Chapter 192 Volume 6 Chapter 2 From Normandy to Paris

Scramble for Caen Consequences of our air offensive on enemy traffic Allied forces form a continuous front Missiles begin to strike London June 17 Hitler holds a conference near Soissons Our massing across the beach Mulberry Artificial Hong Kong and Pluto submarine oil pipeline and Stalin electrified July 8th British army attacked Caen and captured Caen Smuts and Stalin's congratulatory telegram Offensive July 20 I fly to Cherbourg Strange amphibious vehicle Visit Montgomery Another murder Hitler July 25 American attack Canadians pursue along the Falaise Highway Occupyville Correspondence with Montgomery Revisit Montgomery Eisenhower arrives in France Patton marched across Brittany September 19 captured Brest-Falaise pocket Eight German divisions were wiped out August 25 Paris was liberated.

Once the Allies landed, the first requirement was to strengthen the defenses near each beachhead and to extend them to form a continuous front.The enemy is stubborn and difficult to defeat.In the U.S. theater of operations, the marshes near Carentin and at the mouth of the Weir River greatly hindered our operations.This country is everywhere suitable for infantry defense.In the undergrowth which covers the greater part of Normandy, there are many small fields separated by slopes, with ditches and high hedges.The artillery supporting the attack was thus hampered by poor observation, and the use of tanks was extremely difficult.There are infantry battles along the way, and every small field has the possibility of becoming a support point.Despite this, apart from failing to take Caen, we made good progress.

This small and well-known town was going to be the scene of a fierce battle for many days.This place is important to our side because not only does it have a good location to the east for a small airfield, but it is also the hub of our entire plan.Montgomery's plan was to use the city of Caen as a left pivot, around which the American forces would pivot.For the German side, the town is just as important.If the enemy line were to be breached at this point, their entire Seventh Army would be forced to move southeast towards the Loire, opening a gap between the Seventh Army and the Fifteenth Army to the north. The way to Paris was open.Therefore, in the following weeks, Caen became the field of our constant attack and the most tenacious enemy resistance, attracting most of the German divisions, especially the armored units.This situation is a help to us, but it is also a hindrance.

Although the reserve divisions of the Fifteenth Army of the German Army remained in place north of the Seine, they were of course reinforced by troops drawn from other places. divisions, four of which were armored divisions.This figure is smaller than we expected.Our huge air offensive blocked all traffic of the enemy.Every bridge across the Seine in lower Paris, as well as several major bridges across the Loire, had been bombed by this time.Most of the enemy's reinforcements had to use the few roads and railways that passed through the gap between Paris and Orléans, and were subjected to constant and destructive attacks from our air force day and night.On July 8, a German report stated that all rail traffic west and south-west from Paris had been disrupted.Not only was the enemy unable to reinforce quickly, but the divisions arrived in pieces, short of equipment, exhausted from the long night's march on foot, and were sent to the front as soon as they arrived.The German command did not have the opportunity to form a shock force in the rear for a vigorous and well-coordinated counter-offensive.

By June 11, the Allies had formed a continuous front inland, with our fighters operating from six small forward airfields.The next task was to find a site large enough to accommodate a sufficient team for this decisive breakthrough.American forces crossed the Cherbourg peninsula and advanced westward toward Bathville on the west coast, arriving there on June 17.They also advanced northward, and on the 22nd, after a fierce battle, reached the enemy's outer line of defense at Cherbourg.The enemy resisted tenaciously until the 26th in order to carry out sabotage work.The work was indeed done so thoroughly that it was not until the end of August that we were able to take advantage of the port and bring in heavy loads.

Outside the battlefield, other events also affect the future situation.June 12th | On the night of the 13th, the first missiles fell on London.They were launched from places in northern France far from our landing force.The early capture of these locations will relieve the suffering of our heavily bombed population.Part of our strategic air force then resumed the bombing of these sites; but, of course, this did not raise the question of reversing the land campaign.As I said in Parliament, it gives the people at home the feeling that they are with their soldiers. On June 17, Hitler held a conference with Rondstedt and Rommel at Magival near Soissons.The two generals urged him on the unwiseness of allowing the German Army to bleed to death in Normandy.They urged the Seventh Army to withdraw in an orderly manner towards the Seine, so as not to be annihilated by our side, and to fight a defensive, but mobile battle with the Fifteenth Army along the Seine, at least some hope of success; however, Hitler disagreed.Here, as in Russia and Italy, he required his subordinates not to give up an inch of ground, but to persist in fighting on the spot.The two generals were, of course, right.Hitler's method of calling for simultaneous desperate fighting on all fronts lacked the important element of maneuvering.

