WI: French knew for Ardennes attack

abc123

Banned
So, what if somehow French knew that attack on Belgium and Netherlands is just a bait and that main push will come trough Ardennes.
What would be the best way to stop the Germans?
 
Simple, move forces from the Maginot Line (while still leaving a sufficient force there to ensure it isn't undefended enough for the Germans to change their plans), and change battle plans accordingly, all while trying not to let the Germans know their secrets have been spilled.

France was in many ways more developed and powerful than Germany, and the German attack relied on surprise, outmaneuvering, and air superiority to succeed. Take the first two away, and the Germans are in for a tough battle. They likely get bogged down, the situation becomes kind of like the stalemate seen in World War I, and assuming Hitler is stupid enough to invade the Soviet Union and declare war on the United States anyway, the war ends a year or two early.
 
So, what if somehow French knew that attack on Belgium and Netherlands is just a bait and that main push will come trough Ardennes.
What would be the best way to stop the Germans?

They dismiss the info as they did IRL because they "knew" the Ardennes was impossible to penetrate with large formations and still have them maintain cohesion. The "schwerpunkt" had to be somewhere else.

Plus, they did expect an attack in the area, that's why Huntziger's reserves were a stone throw's away from Sedan.
 
They dismiss the info as they did IRL because they "knew" the Ardennes was impossible to penetrate with large formations and still have them maintain cohesion. The "schwerpunkt" had to be somewhere else.

Plus, they did expect an attack in the area, that's why Huntziger's reserves were a stone throw's away from Sedan.

That depends on who they get the info from. If it's a mole or traitor in the government who gives them detailed plans, and if the French government and general staff was composed differently, you could end up seeing Germany get bogged down.
 
They dismiss the info as they did IRL because they "knew" the Ardennes was impossible to penetrate with large formations and still have them maintain cohesion. The "schwerpunkt" had to be somewhere else.

Largely a myth. The French sent five armored cavalry divisions into the 'impassable' region with masses of light tanks, armored cars, tracked infantry carriers, motorized artillery, and many more trucks. The were also aware the Belgians had deployed two divisions worth of motorized forces there, including light tanks. If the French intended to have operating seven French & Belgian light mechanized/motorized divisions in the Ardennes it hardly follows they thought it 'impassable' to such forces.

Plus, they did expect an attack in the area, that's why Huntziger's reserves were a stone throw's away from Sedan.

Huntziger made a complaint the previous winter about the vulnerability of his sector. When the German attack came he sent a warning on the second day about the mass of armored formations his mech. cavalry screen found there. The following day - the 12th May he made another report and requested reinforcements for his sector beyond what was already released to him.

And yes, this question has been discussed across the internet only slightly less than the unmentionable sea mammal discussion, tho I would note they are much less likely to degenerate into Alien Space Bat arguments. Which is a good thing.
 
Sorry, I somehow failed to see your thread...

But, seriously, say that the French-British find out in say late March that Germans would attack them trough Ardennes. What can they do?

Nothing; because OTL they did find out and simply refused to believe it.
 
.... Take the first two away, and the Germans are in for a tough battle. They likely get bogged down, the situation becomes kind of like the stalemate seen in World War I, and assuming Hitler is stupid enough to invade the Soviet Union and declare war on the United States anyway, the war ends a year or two early.

My best guess is a stalemate could have pushed the German generals into a coup. No guarantee, but the Allies had used every bit of experience from the Great War to plan a vicious economic war against Germany. This was already well underway by May 1940. Germany had by then used up any financial benefit it had gained from looting the Austrian & Cezch treasuries, and the conquest of Poland added nothing but costs for the next couple years. I've run across eyewitness descriptions of conditions inside Germany the winter of 1939-40. Rationing of food, fuel, and many common items was in full effect. What they also described was the growing corruption of the rationing system by the nazi party members. A later witness from early 1941 described the rationing system breaking down with farmers hoarding and selling on a blackmarket to party officials while non party members stood in line with ration tickets. Re: Hersh 'Patterns of Conquest' 1941.

Absent the loot from the conquest of France & the low countries conditions in Germany may very well be approaching intolerable by the summer of 1941. If the popularity of the nazi party is falling rapidly the army will certainly have a opportunity if they can seize it.
 
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