Chapter 46 Volume 2, Chapter 4, Retreat to the Coast

May 24 to May 31 Looking back at the situation General Halder's account of Hitler's own intervention The German armored forces stopped advancing The truth recorded in the German staff diaries Another reason for stopping the advance at the decisive moment The defense of Boulogne Dramatic events at Calais Consequences of the extension of the line Weygand plans his decision on the 25th of May to close the Belgian gap. The British retreat to the Dunkirk bridgehead. Four British divisions escaped from Leer. To a question from the Chiefs of Staff Committee. Their answer I give to Gott. My Lord's Telegram My Telegram to Admiral Keyes General Bonnard's Account of Gott's Meeting with Blanchard on the Morning of May 28th Belgian Capitulation May 28th General Brooke The decisive battle with the Second Army was withdrawn to the bridgehead. Half of the French First Army escaped by sea.

We can now review the progress of this memorable war up to this stage. Only Hitler was conscious of undermining the neutrality of Belgium and Holland. Belgium was reluctant to admit Allied troops until it was itself attacked, so the military initiative was in Hitler's hands.He launched the attack on May 10.The First Army Group, centered on the British, did not hold fast behind the fortifications, but rushed into Belgium to make futile rescues, because it was too late.The French army left a gap opposite the Ardennes. The fortifications were neither perfect nor the defense force was weak.The invasion of armored units on a scale unprecedented since the Great War broke through the center of the French front, and within forty-eight hours threatened to cut off all the communications of the northern armies with the south and the coast.The French High Command should issue an urgent order to these armies by the 14th at the latest to carry out a general retreat with the greatest speed, not only at the risk of danger, but even if they suffer heavy losses in material.General Gamelin did not confront the issue with relentless realism.Bjotte, commander of the French Army Group North, was also unable to make the necessary decisions on his own.The threatened left armies were thrown into complete disarray.

When they felt that the enemy's forces were superior, they retreated.Since the detour was around their right flank, they formed a defensive flank.If they had started to retreat on the 14th, they might have returned to their old lines by the 17th and thus had a good chance of breaking out.At least three crucial days were lost.From the 17th, the British war cabinet saw very clearly that only an immediate southward breakout could save the British army.They were determined to force the French Government and General Gamelin to accept their opinion, but their own commander, Lord Gort, doubted the possibility of breaking away from the fighting line, especially while rushing across it.On the 19th General Gamelin was dismissed and replaced by Weygand.

Gamelin's Order No. 12, his last order, although five days late, was correct in principle and in line with the main conclusions of the British War Cabinet and the Chiefs of Staff.The replacement of the Supreme Commander, or rather the absence of one, caused another three days of delay.General Weygand's daring plans after his visit to the northern armies remained a dead letter.His plan was essentially Gamelin's, and the more time dragged on, the less likely it would be to succeed. We accepted the Weygand plan in the present dire situation, and up to the twenty-fifth we worked faithfully and resolutely to carry it out, though now with little success; by the twenty-fifth all All our lines of communication were cut off, our feeble counterattack was repulsed, Arras fell, the Belgian lines were breached, King Leopold was about to surrender, and all hope of escape to the south was dashed.Only the sea route remained.Can we reach the sea?If we cannot reach it, are we bound to be surrounded and crushed by the enemy on the open field?All the artillery and equipment of our Army must be lost without replacement for many months.But how much are those cannons and equipment worth compared with the army?As long as there are them, Britain will have the core and foundation to build an army in the future.Lord Gort had felt since the twenty-fifth that retreat by sea was our only way out, and now he established a bridgehead near Dunkirk and marched there with the rest of his force.This required the discipline of the British army and the intelligence of its commanders, including Brooke, Alexander, and Montgomery.There are still many things that are needed.All possible things have been done.Is this enough?

A much-discussed episode must now be studied.General Halder, the German Army Chief of Staff, claimed that at this moment Hitler himself made the only effective direct intervention in the war.According to this authority, Hitler was worried about these armored units, because they entered a canal-crissed and disadvantaged area and risked a lot without gaining any significant gains.He felt that these armored units could not be allowed to make unnecessary sacrifices, because they were indispensable in the second stage of the war.No doubt he believed that his superiority in the air would prevent a mass retreat by sea.According to Halder, Hitler therefore sent him a telegram through Brauchitsch, ordering the armored forces to stop advancing, and the vanguard could even withdraw.This, Halder said, cleared the way for British troops to reach Dunkirk.At any rate, at 11:42 AM on May 24th we intercepted a German plain code telegram to the effect that the attack on the Dunkirk|Hazebrouck|Melville line was suspended for the time being.Halder said on behalf of the Army Supreme Command (O‧K‧H‧) he refused to intervene in the actions of Army Group Rundstedt, which had clear orders to prevent the enemy from reaching the coast.He argued that the quicker and more complete the success of the operations in this area, the easier it would be to replace lost tanks later.The next day he was ordered to attend a conference with Brauchitsch.