In coastal combat areas.Our consolidation efforts continue to make progress.Bombardment ships of all types, including ships of the line, continued to support Army units ashore, especially those in the Eastern Theater of Operations, where the enemy had concentrated a large number of armored forces and whose batteries were a great nuisance to us.Their submarines and light surface craft also attempted to attack us, but with little success.However, those mines, most of which were dropped by air, caused severe damage to Allied shipping and delayed the build-up of our troops.Attacks to the east from enemy positions, especially from Le Havre, were blocked by us; to the west, an Allied naval bombardment squadron, later cooperating with the Americans, took Cherbourg.Good progress across the beach.In the first six days, 326,000 men, 54,000 vehicles, and 104,000 tons of military supplies were landed.Despite heavy losses in the landing craft, a massive supply organization is rapidly being formed.On average, more than 200 ships of various types arrive every day carrying various supplies.The big problem of dealing with shipping volumes of this magnitude is made even more difficult by bad weather.Still, we've made remarkable progress.The Merchant Marine played an excellent role.The seafarers cheerfully took the risks of war and the vicissitudes of the weather, and are indelibly impressed by their stoicism and devotion to their part in this magnificent enterprise.

By June 19, work on the two Mulberry ports, one at Arromanches and the other ten miles to the west in the American theater of operations, was progressing well. The submarine oil pipeline (code-named Pluto) will start to be used later, and at this time, Ball | An | Besan is also developing into our main gasoline supply port [1].But a storm arose which lasted for four days, which almost completely prevented the landing of our troops and supplies, and severely damaged the newly sunken breakwaters.A number of floating horns, not designed for such conditions, broke away from their sinking, crashing into other breakwaters and anchored ships.The man-made port in the U.S. military theater was destroyed, and some of its usable equipment was transferred to repair the Arromanches man-made port.

It is extremely unfortunate that a storm like this is the first in forty years in June.Our unloading process has been postponed.The start of the attack was also delayed.On June 23, our side only occupied the front that we were supposed to reach on June 11. [1] The Pluto plan includes first burying oil pipelines in the attack area so that marine oil tankers can transport gasoline directly to the shore through these oil pipelines.Later, subsea pipelines across the English Channel from the Isle of Wight to Cherbourg and from Dungeness to Boulogne will be laid. At this time, the Soviet offensive had already begun.I often told Stalin what happened to us.

Prime Minister to Marshal Stalin June 25, 1944 Glad to hear that your large-scale combat operation has been successful.We are to extend, without pausing, to the best of our ability, the fronts of engagement with the enemy, and to keep the fighting constant at its fiercest intensity. 2. The U.S. military hopes to capture Cherbourg within a few days. After the capture of this place, three divisions of the U.S. Army will soon be released to reinforce our southward attack.Twenty-five thousand prisoners of war were probably taken at Cherbourg. 3. During this period, we encountered a storm for three or four days, which is extremely rare in June, which delayed our assembly work and caused great damage to our two unfinished artificial ports.We are already trying to repair and strengthen the two man-made harbours.Several roads leading from these two seaports to the interior are currently being built at high speed with rollers and networks of steel laid out.A great base, therefore, was to be built, including Cherbourg, from which, in spite of the weather, a considerable number of troops could be dispatched for action.

