Chapter 7 German order of battle and battle plan

German planners decided to take as many of these risks as possible in the West. The Army Headquarters attack on Poland consisted of forty-two regular divisions (including a newly created Panzer Division, the 10th Armored Division), and a division led by Oder|Warta. The newly formed infantry division of the fortress troops in the basin is the 50th Division.They consisted of twenty-four infantry divisions, three mountain divisions, six armored divisions, four light divisions, four motorized infantry divisions and one cavalry brigade.In addition, there are sixteen newly formed divisions, which can only be organized after the general mobilization, and are scheduled to be used between the second wave and the fourth wave.Of course, these troops were not first-class troops at first.The SS division known as Hitler's Guards Division and one or two reinforced SS regiments were also ordered to participate in the Polish campaign.

Only eleven regular divisions remained on the Western Front, some fortress units equivalent to about one division (later reorganized into the 72nd Infantry Division), and thirty-five new divisions, which served as the Second to Fourth Lines. line of troops.No armor or motorized units at all.Therefore, although there are forty-six divisions in total, only three-quarters of them are suitable for combat conditions. The 22nd Infantry Division, once trained and equipped by an airborne division, stayed in Germany for direct dispatch by the Army Headquarters. The main force of the Luftwaffe was also used in Poland, divided into two armies (Air Fleet), but only a weak third army was left on the western front.

The dangers run by the German authorities in such an allotment of forces were enormous indeed.Because of the unexpected brevity of the Polish campaign (a development partly due to the failure of the losers themselves), and, more importantly, the complete sit-by and idling attitude of its Western allies when Poland was defeated, these adventures It was never noticed. It should be recognized that at this time, the German High Command already knew that the strength of the French Army was around ninety divisions.In fact, in the autumn of 1939, the French organized a total of 108 divisions in three weeks. (According to Tipis Kirch's records) It included fifty-seven infantry divisions, five cavalry divisions, one armored division, and forty-five reserve divisions, in addition to strong tank and artillery support. (Note: However, in the initial stage, some of these troops remained on the borders of North Africa and the Alps.) The French reserve divisions are composed of fully trained reserve soldiers; Some were recruits or veterans of the First World War.

So there is no doubt that from the first day, the strength of the French army on the Western Front has already far exceeded that of the German army. On the other hand, Britain's contribution to land forces was very limited.It consisted of only four divisions, and it did not even reach the Continent until the first half of October. The basis of German operational planning against Poland was the desire to exploit the entire length of its borders so as to encircle the enemy from the outset.The deployment of the German army was thus divided into two distant groups on the flanks, leaving the central region (Aude|Valta Basin) almost open.

Army Group North.Commander-in-Chief General Polk (V‧Bock) and Chief of Staff General Sharmuz.Under its jurisdiction are two group armies, including a total of five infantry corps and one armored corps.They command a total of nine regular infantry divisions (including the newly formed 50th Infantry Division, which was adapted from the fortress troops and was not full), eight newly mobilized infantry divisions, two armored divisions (plus new Kemp Armored Task Force), two motorized infantry divisions, and one cavalry brigade, a total of twenty-one divisions.Also in East Prussia were the fortresses of Konigsberg and Lotze; in Pomerania the Netze Brigade.

Within this army group, the Third Army was deployed in East Prussia, and the commander of the Army was General Kuchler (Gen‧V‧Kuchler); the Fourth Army was deployed in Pomerania, and the commander of the Army was Kruger Will (Col‧Gen‧V‧Kluge). The task of this army group is to cut off the Polish corridor, concentrate the cavalry forces on the east bank of Vistula, and then advance southeast or south.After breaking through the line of the Narew River, it attacked the Polish defenders of the Vistula River from the rear. Army Group South.Commander-in-Chief Admiral Lundster, Chief of Staff General Manstein.The army group of this group is relatively strong.It consists of three armies: the Fourteenth Army, commanded by General List (Col‧Gen‧List); the Tenth Army, commanded by General Reichenau; the Eighth Army, commanded by Blaskowitz Admiral (Col. Gen. Blashowitz).All in all, this army group has eight infantry corps and four armored corps, a total of fifteen regular infantry divisions, three mountain divisions, eight new divisions, and the main force of the mechanized troops are four armored divisions and four light divisions. and two motorized infantry divisions.A total of thirty-six divisions.

The Fourteenth Army was deployed in the industrial areas of Upper Silesia, as well as in eastern Moravia and western Slovakia.Tenth Army was around Upper Silesia and south of Kreuzberg.The Eighth Army was in central Silesia, east of Oels.The task of this army group is to defeat the enemy forces in the great bend of the Vistula River and in the territory of Galicia, rush to Warsaw with a powerful motorized force, and capture the Vistula River as quickly as possible by taking a wide front and then cooperate with Army Group North to destroy the remnants of the Polish army.