This fierce debate ended with a clear order from Hitler.Hitler said he would send one of his own liaison officers to the front to oversee the execution of his orders.Keitel was ordered to fly to the headquarters of the Rundstedt Army Group, and other officers were sent to the front command posts.I never understood, said General Halder, how Hitler could think that the Panzer Corps was taking unnecessary risks.Keitel spent considerable time in Flanders during the First World War, so it is likely that Hitler's ideas were based on the stories he told. Other German generals have spoken of rather similar episodes, even suggesting that Hitler's order was politically motivated to give Britain a better chance of making peace after defeating France.Now, due to the discovery of the diary recorded at the headquarters in Rundstedt at that time, it turned out to be a reliable proof document.The diary records a different story.At midnight on the 23rd, Brauchitsch brought orders from the Supreme Command instructing the Fourth Army to remain under the command of Rundstedt for the final operations of the encirclement.When Hitler arrived at his headquarters in Rundstedt the next morning, Rundstedt told him that his armored forces had advanced so far, so fast, that their strength had weakened, and that they needed to stop, recuperate, redeploy, In order to carry out the final blow to the enemy; his staff diary wrote: This enemy is very tenacious in fighting, and Rundstedt also foresees that his scattered forces may be flanked by the North and the South; In fact, if the Weygand plan is implemented, it will obviously be a counterattack by the Allied forces.Hitler fully agreed that the attack east of Arras should be carried out by infantry, and mobile units should continue to hold the Lens | Berton | El | Saint-Omer | Gravelin line in order to intercept the enemy under the pressure of Army Group B in the northeast.He also considered the necessity of maintaining the strength of the armored forces for future operations.However, very early on the 25th, Brauchitsch sent a new order: the Commander-in-Chief ordered the armored forces to move on.Rundstedt ignored the order relying on Hitler's verbal consent.

He did not convey the order to Kluge, the commander of the Fourth Army, who told Kluge to continue to use the armored division sparingly.Kluge protested the delay, but Rundstedt did not let them go until the next day (the 26th), and it was then that he ordered that Dunkirk should not be used as an immediate target for the time being. target of attack. The diary records that the Fourth Army protested against this restriction. The Army Chief of Staff telephoned on the 27th to say: The situation in the various ports of the strait is as follows: the big ship is parked by the pier with a gangplank, and people board the ship one after another.All supplies are left behind.We don't want to see these guys retooled against us in the future.

It is safe to say, therefore, that the Panzer Army stopped advancing; however, it was not Hitler's idea, but Rundstedt's.Rundstedt was undoubtedly justified in this opinion, taking into account both the situation of the armored forces and the general situation of the war, but he should have obeyed the official orders of the Supreme Command, or at least he should have told They, how Hitler verbally told him.German commanders generally felt that a great opportunity had been missed. However, there were other reasons affecting the actions of the German armored forces at this critical juncture.

On the night of the twentieth, after the main German armored and motorized units reached the coast of Abbeville, they proceeded north along the coast via Étaples towards Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk, apparently with the intention of Cut off all escape from the sea.The situation in this area came back to me from the experience of the last war, when I used mobile brigades of marines from Dunkirk to attack the German flank and rear marching towards Paris, so I did not need to go to Learn about the importance of the flood system between Calais and Dunkirk, or the Gravelin Flood Line.The sluices were opened, and the flood waters flowed day by day, thus covering our line of retreat on the south.The defenses of Boulogne, and especially of Calais, lasted in dismay until the last moment, when the British immediately sent their defenders to the place.Boulogne was isolated and attacked on 22 May, garrisoned by two battalions and one of our few anti-tank batteries, plus some French troops.After thirty-six hours of resistance, which they reported as unsupportable, I consented to the withdrawal by sea of ​​the remaining defenders, together with the French troops.During the night of May 23rd and 24th, eight destroyers withdrew the defenders with only a loss of 200 men.The French continued fighting at the castle until the early morning of the 25th.I regret our retreat.

As early as a few days ago, I had put the defense of the ports in the strait under the direct command of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and I kept in constant contact with him.I now decide: Calais must be defended and the defenders are not allowed to retreat by sea. The defenders here include a battalion of the Rifle Brigade, a battalion of the Sixtieth Rifle Brigade, a battalion of the Queen Victoria Rifle Brigade, the 229th Anti-Tank Battalion of the Royal Artillery and the Royal Artillery. A battalion of the Tank Regiment, plus twenty-one light tanks and twenty-seven patrol vehicles, and the same number of French troops.It is very sad that such well-trained troops should be sacrificed to gain two or three days; we have few such troops, and it is doubtful that the two or three days gained will be of any use. , It is difficult to make a reservation for how to use it these days.The Minister of War and the Chief of the Reich Staff agreed to this harrowing measure.Telegrams and minutes of meetings at that time can illustrate this point.