4. There has been heavy fighting on the British front, and four of the five armored divisions of the enemy are engaged here.The British army originally planned to launch a new offensive there, but due to bad weather, it was delayed for several days, and the mobilization of several divisions was also delayed. The attack will begin tomorrow. 5. In Italy, we are advancing at a high speed, hoping to capture Florence in June and connect with the Pisa|Rimini line in mid-July or at the end of July.I shall have another call shortly about the various strategies that may be employed in this area.I think the highest principle we should follow is to keep as many of Hitler's troops as possible constantly drawn into battle on some of the broadest and most effective fronts.Only by fighting hard can we relieve the pressure you are under. 6. You can ignore the nonsense about the missile issue spread by the German side.It didn't have much impact on production or life in London.During the seven days the enemy used missiles, our casualties ranged from ten thousand to eleven thousand. After work or work, the roads and parks are still crowded with people who come out to enjoy the sunshine.Debate in Parliament continued without interruption throughout the air raid warning period.When rocket development reaches an advanced stage, it may be more powerful.The British people are proud to share a little of the risks of war with their own soldiers, and with yours, whom they greatly admire.I wish you all success in your new offensive. When Cherbourg fell, Stalin congratulated me and updated him on his own large-scale combat operations. Marshal Stalin to Prime Minister June 27, 1944 The Allies have liberated Cherbourg, another great victory in Normandy, and I congratulate the heroic British and American troops on the campaign trail in northern France and Italy. If the scale of the military operations in northern France made Hitler feel more and more serious and dangerous, then the smooth progress of the Allied offensive in Italy is also worthy of attention and praise. We wish you new achievements. Regarding our offensive, it can be said that we will not give the Germans a chance to breathe, and we will increase the strength of the German onslaught so as to continuously expand our offensive front.You will surely agree that this is imperative in the interests of our common cause. As for Hitler's use of missiles, it was evident that this would have had no serious effect either on the Normandy campaign or on the notoriously heroic citizens of London. I repeat: Prime Minister to Marshal Stalin July 1, 1944 In time I should say how impressed we were with the brilliant advance of the Russian armies, which, as the advance gained momentum, seemed ready to smash the entire German army between the Soviets and Warsaw and then Berlin.Each of your victories is here watched with keen attention.I am well aware that this is all the second round of the campaign you have been engaged in since Tehran.In the first campaign you recaptured Sevastopol, Odessa and the Crimea, so that your vanguard was able to advance to the Carpathians, the Seret and the Prut rivers. The fighting for Normandy was raging.The weather in June is nasty.Not only did we have wind storms at the beach that we haven't seen in summer in years, but the sky was always cloudy.This prevented us from taking full advantage of our air superiority, but facilitated the flight of the missiles into London.However, I hope the weather will be better in July.At the same time, we continued to have the upper hand in the fierce fighting, and although eight German armored divisions fought within the British theater of operations, our tanks still had a great advantage.We have already landed more than 750,000 troops, half of which are divided between Britain and the United States.Enemies are battered and bloodied on every front.I agree with you that this war must be fought to the end. In the last week of June, the British crossed the Odon River south of Caen and established a bridgehead.Our attempts to extend southeastward from this bridgehead across the Orne were met with opposition.The southern theater of the British front was twice attacked by several German armored divisions.In the fierce battle, due to our aerial bombardment and fierce artillery attack, the German army suffered heavy losses and suffered a disastrous defeat. [1] Now was the time for our attack, so, on the 8th of July, we launched a violent attack on the city of Caen from the north and northwest.The first tactical bombing by Allied heavy bombers prepared the conditions for this attack. Since then, tactical bombing has become a prominent feature of our operations.Royal Air Force heavy bombers dropped more than 2,000 tons of bombs on the