Germany's Lightning War: The Campaigns of World War II

262 Pages·2000·105.78 MB·English

by  Adrian Gilbert

GERMANY'S
LIGHTNING WAR

THE CAMPAIGNS OF WORLD WAR 11
GER NY'S
LIGHTNING AR
Adrian Gilbert
~ DTpublishing
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This editionfirst publishedin 2000 by
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CONTENTS
1. Countdovvn to War 6
2. The Destruction ofPoland 22
3. Before the Storlll 46
4. Hitler Strikes North 66
5. The Fall ofthe Lovv Countries 84
6. Panzer Breakthrough 108
7. The Fall of France 140
8. Italy's African Disasters 152
9. Balkan Blitzkrieg 178
10. Triulllph ofthe Desert Fox 204
11. Turn ofthe Tide 234
Index 251

CHAPTER ONE
COUNTDOWN
TO WAR
Europe in the 1930s was a continent dominated by the activities
ofHitler and Mussolini.As the power ofthe Fascist governments
grew, they began to flex their newly-acquired muscle.
W hen AdolfHitler was appointed Franco's forces fighting against the Spanish
chancellor in January 1933, he Government. The Spanish Civil War
promisedthe Germanpeople that (1936-39) providedthe German army and air
he would reverse the humiliations imposed force with valuable lessons in the conduct of
on the nation by the Versailles Treaty and modern warfare. InMarch 1938,German sol
return Germany to a dominant position in diers marched into Austria, which now
Europe. In direct contravention ofthe terms became an integral part of the German
ofthe treaty,Hitlerinstigated avast expansion Reich. Later in 1938,Hitler put pressure on
ofthe armedforces and started the process of Czechoslovakia to cede those ofits territories
rearmament,concentratingon the production in the Sudetenland region which contained
of aggressive instruments of war: tanks, large numbers ofethnic Germans.
bomberaircraft andU-boats.
By 1936, the growing strength of Munich
Germany's armed forces emboldened Hitler The British prime mInIster, Neville
to adopt an increasingly belligerent foreign Chamberlain, was fearful that the growing
policy.Despite the presence ofthe League of crisis in CentralEurope wouldlead to all-out
Nations, Hitler was helped by the refusal or European war which, he believed, Britain
inability ofothermajorpowers to put abrake must avoid at almost any cost. During
onhis territorial ambitions.The SovietUnion September 1938, he attempted to placate
and the United States were not members of Hitler's demands by encouraging the Czech
the League,andbothnations adoptedapolicy Government to surrender the border regions OPPOSITE
ofnon-intervention in world affairs.Britain of the Sudetenland to Germany. On 29 A German panzer
and France were the two major powers September, a conference was called in commandersurveys the
within the League, but - weakened by their Munich to attempt to resolve the problem, terrain from the turretofhis
efforts inWorldWar I - neither country had attended by Hitler, Chamberlain,the French pzKpfwIVtank. The earlier
the will to act decisivelyagainst Hitler. prime minister,EdouardDaladier,andBenito marks ofthe PanzerIVwere
Hitler's foreign policy proved to be highly Mussolini. From their meetings came the armedwith alow-velocity
successful. Germany reoccupied the demili infamous MunichAgreement, the first stage 7.5cmgun, andwere
tarised Rhineland In 1936, without in the destruction ofthe Czechoslovak state. intendedto providesupport
opposition from France or Britain. German The Czechs were bluntly toldby theWestern for armouredoperations led
troops were then sent to Spain to aid General powers to accept the German occupation of by the PanzerIll.