Prime Minister to General Ismay to Reich Chief of Staff May 23, 1940 In addition to Weygand's general orders last night, I think it absolutely necessary to open up a clear supply line for Gott's troops from Dunkirk, Calais or Boulogne as soon as possible in order to ensure the movement of the army south through Amiens .Gott can no longer be oblivious to the danger he is now in, and he should send even a division, or whatever smaller force is necessary, to meet our advance from the coast.If the armored regiment had actually landed at Calais with its patrol tanks, it would have improved the situation and encouraged us to send there the rest of the second brigade of that armored division.This coastal area must be cleared if the major evacuation plan is to be completed.Intruders behind the lines must be beaten and pursued.As for the refugees, they should be driven out into the fields and settled there, as Weygand suggests, to clear the way.Have you been in touch with Gott by phone or telegram, and how long would it take to send him a coded telegram?Please send a staff officer to Downing Street with a map showing the positions of the nine divisions of the British Army as we know them today.You do not need to reply personally. prime minister to general ismay May 24, 1940 I cannot understand the situation around Calais.The Germans are blocking all the way out, our tank regiment is stuck in the city because it can't stand the field guns in the countryside.But I expected that the enemy forces besieging the city were not very strong.So, why not attack them?Why doesn't Lord Gort attack them from behind while we strike from Calais?Gott could of course call out a brigade or two to clear his lines of communication and obtain the necessary supplies for his army.A general with nine divisions was dying of starvation without sending a single force to clear his lines of communication.What is more important than traffic lines?And what better place to use the reserves? This blockade of Calais must be attacked at once by Gort, by the Canadians at Dunkirk, and by our tanks trapped in the city.It was obvious that the Germans could go anywhere and do anything, and their tanks could move in twos and threes all over our rear without even being spotted by us.Also, our tanks flinched from their field guns, but our field guns didn't like to bombard their tanks.If their motorized artillery can block us away from their bases, why can't we block them with the artillery of a stronger force?Clearing the line of communication to Calais and keeping it open mainly depended on the British Expeditionary Force. This statement is unfair to our military, but I will print it here as I wrote it. prime minister to general ismay May 24, 1940 The Vice-Chief of the Naval Staff informed me that (a) order had been sent to Calais at 2 o'clock in the morning, stating that it was decided in principle to withdraw; but it was madness to do so.The only consequence of the evacuation of Calais was the diversion to Dunkirk of the forces presently blockading Calais.There were many reasons for holding Calais, but the chief one was to keep the enemy in their line.The Admiralty said they were preparing twenty-four naval guns firing twelve-pounder shells with semi-armour-piercing warheads capable of penetrating any tank.Part of it will be ready tonight. Prime Minister to Chief of the Reich General Staff May 25, 1940 I must soon find out why Gott abandoned Arras and how exactly he used the rest of his force.Is he still carrying out the Weygand plan, or has he mostly stopped?If it's the latter, what's your take on the likely evolution of events in the next few days, what are your ideas?Obviously, he shouldn't be caught without a fight.Should he break out, rush to the coast, and destroy with overwhelming artillery the enemy's armor between him and the coast, while covering himself and the Belgians, who were also moving back, with a strong rearguard?A decision must be made by tomorrow at the latest. If there was a moment's silence at any airport, Dill would surely be able to fly home, and the whole RAF squadron should escort him. Prime Minister to Secretary of State for War and Chief of the Reich General Staff May 25, 1940 Find out who was the officer who gave the order to evacuate Calais yesterday, and who was the author of this very discouraging telegram