German fortifications.By dawn, the British infantry, though inevitably hampered by bomb craters and debris from collapsed buildings, made good progress.On the 10th of July we have captured all of Caen on our side of the Odon, so I can say to Montgomery: Congratulations on the capture of Caen.He reiterated: [1] These attacks were the result of orders given by Hitler at the Soissons conference.On July 1 Keitel called Rundstedt and asked: What should we do?Rundstedt replied: Make peace, you idiots!Besides, what else can you do? Montgomery to Prime Minister July 11, 1944 Thank you for your message.We need Caen very much.In order to ensure a quick success, we used a great deal of air power, and the entire battlefield was a scene of havoc as we advanced towards Caen.The city of Caen itself suffered heavy damage.All day today, the enemy's 9th and 10th Armored Divisions have been engaged in frenzied counterattacks in an attempt to recapture the 112th stronghold northeast of Évreche. The ten divisions kept pounced.These three enemy divisions suffered heavy losses.The more they attack us like this, the better for us, everything is going well. Smuts had by this time returned to South Africa with a farsighted and thought-provoking telegram. July 10, 1944 Given the astonishing advances of the Russians, and the capture of Caen creating a welcome situation which weighs heavily on the Germans, the Germans, as things stand, cannot deal with two fronts.They would soon have to decide whether to devote their main forces to defending against attacks from the East or against attacks from the West.They knew what would happen if they were invaded by the Russians, so they would probably decide to concentrate their forces on the Russian front.This will help ease our tasks on the Western Front. Now that the front line of Caen City has been broken through, we should continue to take the initiative and take the offensive, and we should advance to the rear of the German missile base as soon as possible. I must regret the decision that affected Alexander's troops to move forward. 【１】 [1] That is, the decision to carry out the landing in the south of France. However, considering that you have successfully overcome similar obstacles on several occasions in the past, I still hope that your strategy, based on sound military and political reasons, will be successfully carried out again. Stalin watched our fate with concern every day; at this time, too, he sent a telegram congratulating the British on their new and brilliant victory in the liberation of Caen. By mid-July, thirty Allied divisions had landed, half of them American and half British and Canadian.The German army against us assembled twenty-seven divisions.But their casualties have reached 160,000. According to General Eisenhower's estimate, the enemy's combat strength will not exceed 16 divisions. Just then, an important event happened.On July 17, Rommel was seriously injured.His car was hit by our low-flying fighter jets and he was taken to hospital in what is believed to be a critical condition.He surprisingly recovered his health, but later, Hitler ordered that he would still die at that time.In early July, von Kluge succeeded Rundstedt as commander-in-chief of the enemy's western front, a general who had previously made a splash on the Russian front. The general offensive Montgomery had planned for July 18 was now imminent.I said to him: God bless you.He reiterated: July 17, 1944 Thank you for calling.Tomorrow's large-scale attack is generally favorable, because the main body of the enemy is moving west of the Orne, as we intend, to resist my attack in the area of ​​​​Evresie, which began today. It will continue until tonight. All success of tomorrow's operation will depend chiefly on whether the weather is favorable for flying.I have made up my mind that as long as possible, I will let the armored division go into battle tomorrow; If necessary, the start of the offensive will be postponed until 3 p.m. The British attack with three corps aimed at enlarging their bridgeheads and bringing troops across the Orne.Before the combat operation began, a larger bombardment was carried out by the Allied air forces.The Luftwaffe was completely unable to come out and stop it.To the east of Caen, progress was good until the sky became clouded and our planes were not hindered.And the attack from the US military theater was also