks. After a while, the burned vehicle was moved out of the way and his passage continued. Suddenly massive explosions blanketed the area in a stark white, concrete had been blown to bits. The coastal bombardment has been occurring for the last few hours now, he wondered if the British had risked the Hood in this shelling. gunfire echoed in the distance. Had the British crossed the bridges already? For the last week, a ceaseless British counterattack had pushed his forces out of Zeeland, now Fedor was retreating Rotterdam with his tail between his legs. It was humiliating, to say the least. As he rounded corners and twisted away from the burning rubble, his convoy stopped at a roadblock. the area had been obliterated by the previous battle and the British concentrated bombardment hadn't served to help his escape. rubble in the way, the cars had to back up. After turning another corner, a large Dutch crowd had filled the streets. German SS and police officers tried to push them back. The scenery was violent, and Fedor was confused. He thought most of the Dutch populous evacuated, but they hadn't. British airplanes were surely telling British bombardment on where the Dutch were and where they weren't, as nearly all British bombings had hit German installations despite the immense crowd of Dutch protestors. As the convoy backed up, the Dutch spotted Bock and the crowd erupted in chaos. The SS shoved revolters back and soon began firing. Screams and shouting ensued, shots began being fired by both sides, but multiple SS soldiers were being trampled. while dozens already lay on the ground, bleeding. The cars quickly turned back as the crowd raced after him. Bock felt terrified for his own life and held onto his pocket pistol, but luckily more SS forces were able to arrive to stop the insurrectionists. Bock knew he would have to file a lot of paperwork after this. From what reports he could hear, the British and French had retaken Brussels.

    Luckily for him, he reached an area of relative safety. Cursing himself for not fleeing the city until just barely too late, the car docked at the train station and began to leave the city. Many phone calls would be necessary at his new headquarters at Eindhoven. Asking his staff what the military situation was on the train, his lower commanders reported that British naval bombardment had pushed the German forces from the coast, and the BEF has crossed the bridges into Rotterdam. The Dutch insurrectionists had made secure lines impossible. The Battle of Rotterdam was about to end.
    Click to expand...

    I think that the level of agression and / or organised resistance is to great after just two weeks of occupation by the germans. Crowds Yes, individual acts Yes, Big organised NO. The Pacifist Movement (gebroken geweertje) was strong in the Netherlands. Also Shore bombarment and accurate bombings are not yet possible. You were Lucky if you hit the right town at this stage of the war.
     
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