I saw this morning; it says it's about the unity of the Allies.This is not the way to motivate soldiers to fight to the end.Can you be sure that there is no defeatist thinking in the staff? Prime Minister to Chief of the Reich General Staff May 25, 1940 The commander of the brigade guarding Calais should give instructions to the following effect: At present, it is of the utmost importance to our country and our army to defend Calais as best we can.First, it can pin down most of the enemy's armor so that they cannot attack our lines of communication.Second, retain a breakout port, through which some British troops may return home.Lord Gort has sent troops to reinforce your position, and the navy will do everything in its power to keep you supplied.The defense of Calais is the focus of the empire, and His Majesty's government is convinced that you and your brave men will perform a feat worthy of the name of England. The telegram was sent to Brigadier General Nicholson at about 2:00 pm on May 25th. The final decision not to recall the Calais garrison was taken on the night of 26 May. Until then, destroyers have always been ready.Eden and Ironside were with me in the Admiralty.The three of us walked out of the dining room to discuss the matter at nine o'clock that night. This included Eden's own regiment in which he had served and fought for a long time in the last great war.A person also needs to eat and drink in war. When we sat around the table in silence, I couldn't help feeling as if my body was sick. Here is the telegram sent to the Brigadier General: Every hour that you continue to fight is of great help to the British Expeditionary Force, so the Government has decided that you must continue to fight.My best compliments to you for your stellar record of standing your ground.You will not (repeatedly say no) retreat, and the ships intended for retreat will return to Dover.The Veritas and Windsor were to cover the commander's mine clearance and cover his return. Calais is the difference between success and failure.Many other reasons might have prevented the breakout from Dunkirk, but it is safe to say that with the three day defense of Calais won we could have held the Graveline flood line, otherwise, despite Hitler's hesitation , Long Dexuantai issued an order [1], all our rear routes will also be cut off, so that the entire army will be wiped out. [1] refers to the fact that Rundstedt ordered the German armored forces to suspend their advance.translator In addition to the above, there was now an unfortunate incident which simplified the matter.The Germans, who had hitherto not aggressively invaded the Belgian defenses, broke through on May 24th the Belgian defenses on both sides of Courtre, within thirty miles of Ostend and Dunkirk.The King of Belgium soon considered the situation hopeless and was ready to surrender. By May 23rd, the British Expeditionary Force's I and II Corps were gradually withdrawing from Belgium and back to the lines they had formed the previous winter on the frontier to the north and east of Leer; outflanked our southern flank The Germans have reached the coast, so we have to defend this side.Gort and his headquarters, under the pressure of the situation, have successively sent troops to the front line of La Basse | Beton | El | Saint Omer | Vatan along the canal.This force and that of the French XVI Corps approached the coast at the Gravelin Flood Line.This inwardly curved south flank was mainly defended by the British Third Army.There is no continuous line of defense here, only a series of defensive points set up at the main intersections, of which, such as Saint-Omer and Vatan, are already in the hands of the enemy.Several very important roads northward from Kassel are already threatened.Gott's reserve consisted of only two British divisions, the 5th and 50th divisions; as mentioned above, these two divisions were almost encircled in the southward counterattack from Arras in order to risk carrying out the Weygand plan.On this day the British Expeditionary Force was encamped a total of ninety miles in length, and everywhere was within close proximity to the enemy. To the south of the British Expeditionary Force was the First French Army; except for two divisions deployed on the border defense line, the remaining eleven divisions were routed and crouched in the north