postponed for a week.At the time I thought this was an opportunity to visit Cherbourg and spend a few days in the Mulberry artificial port.On the 20th, I took a U.S. Dakota plane and flew directly to the landing field of the U.S. military on the Cherbourg Peninsula. I was accompanied by the commander of the U.S. military to patrol around the man-made port.Here, for the first time, I saw a missile launch site.It was a painstakingly worked out business.I was appalled by the destruction of the city by the Germans. I share the disappointment of the staff that the use of the port will inevitably be delayed.There are trigger mines all over the inner bay of the port.Several dedicated British divers risked their lives day and night to free these mines, and were warmly praised by their American comrades.After a long and dangerous drive to the American beachhead called Utah Beach, I boarded a British torpedo boat, and from there made the rough voyage to Arromanches.When a person is a certain age, he is less likely to suffer from seasickness. I didn't suffer from seasickness, but slept soundly until the boat sailed into the quiet surface of our artificial shallow lake, and then woke up.I went aboard the cruiser Enterprise, and stayed on board for three days, to see for myself the full operation of the port, on which the whole army is now almost entirely dependent, while I also dealt with London affairs. The sound was extremely noisy at night. At that time, there were frequent attacks by a single enemy aircraft, and the alarms were more frequent.During the day I studied the whole process of loading up supplies and landing parties on the docks and on the beaches which had long interested me.At one point, six tank landing craft approached the beach in a file.As soon as the bow of the boat touched the shore, its drawbridge immediately fell forward, and the tanks drove out; one boat, with three or four tanks in it, landed with splashing water.According to my stopwatch, in less than eight minutes, the tanks were lined up on the road and ready to go into battle.This operation is impressive and a prime example of the unloading rates we have achieved.It fascinated me to see the amphibians swimming across the harbor and waddling onto land before scurrying up the hill to a large supply dump where trucks were waiting to load supplies to the various troops.The speedy and successful action we hope for depends upon the astonishing efficiency with which such a system of transportation is doing far more than anything we have ever planned. When I went to visit the ship's quarters the first night, the officers were singing.At the end, there was a chorus of the British Reign.I asked them what the words of the song were, and none of them knew, so I recited myself a few passages from Thomson's magnificent verse; Many countries are not as happy and rich as you, They still suffer under tyranny; You prospered with greatness and freedom, They have nothing but fear and envy. The muses are with liberty, will come often upon the shores of your bliss; Isle of fortune, so bright and beautiful, The heart of a hero is guarding this beautiful town. On my last day in Arromanches, I visited the Montgomery headquarters a few miles inland.The Commander-in-Chief was in high spirits on the eve of his greatest combat operation, which he explained to me in all its details.He led me to the ruins of Caen and across the river, and we visited other parts of the British line.Afterwards, he gave me a captured enemy plane of the Storch type, which was piloted by the Air Force Commander himself, and flew over all the British positions.In an emergency, the plane can land almost anywhere, allowing it to fly a few hundred feet below the ground, allowing for better inspection and understanding of the scene than would otherwise be possible.I also visited several Air Force stations and spoke at several rallies of officers and enlisted men.Finally, I visited the field hospital. Although it was a peaceful day, there were sporadic wounded soldiers who came to the hospital one after another.One unfortunate soldier who was about to undergo major surgery was, in fact, already lying on the operating table, ready to be anesthetized.As I was about to walk away quietly, the soldier said he wanted me to come to him.With a faint smile on his face, he kissed my hand, and I was deeply moved.Later, happy to hear that his surgery