and east of Douai.The army was attacked by a force southeast of the German encirclement line. To our left the Belgians had been driven back from many points along the Leith Canal; as they retreated northward a gap was formed north of Menon. On the evening of the twenty-fifth Lord Gort made a momentous decision.His orders were still to follow Weygand's plan and attack south to Cambrai.In this attack, the 5th and 50th Divisions would be dispatched to cooperate with the French.The agreed French advance northward from the Somme seemed to show no sign of being realized.The last defenders of Boulogne have retreated.Calais is still holding on.At this time, Gott abandoned the Weygand plan.He considered that there was no hope of advancing southward and towards the Somme, and that the collapse of the Belgian line and the opening of a breach to the north presented us with a new danger which could affect the course of the battle.From an intercepted order of the German Sixth Army, it can be seen that one army will attack northwest to Ypres, and the other army will advance west and drive directly to Witzchat. How can the Belgians resist this two-pronged attack? On the one hand, Gott is confident in his military ability, and on the other hand, he believes that the command of the British and French governments or the French High Command has completely interrupted him, so he decides to abandon the offensive to the south. The gap opened to the north, and one side moved towards the coast.At this time, it was the only hope of avoiding annihilation or surrender.At 6 p.m. he ordered the 5th and 50th Divisions, together with the British Second Corps, to close the gap that was about to open on the Belgian side.He notified General Blanchard of his actions, who was commanding the First Army Group in Bjout's place; the general, acknowledging the urgency of the situation, ordered a retreat west of Lille on the 26th at 11:30 P.M. Defensive lines behind the Lys Canal in order to establish a bridgehead around Dunkirk. In the early hours of May 26, Gott and Blanchard made plans to retreat to the coast.Because of the long distance of the French First Army, the movement of the British Expeditionary Force on the night of May 26th and 27th was preparatory, while the rearguard forces of the British First Army and Second Army still had to stay. Defensive positions on the frontier until the night of May 27-28.All these actions of Lord Gort were his own responsibility.However, we are in China at this time, and we have come to the same conclusion based on the information we have obtained from a slightly different angle.On the 26th, the Ministry of War sent a telegram agreeing to his actions and approving his joint operations to the coast with the French and Belgian armies.A large number of various large and small naval vessels are already actively concentrating in an emergency. The reader must now turn to the attached drawing; it shows the situation in which the British divisions held the area during the night of May 25-26. The positions on the west side of the coastal corridor area remained largely unchanged throughout the day on the 26th.The 48th and 44th Divisions were under less pressure around their positions, while the 2nd Division held their ground, fighting fiercely in the area of ​​the El and Labasse canals.Further east, near Calvin, where the British and French armies jointly defended, the German army launched a fierce attack.The situation was averted by a counter-offensive by two battalions of the 50th Division, camped nearby.On the left side of the British line, the 5th Division, together with the 143rd Brigade of the 48th Division assigned to the division, marched through the night and took over the defense of the Ypres-Comin Canal at dawn in order to block the gap between the British and Belgian troops. the gap between.They came just in time.Soon after their arrival, the enemy attacked, and the battle was fierce all day long.The three battalions of the 1st Division in reserve also entered the battle.After bivouacing south of Leer, the 50th Division moved north in order to extend the 5th Division's flank near Ypres.The Belgian army, under heavy attack all day long, had breached its right flank, and reported that they had no more forces with which to reconnect with the British line, and could not retreat to the Isle