went well. On the evening of July 23, I flew back and arrived in China before sunset.I give due commendation to Colonel Hickling, the naval officer in charge of Arromanches. July 25, 1944 My warmest congratulations to you and to all the officers and men under your command for the excellent work done at Arromanches.This miraculous port has played and continues to play the most important part in the liberation of Europe.I hope to visit you again soon. The above telegram should be announced to all relevant officers and soldiers without being known by the enemy. The enemy has not yet known the capacity and potential strength of Arromanche. They want to name this man-made harbor Churchill Harbour, but, for various reasons, I refuse to give permission. At this moment, the German army revoked the original order to keep the Fifteenth Army behind the Seine, and at the same time sent several new divisions to reinforce the struggling Seventh Army.Their transfer across the Seine by rail, road, or ferry instead of the destroyed bridge was delayed and severely damaged by attacks from our air force.This long-delayed reinforcement arrived too late to salvage the situation. On July 20, just as the fighting on the Normandy side was taking a lull, there was another attempted murder of Hitler.According to one of the most reliable reports, Colonel Stauffenberg put a time bomb in a leather bag under Hitler's desk during a staff meeting.Because of the thick tabletop, the rungs under it, and the thin structure of the building itself, which immediately dissipated the pressure, Hitler was spared the full force of the explosion and survived. .Several officers present were killed in the bombing.The Führer, though greatly shocked and wounded, stood up and shouted: Who says I have no special blessing from God?The plot inspired all his diabolical nature; and his vengeance upon the group of suspects connected with it is a hideous tale to tell. The time has finally come for the massive assault of the U.S. military under the command of General Omar Bradley.On July 25, the U.S. Seventh Army attacked south from Saint-Lo, and the next day, the Eighth Army on the right side of the army also joined the battle.The U.S. Air Force bombing was as destructive as possible, and the infantry attack was successful.After that, the armored forces charged and galloped, sweeping the key stronghold of Kutangs.The escape route of the German army to the coast of Normandy was cut off, and the entire German defense line west of the Weir was in a state of crisis and confusion.The retreating troops crowded the highways, and Allied bombers and fighter bombers took heavy casualties among enemy soldiers and vehicles.The vanguard drove straight ahead.Avranche was captured on the 31st of July, and shortly thereafter rounded the cape to Brittany.Canadian forces under the command of General Creel set out from Caen and proceeded down the Falaise road, attacking at the same time.The attack was met with strong resistance from four German armored divisions.Montgomery, who was still in charge of commanding all fronts at the time, shifted the focus of the British offensive to other fronts, and ordered the British Second Army under General Dempsey to make a new attack from Cormont to Vail.The operation began on 30 July, preceded by heavy aerial bombardment, and arrived at Vail a few days later. When the main American offensive began and the Canadians were held up on the Falaise Highway, some people made some unpleasant comparisons to ridicule us. prime minister to general montgomery July 27, 1944 According to the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Force announced last night: the British army suffered a rather serious setback.I do not find any facts to support this statement.It seems to me that in your latest offensive there was only a little insignificant retreat, say a mile, on the right flank, so there is no justification for such a term.This statement naturally aroused a lot of discussion here.I am eager to know the truth of the situation, so that some vacillators and commentators on high will not lose heart. 2. In order to keep the most confidential information in my possession, I am anxious to know whether the plans of attack which you have spoken to me, or modified plans, are about to be carried out.It is indeed important that the British army must fight hard to achieve victory; otherwise, comparisons between the armies of the two countries will be made, which will lead to dangerous mutual accusations and affect the fighting effectiveness of this allied organization.Of course you know that I have full confidence in you, so you can rest assured. Montgomery replied: July 27, 1944 I don't know of any serious setbacks.The enemy has assembled heavy troops in the area south of Caen to resist our army's advance in this area.There had been violent fighting the previous two days, as a result of which the Canadian columns were forced to withdraw a thousand yards from the furthest positions they had reached. My strategy from the first was to draw the main enemy armored force to my east flank, and fight it there, so that the battle on my west flank would be easier to carry on.This strategy of mine has succeeded; the main enemy armored force is now in position on my eastern flank, east of the Odon, while my campaign on the west is proceeding relatively well, and the American forces are fighting well done. Talk about my further plans.The enemy's force south of Caen across the Falaise road is now formidable, stronger than anywhere on the entire Allied front.Therefore, I don't plan to attack them there, but I am planning to contain the enemy's forces in that area. At the same time, from the weaker enemy's force in the Comont area, I will use the Sixth Division to deal a severe blow to the enemy .This strike will help the US military make faster progress. As it turned out, Montgomery's optimism was well-founded, and I called again on August 3: prime minister to general montgomery August 3, 1944 It is a great joy that the plan you have explained to me has unfolded so smoothly. It was obvious that the enemy would be desperate to defend his eastern flank and hub.The enemy believes that sweeping the Brest peninsula will not be too much trouble.It is a great relief to learn that Vail has been taken by our armor and vanguard.Looking at the map, it looks like you should have solidly won a few rounds.Naturally, I am eager to see the armored units of the Second Army (whose number of armored vehicles should not be too low under 2,500 vehicles) galloping across the vast plain.In this war, devious tactics have become a new thing in land and sea warfare.I may spend a day at your place within the next week before leaving for Italy.I wish you every success. general montgomery to prime minister August 4, 1944 Thank you for calling. 2. I expect some heavy fighting on the eastern flank, especially in the part from Villers-Bocage to Viller facing due east.The enemy has dispatched considerable forces from the south and southeast of Caen to that direction. 3. I am therefore planning a violent attack on Falaise with five divisions from the area of ​​Caen.Efforts are now being made to launch this operation on 7 August. 4. I ordered only one American army to turn west into Brittany, because I thought that would be enough. The other corps of the U.S. Third Army would go straight for Laval and Angers.The entire force of the U.S. First Army will circle the south side of the Second Army [1], and attack Dongvron and Alençon. 【1】Press refers to the Second Army of the British Army.translator 5. I sincerely welcome you to come here next week or anytime. prime minister to general montgomery August 6, 1944 Sorry for not being able to reach you yesterday!If possible, come tomorrow (Monday).Please do not make any special arrangements for me or cause you any inconvenience. After yesterday afternoon, I spent half a day with Eisenhower. He suggested that I should also visit Bradley's headquarters. If you have no objection, I would like to visit that afternoon.Our party consisted only of myself, General Hollis, and Tommy. I therefore flew again to headquarters in Montgomery on the 7th, and after he gave me a lively explanation with some maps, an American colonel came to fetch me to General Bradley.They had carefully laid out the route for our party to take, and showed me the astonishing devastation of the towns and villages through which the American troops fought their way, with all the buildings smashed to pieces by the air force.We arrived at Bradley's headquarters around four o'clock.The general gave me a warm welcome, but I sensed that there was a great deal of tension, for the battle was in full swing and news of the battle came every few minutes.So I cut the visit short and drove back