Canal line to cooperate with the British movement. Meanwhile, work was under way to establish a bridgehead around Dunkirk.The French were to hold the line from Graveline to Berg, and the line from Berg along the canal through Furness to Nieuwpoort to the coast was defended by the British.All kinds of different troops coming from two sides were intertwined in this line of defense.In confirmation of the order of the 26th, the War Office sent a telegram at 1:00 p.m. on the 27th to Lord Gott, informing him that his future task was to withdraw the largest possible number of troops.I had informed Mr. Renault the day before that our policy was to evacuate the British Expeditionary Force, and asked him to give orders accordingly.At 2 o'clock in the afternoon on the 27th, the commander of the French First Army issued an order to all the armies under it: fight to the end on the Lys River position and never retreat.The telecommunications were cut off at this point. Four British divisions and the entire French First Army were in critical condition and threatened to be cut off near Leer.The two arms of the German encirclement movement attempted to encircle them.Although we did not in those days have a complete map room for the successive stages, and it was impossible to control the battle from London, I was troubled for three days by the situation of the large Allied forces around Lille, where there were four of our own. an excellent teacher.At any rate, this was one of the rare moments when mechanized transport played a decisive role, and all four divisions were withdrawn almost overnight with astonishing speed at Gott's order.Meanwhile, the rest of the British army fought fiercely on both sides of the corridor to keep the road to the coast open.The enemy's pincer encirclement was delayed by the containment of the Second Division, and was delayed for three days by the obstruction of the Fifth Division. Finally, the encirclement was closed on the night of May 29th. The great battle fought by the Russians near Stalingrad in 1942.The trap took two and a half days to seal, during which time, although the French army had only horse transport, although the main road to Dunkirk had been cut off, the secondary roads were crowded with retreating troops However, the four divisions of the British Army and most of the French First Army (except for the loss of the Fifth Army) all retreated through the gap in an orderly manner. As to our ability to continue fighting alone, I asked Mr. Chamberlain to study with other ministers ten days ago; and I now formally refer the question to our military advisers.I drafted a reference material that, while consciously using some phrases for inspiration, left the Chiefs of Staff free to express their opinions, whatever they may be.I knew beforehand that they were absolutely determined; but it was wise to put such decisions in writing, and I hoped to reassure Parliament that our decisions were supported by the opinion of specialists.Here are the references I wrote and their responses: 1. We have re-examined our report on British strategy under certain contingencies in the spirit of the following items of references issued by the Prime Minister. Once France cannot continue to fight and becomes neutral, and the Germans hold their current positions, the Belgian army is forced to surrender after assisting the British Expeditionary Force to retreat to the coast; once Germany has made a condition to Britain that we disarm and cede the Orkney Islands Navy bases, etc., so that Britain is completely at the mercy of Germany; so what are the prospects of our continuing to fight Germany alone, and possibly Italy? As to whether the navy and air force can be reasonably hoped to hold back the violent invasion of the enemy, and whether the forces assembled on this island can resist the attack from the air by a force of less than 10,000 men; Is Germany a big threat to Europe? 2. Our conclusions are contained in the following paragraphs. 3. As long as our air force exists, the combination of our navy and air force should be able to stop the German invasion of our country by sea. 4. If Germany achieves complete air superiority, we believe that the navy can resist the invasion of the enemy for a period of time, but not indefinitely. 5. When our navy is unable to stop the enemy's invasion and our air force is all lost, our coast and beach defenses cannot prevent the German tanks and infantry from establishing a firm foothold on our shores should the Germans launch a invasion.Under the above conditions, our ground forces would not be sufficient for a full-fledged invasion. 6. The crux of the problem is air superiority.As long as Germany achieves air superiority, she may try to subdue our country by air strikes alone. 7. The Germans cannot achieve complete air superiority unless they completely destroy our air force and aircraft industry, some of the most important of which are concentrated in Coventry and Birmingham. 8. Air strikes on aircraft factories can be carried out during the day or at night.We believe that we should attack the enemy's aircraft factories in large numbers during the day to avoid serious losses, but no matter what defensive measures we take (we are working on this with haste), we are not sure that our aircraft industry can be guaranteed. The large industrial centers on which it depends do not suffer serious material damage during night air raids.The enemy does not need to conduct precision bombing to receive this effect. 9. The success of air raids in destroying the aircraft industry depends not only on the material damage caused by the bombing, but also on the psychological impact on the workers and their determination to continue working in the face of mass destruction. 10. Therefore, if the enemy continues to carry out night raids on the aircraft industry in our home country, they may cause such material and moral damage in the industrial areas concerned, thereby bringing all work to a standstill. 11. It must be remembered that the Germans had a four to one advantage in the number of aircraft, and that the German aircraft factories were rather scattered and inaccessible. 12. On the other hand, as long as we have a counter-offensive bomber fleet, we can carry out the same attack on the industrial centers of Germany, with moral and material effects, bringing a part of their industry to a standstill. 13. In conclusion, our conclusion is: on the surface, the Germans are very sure of victory; however, the real test is: whether our fighters and the morale of the people can offset the Germans' numerical and material enjoy the advantages.We believe we can. Written, of course, in the darkest hours before the rescue of Dunkirk, the report was signed not only by the Chiefs of Staff Newall, Pound, and Ironside, but also by Dill, Phillips, and Pierce. Signed by Deputy Chief of Staff.I must admit that, reading this report after some years, I still feel that the situation is very serious and dire, but the War Cabinet and several other ministers who read this report all thought the same thing.No discussion took place.We are all of one mind. I now write personally to Lord Gott: May 27, 1940 1. At this critical moment, I must wish you success.No one dares to say for sure how the situation will evolve in the future.However, no matter what, it is better than being surrounded and waiting to die.I would venture to make the following points: First, artillery should be used to destroy tanks, as in other cases, losses may be suffered by attacking tanks with artillery.Secondly, I was very apprehensive about Ostend until a brigade with artillery took that place.Thirdly, the German tank units attacking Calais were probably exhausted, and in any case had nothing to do but attack Calais.While Calais is still in our hands, it may be a good opportunity to send a detachment against Calais.Maybe, attacking the enemy tanks, the enemy tanks are not so scary. 2. It is time to inform the Belgians of the situation.I am sending the following telegram to Case, but I hope you will meet with the king himself.Case will assist.We ask them to sacrifice for us. 3. I think (our) army knows to open a way back home to England.There has never been such a good encouragement to fight.We will support you with everything our Navy and Air Force can do.Anthony Eden is here with me right now, and he joins me in greeting you. prime minister to admiral keyes Please inform your friend (King of Belgium) of the following points.He knew, I think, that the British and French forces were rushing to the coast between Gravelin and Ostend (both included); support.What can we do for him?Of course we can't be trapped in a tight siege for Belgium and wait for death.Our only hope is victory, and no matter what happens, we will not withdraw from the war until Hitler is defeated or Britain ceases to be a nation.