to my plane.Eisenhower arrived just as I was about to board the plane, which was unexpected.He flew from London to his forward headquarters, and when he heard of my movements, he came to intercept me.At that time, he had not yet taken over the actual command of the army in the field from Montgomery, but he watched all affairs with vigilant eyes; In terms of authority, there is no one who is more intelligent than him. The U.S. Third Army under the command of General Patton is now organized and operational.He mobilized two armored divisions and three infantry divisions to move rapidly west and south to clear the peninsula of Brittany.The enemy troops who had been cut off their way immediately retreated towards several fortified ports.The French Resistance, with 30,000 men there, played a notable role, and the peninsula was quickly taken.到了八月的第一個週末，德軍駐防軍隊和四個師的殘部約計四萬五千人被迫撤入他們在聖馬洛、佈雷斯特、洛里昂和聖納澤爾的環形防線。我們可以把這些敵軍都圈圍在這一地帶，任其自行萎縮消亡，從而避免立即向敵人採取進攻時所必不可免的無謂損失。瑟堡受到的破壞是大極了。布列塔尼各港口在被我方攻佔以後，也要花上很長的時間才能修復，這是肯定的。 在阿羅芒什地方的桑葚人造港的巨大吐納量，一些有掩蔽的停泊地點，以及諾曼底海岸上幾個小港意料不到的發展，使奪取布列塔尼各港口的緊急性降低了，而在我們早先的一些計劃中，這些港口曾經是很突出的問題。況且戰事既然進展得如此順利，我們大可指望不久就會佔領到從勒阿弗爾至北方的幾個遠為優良的法國港口。不過，佈雷斯特駐有一支很大的防守軍隊，又是在一位積極的司令官指揮之下，所以是一個有危險性的地區，必須予以消滅。該處敵軍於九月十九日在美軍三個師的猛烈攻擊之下，投降了。 正當我方這樣肅清或圍困布列塔尼半島的時候，巴頓領導的第三集團軍的其餘部隊朝東作大轉彎式的推進，直奔到盧瓦爾河和巴黎之間的空隙地帶，並沿塞納河下行到魯昂。八月六日攻入拉瓦爾城，八月九日又佔領了勒芒。在這整個寬廣的地區內，只發現少數德軍，在這些漫長而又日見延伸的路程上，向前進中的美軍供應給養，成了我方的主要困難。除了有限的空運之外，一切東西都仍然要經由原來登陸時的幾個海灘運進來，從諾曼底西邊經阿弗朗什傳送到前線。 因此，阿弗朗什就變成一個像瓶頸似的交通頻繁的短狹地段，因而為德軍提供了從法萊茲附近朝西對我方攻擊的一個吸引人的機會。這個主意正投合希特勒的幻想，所以他下令用最大可能的兵力攻襲莫坦，然後急竄到阿弗朗什，從而切斷巴頓的交通線。德國的司令官們對於這計劃一致認為不妥。他們了解到諾曼底之戰已經是失敗了，因此希望利用剛從北方第十五集團軍中調遣到的四個師，以執行有秩序地向塞納河方面退卻。他們認為把生力軍投入到西面去，簡直是伸長了自己的脖子，總有一天要被人家割斷。希特勒堅持照他的意旨行事，於是，德軍五個裝甲師和兩個步兵師於八月七日從東面發動了對莫坦的一次猛烈攻擊。 敵方向一個單獨的美國師發動攻擊，但是，該師卻堅守住了，嗣後又得到了另外開來的三個師的增援。經過五天劇烈戰鬥和空軍集中轟炸之後，敵方這一大膽的襲擊就被我方打得潰不成軍了，而且，就像敵人的將領們所預料的那樣，從法萊茲到莫坦的整個凸出地帶，擠滿了德軍隊伍，在我方三面夾攻之下，只好聽憑擺佈了。在這地區的南面，美軍第三集團軍所屬的一個軍轉向北進，經過阿朗松於八月十三日抵達阿爾讓當。霍奇斯將軍指揮下的美軍第一集團軍從維爾向南推進，同時英軍第二集團軍則向孔代推進。加拿大集團軍再度在重轟炸機的支援下，由卡昂城沿公路下行，繼續進迫法萊茲，這次取得的成就較大，因為他們在八月十七日就到達了目的地。盟國空軍對於麇集在這一狹長袋形地區內的德軍進行掃射，大炮轟擊也予以非常厲害的殺傷。德軍頑強固守法萊茲與阿爾讓當之間空隙地帶的咽喉，並想盡一切方法要儘先撤出裝甲部隊。可是，在八月十七日，他們的指揮和控制就垮臺了，戰場也就變成了一個死亡枕藉的所在。我方於八月二十日堵塞了這個咽喉口，儘管在此之前有相當大的一部分敵軍得以向東奪路逃脫，但被殲滅的還是不下八師之眾。昔日的法萊茲袋形地區終於成了他們今日的墳墓！克盧格向希特勒報告稱：敵人空軍優勢極大，把我們的一切行動幾乎都給遏制住了。而敵人每有行動，卻都以空軍先為開路並予以保護。我方在人力和物力上損失異常之大。在敵方炮火繼續不斷的猛烈轟擊下，我軍士氣深受打擊。 美軍第三集團軍除肅清布列塔尼半島，並用小拐彎的側襲，而在法萊茲大獲全勝外，又從勒芒用三個軍向東及東北方挺進。八月十七日，到達奧爾良、夏特勒和德勒。再從那裡向西北方沿河的左岸前進，與朝魯昂方面挺進中的英軍會合。我第二集團軍當時遇到一些滯阻，因為法萊茲一戰之後，這支隊伍需加整編，而敵方卻乘機臨時搞起一個後衛陣地。然而，經我方窮追猛打之後，塞納河以南所有的德軍，不久就拚命逃竄，在毀滅性的空襲下，企圖渡河後退。在以前空中轟炸下被毀的那些橋樑，沒有一座是修好了的，不過，還有幾座浮橋和充分的船舶擺渡。敵方所能保全的車輛為數極其有限。在魯昂以南，有大量的運輸工具被丟棄了。那些逃竄的隊伍已不具備再在河的對岸從事抵抗的條件了。 當時已經接掌最高指揮權的艾森豪威爾，決心避免為爭奪巴黎而戰。斯大林格勒和華沙兩地之戰都證明了正面攻擊和愛國者起義的可怕情景，因此，他決定包圍這個首都，迫使駐防軍隊投降或逃遁。八月二十日，行動的時刻到了。當時，巴頓已在芒特附近渡過了塞納河，他的右翼部隊也到達了楓丹白露。法國的地下軍隊起義了。警察也罷工了。警察總局已為愛國分子所佔領。法國抵抗運動的一名軍官帶了一些關係重大的報告，來到巴頓的總部，星期三（八月二十三日）早晨，這些報告就已送到了勒芒，遞交艾森豪威爾。 勒克萊爾將軍率領的法國第二裝甲師隸屬於巴頓麾下，於八月一日在諾曼底登陸，並在進攻中發揮了光榮的作用。【１】戴高樂於同日抵達，盟軍最高統帥向他作了保證，說只要時候到了就像早已協商同意的那樣勒克萊爾的部隊是會首先開進巴黎的。當天傍晚，首都內發生巷戰的消息，促使艾森豪威爾決定行動，勒克萊爾也奉命進軍。佈雷德利於晚間七時十五分將這些指示交給這位法國司令官，當時，他這一師人駐紮在阿爾讓當，八月二十三日發出的這些作戰命令開門見山地用了這幾個字：任務（1）攻佔巴黎。 【１】見本書第五卷，第五百五十四｜六頁。 勒克萊爾致戴高樂報告稱：我得到了這樣的印象，即一九四○年的局面正在倒過來重演著敵方情況十分紛亂，各部隊無不驚慌失措。這位將軍決定大膽行動，與其征服德軍的集中力量，毋寧避開它。第一批幾個分遣隊於八月二十四日從朗布依埃出發，向巴黎推進，這批隊伍是前一天從諾曼底開到朗布依埃的。由比約特上校（一九四○年五月間陣亡的法國第一集團軍群司令官的兒子）領導的主攻從奧爾良出發。 當晚，一支坦克先頭部隊就到達奧爾良門了，九時二十二分整，開進市政府前面的廣場。這一師的主力隊伍準備好在次日開入首都。第二天一早，比約特率領的幾個裝甲縱隊佔領了巴黎城對面的塞納河兩岸。到了下午，德國司令官，馮‧肖利茨設在默里斯大廈的總部就被包圍了，肖利茨向一位法國中尉投降後，經解交比約特。正在此時，勒克萊爾也趕到了，並在蒙特巴那斯車站建立指揮部，當日下午，又移至警察總局的所在地，四時左右，肖利茨被解到他的面前。這就是從敦刻爾克到乍得湖又回到了老家所走的一條道路的盡頭！勒克萊爾以低沉的語調說出了他的思想，他說：這回可行啦！之後，他用德語向這個手下敗將揭示了他自己的身份。經過一段簡短、不客氣的談話之後，就簽訂了駐防軍投降書，接著由抵抗運動所屬部隊和正規部隊逐一佔領了敵方其餘一些支撐點。 巴黎城到處沉浸在狂歡的示威遊行之中，人們向德國戰俘啐唾沫，把通敵的奸細拖著遊街，而解放隊伍則備受款待。 戴高樂將軍就在這時出現在這一個推延已久的勝利場面上。 他於下午五時抵達聖多米尼克道，並在陸軍部地址設立了總部。兩小時之後，他在抵抗運動的一些主要人物暨勒克萊爾將軍和朱安將軍陪同下，以自由法國領導人的身份在市政府首次出現於興高采烈的群眾面前。到處充滿著自發的狂熱的熱情。翌日下午（八月二十六日），戴高樂舉行了正式入城式，徒步從愛麗捨田園大街走到協和廣場，之後，又在一長列汽車隨從下，到了聖母院。那時，有一些暗藏的通敵奸細從教堂的內外兩面開槍射擊，人群當即走散，但在片刻慌亂之後，莊嚴的巴黎解放奉獻儀式一直進行到底。 到了八月三十日，我軍就分頭從許多地點渡過了塞納河。 敵人損失極為浩大：士兵四十萬人，其中一半是俘虜，坦克一千三百部、車輛兩萬部，，野戰炮一千五百門。德軍第七集團軍以及所有奉調前往支援的幾個師全部被我方打得潰不成軍。盟軍從灘頭陣地出擊曾經由於天氣惡劣和希特勒的錯誤決定而有所遲延，然而，那次戰役一旦結束，諸事進行得就都非常順利，而且我們到達塞納河的時間比原計劃提前了六天。有人批評說英軍在諾曼底戰線上行動迂緩，而且以後的幾個階段，美軍進展迅速，也似乎說明了他們的成就比我們的大。因此，有必要再度強調指出：這個戰役的全盤計劃是以英軍戰線作為樞紐，而將敵方後備力量引到這方面去，藉以幫助美軍的迂迴運動。英軍第二集團軍在它的原定作戰計劃中，把自己的目標規定為：保衛美軍的側翼，而由美軍部隊攻取瑟堡、昂熱、南特，以及布列塔尼各港口。憑著堅忍不拔的精神，經過艱苦的戰鬥，這一目標是完成了。艾森豪威爾將軍完全了解他的英國戰友們的工作；他在正式報告中寫道：如果沒有英、加軍隊在爭奪卡昂城和法萊茲兩地的殘酷兇猛的戰鬥中，作出重大犧牲，那麼，盟國軍隊也就永遠不可能在其他地區取得驚人進展。