相信你一定能在時機未晚以前和他一起乘飛機離開。要是我方戰事順利，並建立了一個有效的橋頭陣地，如果要求的話，我們將試把一些比利時師由海路運往法國。最關重要的是，比利時應繼續作戰，國王的人身安全也至為緊要。 凱斯海軍上將在二十八日回到英國以前沒有接到我這封電報。因此，這一特別重要的電報沒有傳達給國王利奧波德。不過，這不要緊，因為二十七日下午五六點鐘的時候，凱斯海軍上將和我通了電話。下面一段就是從他的報告中摘錄的。 二十七日下午五時左右，國王告訴我，他的軍隊已經崩潰，他正在要求停止敵對行動，於是我就用無線電向戈特和陸軍部發出密碼電報。陸軍部於下午五時五十四分收到這封電報。我立即乘車去拉潘尼並給首相打電話。首相事前一再接獲報告，因此他絲毫不感驚訝，他只告訴我說，必須盡最大努力說服國王、王后（母后）和我一同到英國，並對我口述我應當在那天下午收到的電報： 一九四○年五月二十七日 此間比利時大使館從國王決定留下不走來看，估計國王已認為戰事失敗，打算單獨媾和了。 為了不受國王的決定的約束，比利時立憲政府已經在外國的國土上重新建立起來。即便現在比利時軍隊不得不放下武器，但在法國還有適合服役年齡的比利時人二十萬，物資也比一九一四年比利時掌握的多，所以還是能夠進行抗戰的。國王現在的決定是在分裂國家並把它置之於希特勒的卵翼之下。請將這幾點意見轉達國王，並讓他知道他目前的抉擇對於盟國和比利時所造成的災難性的後果。 我將首相的電報交給國王利奧波德，可是他說，他已經下定決心，要同他的軍隊和人民留在一起 在國內我發佈了如下的通令： （絕密）一九四○年五月二十八日 在這黑暗的日子裡，如果政府中所有的同僚以及重要官員能在他們的周圍保持高昂的士氣，首相將不勝感激；這不是說要縮小事態的嚴重性，而是要我們對我們的能力表示信心，我們有堅定不移的決心繼續作戰，直到把敵人企圖統治整個歐洲的野心徹底粉碎為止。 不容許有法國單獨媾和的想法；不過，無論大陸上發生任何事情，我們也不能對我們應盡的職責有所懷疑，我們一定要竭盡全力保衛本島、保衛帝國和我們的事業。 二十八日晨，戈特勳爵再次會見布朗夏爾將軍。我感激戈特勳爵的參謀長波納爾在當時留下了如下的記錄： 布朗夏爾今天會晤我們的時候，他在卡塞爾會談中的那種熱情業已消失。他沒有任何建設性的意見或計劃。我們向他讀了那份命令我們向海岸推進以便登船的電報。他大驚失色。這真是奇怪；因為他和戈特是受命建立橋頭陣地的，除此之外，他還能想到什麼其他的原因呢？這種準備行動哪能有別的目的呢？我們指出，我們雙方都曾接到關於建立橋頭陣地的類似的命令。現在的情形是：我們已經從我們的政府接到關於下一個合理步驟的命令（這道命令無疑已經通知法國政府），而他迄今還沒有接到與此有關的命令。他聽了這番話以後，稍稍鎮定一點，但是還沒有完全鎮定下來。接著，我們說，我們也像他一樣，希望在這最後階段英軍和法國第一集團軍仍然在一起。因此，預料法國第一集團軍要在今夜繼續撤退，同我們一致行動。這時，他態度堅決，聲稱，這是辦不到的。我們費盡唇舌，盡可能清楚地向他闡明左右局勢的各種因素。德軍在東北翼對我們的威脅，在未來二十四小時內可能不會有所增加（不過一旦增加，情況就必然十分嚴重）。目前最嚴重的是對我們西南翼這道較長戰線的威脅。正如他十分清楚的，在那裡，德國步兵師的前衛在炮兵的支援下昨天已在好幾處發動進攻。雖然沃木、卡塞爾、阿茲布魯克等主要地點守住了，可是有一些地方已經被突破。毫無疑問，德軍必然要利用他們取得的優勢，並且我們敢斷言，各師的主力不久就會散開，拚命攔阻我們向海岸撤退（已下令我們撤退，雖然沒有給他們下令）。因此，從利斯河撤退是刻不容緩的，我們必須在今夜回到海岸，至少也要到達伊普爾｜波珀臨格｜卡塞爾一線。如果等到明天夜間才撤，那就等於是給德國人兩天時間，讓他們抄到我們後面去，這樣作，簡直是太糊塗。我們認為，即便能夠到達海岸，能脫圍的部隊，似乎連三十％也達不到，的確，在前沿陣地的許多部隊就永遠到不了海岸了。可是，即便我們能挽救的受過高度訓練的軍官和士兵只是一小部分，那也會對戰爭繼續下去有所裨益。因此，必須做一切可能做的事，其中之一就是今夜撤退一段路程，即便只撤一部分也好 其後，現任第一集團軍司令普利歐將軍派來一名聯絡官。 這位聯絡官告訴布朗夏爾說，普利歐已經決定，他今夜一步也不能再往後撤了，因此，他準備留在運河的方形地區，其東北角在阿爾芒蒂埃爾，西南角在貝頓。這似乎使布朗夏爾反對撤退之意已決。我們請求他為了第一集團軍和盟國的事業，命令普利歐至少也要抽出一些軍隊和我們一道撤退。他統率的部隊不是全部過於疲勞，就是路途太遠，以致無法撤退。因為凡是撤退到海岸的人總有‧一‧些上船的機會，而留在後面的人卻肯定要遭到犧牲。那麼，為什麼不‧試‧一‧試呢？不去試試，什麼好處也沒有：因為去試試的人，至少是有‧一‧些希望的，但是這樣說並沒有使他動搖。他聲稱，從海濱撤退是不可能的無疑，英國海軍部已經為英國遠征軍作好準備，可是法國海軍部是絕不可能為法國兵士這樣做的。因此，去試試也是無益的得不償失。他同意普利歐的意見。 然後，他直截了當地問道，如此說來，戈特既然知道法軍第一集團軍不一同撤退，他是否還打算今夜撤到伊普爾｜波珀臨格｜卡塞爾一線呢？戈特回答說，他要撤。首先，他接到命令，要他們登船，因而就必須立即撤退。再等二十四小時，就意味著他不可能執行這道命令了，因為軍隊就會被切斷。其次，除了執行命令這一表面原因外，把部隊繼續留在目前四面受敵的陣地也是一種極糊塗的行為。他們在那裡不久就會被擊潰的。因此，依據這些理由，很抱歉，英國遠征軍必須撤退，即便法國第一集團軍不撤。 二十八日拂曉前，比利時軍隊投降了。戈特勳爵僅僅在事情發生的前一小時才接到正式通知，不過在三天以前就已經預見到比軍的崩潰，並採取了各種方法堵塞這一缺口了。我向議會報告此事，使用的語句比雷諾先生認為應當使用的語句緩和得多。 議會將會知道，比利時國王昨天派了一名全權代表到德軍司令部請求在比軍戰線上停戰。英國和法國政府已命令他們的將領，立即斷絕和比軍的聯繫，並在他們現在的陣地上堅持作戰。德軍司令部已答應了比利時的要求，比軍已於今晨四時停止抵抗。 我不打算向議會建議，在此刻對身為比軍總司令的比利時國王的行為做出論斷。比軍曾英勇作戰，遭受重大傷亡，但同時也給敵人以重創。比利時政府已經與國王的行動斷絕關係，宣稱它是唯一合法的比利時政府，並正式聲明它決定站在盟國一方繼續作戰。 法國政府表示關心，因為我對利奧波德國王的行為的說法同雷諾先生的說法適成鮮明的對比。在我仔細查了當時能夠得到的比較充分的情報後，我六月四日在議會發言，不但要公平對待我們的法國盟友，而且也要公平對待目前在英國的比利時政府，我認為我有責任坦率闡述事實的真相。 到最後時刻，當比利時已經被侵入的時候，國王利奧波德要求我們給予援助，即便是在那最後的時刻，我們還是去援助了的。他和他將近五十萬勇敢善戰的陸軍，守衛著我們的左翼，從而使我們唯一一條通往海岸撤退的道路保持暢通。 突然，事先未經商討，也一點不通知，也不徵求他的大臣們的意見，竟個人自作主張，派一名全權代表到德軍司令部全軍投降，從而使我軍的整個側翼和退路完全暴露。 我所說的這支英勇善戰的軍隊，的確表現得無愧於它的光榮傳統。他們被他們沒有力量長期抵抗的敵人打敗了。他們雖被打敗和奉命投降，但這絲毫無損於他們的光榮和名聲。 二十八日一整天，英軍脫圍的成敗未卜。從科明到伊普爾，再從伊普爾到海岸的戰線上，布魯克和他的第二軍抵禦東側，竭力堵塞比軍的缺口，打了一場出色的勝仗。在過去兩天中，第五師扼守科明，擊退了敵人的屢次進攻；但是，由於比軍向北撤退，接著又投降，缺口遂展寬到無法堵塞的程度。英國遠征軍側翼的掩護，現在就要由他們自己擔任了。首先，由第五十師上去延長防線；接著，由新從里爾以東撤退下來的第三師和第四師乘摩托車兼程前進，延伸通往敦刻爾克這條重要走廊地帶的掩護。德軍在英軍和比軍之間的突擊是無法阻止的；但是它的嚴重後果，即敵人向裡迂迴，過伊士爾河到海濱，從而抄到正在奮戰中的我軍的背後，我們事前是預料到了的，並且處處採取了預防措施。 德軍被擊退，傷亡慘重。英軍炮隊野戰炮隊和中型炮隊，奉命把所有的炮彈都向敵人射去，強大的炮火對挫敗德軍的突擊起了很大的作用。在布魯克浴血戰鬥的戰線後面約僅四哩的地方，大批車輛和部隊從早到晚繼續不斷地湧進繼續擴大的敦刻爾克橋頭陣地，並立即秩序井然地進入防線。 此外，在橋頭陣地範圍之內，主要的東西幹道曾一度完全為車輛所堵塞，用壓路機將堵塞道路的車輛拖進兩旁的溝中，才清理出來了一條單向交通線。 二十八日下午，戈特下令全軍撤入橋頭陣地，當時橋頭陣地已擴展到格拉夫林｜伯格｜弗內斯｜尼烏波特一線。在這條戰線上的英軍各師從右到左，從伯格至尼烏波特海岸的順序是：四十六師、四十二師、第一師、第五十師、第三師和第四師。到二十九日，英國遠征軍大部分都已到達橋頭陣地範圍以內，這時海軍的撤退措施開始充分發揮作用。五月三十日，總司令部報告說，所有英國各師，或者說各師所餘存的部隊，都已進入橋頭陣地。 法軍第一集團軍的一半以上到達了敦刻爾克，絕大部分都已平安上船。不過至少有五個師的退卻線被德軍在里爾以西的鉗形運動所切斷。二十八日，他們企圖向西突圍，但是沒有成功；敵人從四面八方向他們逼近。在以後的三天中，里爾的法軍在逐漸縮小的陣地上向越來越大的德軍壓力進行反擊，直到三十一日晚，彈盡糧絕，才被迫投降，因此，約有五萬法國人落入德軍之手。這些法軍在英勇的摩里尼埃將軍的統率下，在關鍵的四天中至少牽制住了德軍七個師，否則這些德國師便會參加敦刻爾克外圍的戰鬥的。這對於他們比較幸運的夥伴和英國遠征軍的脫圍來說，是一個重大的貢獻 對我來說，這是一次非比尋常的經驗，肩負著如此重大的全面責任，在這幾天閃爍不定的情景中注視著這一幕劇，既無法控制，想插手干預又怕害多利少。毫無疑問，如果我們還是那樣忠實執行撤往松姆河的魏剛計劃，就會使我們已經遇到的頗為嚴重的危險更加嚴重，但是，我們迅速批准了戈特放棄魏剛計劃和轉移到海岸的決定；他和他的參謀人員以卓越的才能完成了這一任務，這在英國軍事史中將永遠是一個光輝的事例。