The Opening Gambit: Crossing into Luxembourg

On May 9, 1940, at 13:30 hours, the alert came through. By 16:00, I departed Koblenz, arriving at the Sonnenhof command post near Bitburg by evening. My units stood ready along the border from Vianden to Echternach as ordered. At 05:35 on May 10, I led the 1st Panzer Division across the Luxembourg frontier at Wallendorf, reaching the Belgian border near Martelange by afternoon. The vanguard breached enemy border fortifications, linking up with the airborne “Grossdeutschland” Infantry Regiment. However, cratered roads and impassable terrain slowed our advance, forcing overnight repairs while the 2nd Panzer Division fought at Strainchamps and the 10th moved toward French cavalry positions.

Breaking the Belgian Defenses

By May 11, engineers had cleared Belgian minefields along the border. At noon, the 1st Panzer Division advanced with tanks spearheading the assault on Neufchâteau’s fortifications held by Belgian Chasseurs Ardennais and French cavalry. We took the town swiftly with minimal losses, pushing on to Bertrix and Bouillon by dusk. Meanwhile, the 2nd Panzer Division secured Libramont while the 10th engaged near Nouvel-Abbaye, where Oberst Ellmann of the 69th Infantry Regiment fell at Saint-Marie.

A critical moment came when Panzer Group commander Kleist ordered the 10th Panzer Division to divert toward Longwy against reported French cavalry movements. Recognizing this would dangerously weaken our Meuse crossing force, I negotiated a compromise route via Ruette while arguing successfully for the order’s rescission – no French cavalry ever materialized.

The Race to the Meuse

On Whit Sunday, May 12, the 1st Infantry Regiment under Oberstleutnant Balck stormed Bouillon by 07:45. Though French sappers had blown the Semois River bridges, tanks forded at multiple points while engineers erected new crossings. Enemy air attacks began targeting our bridgehead, with bombs igniting an ammunition convoy that nearly killed me when explosions shook our headquarters, sending hunting trophies crashing down.

That evening, Kleist delivered fateful orders: cross the Meuse by 16:00 on May 13. While the 1st and 10th Panzer Divisions could comply, the 2nd remained delayed at the Semois. Worse, Luftwaffe support plans were altered without consultation, threatening our carefully coordinated artillery-air assault. Despite vehement protests, the orders stood.

Storming the Meuse at Sedan

At dawn on May 13, I inspected preparations amid minefields and French artillery fire. By 15:30, I watched from an forward observation post as our bombardment commenced. To my relief, the Luftwaffe arrived precisely as originally planned – whether through changed orders or disobedience remains unclear. Stuka squadrons pummeled French positions, enabling Balck’s 1st Infantry Regiment to cross in assault boats. By nightfall, we penetrated deep into French fortifications near Cheveuges and Malmy Wood.

The 10th Panzer Division fought desperately across the river with minimal artillery support, while the 2nd Panzer Division’s vanguard secured a foothold near Donchery. That night, I called Luftwaffe General Loerzer to thank him for the flawless air support that proved decisive – he revealed the delayed orders nearly prevented the operation.

Exploiting the Breakthrough

May 14 brought stunning advances. The 1st Panzer Division raced through Chemery, crushing French counterattacks that lost 70 tanks. At Donchery, I found commanders leading from the front – Oberst von Werthern and Oberst von Prittwitz personally directing assaults. French and British bombers pummeled our Meuse bridges, but antiaircraft gunners celebrated their “founding day” by downing 150 aircraft, earning Oberst von Hippel the Knight’s Cross.

By May 15, three panzer divisions converged at Montcornet, creating traffic chaos we resolved through improvised route allocations. Here we captured hundreds of stunned French prisoners, including part of de Gaulle’s newly formed 4th Armored Division. My troops’ morale soared as they cheered “Schneller Heinz!” (Hurrying Heinz), sensing imminent victory.

The Channel Dash

Despite Kleist’s stop order on May 17 – which led to my brief resignation – we continued “reconnaissance in force.” The 1st Panzer Division took Amiens on May 20, its cathedral spires rising above the smoke of battle. At Abbeville, the 2nd Panzer Division’s Spitta Battalion became the first German unit to reach the Atlantic coast on May 20 evening.

Final operations saw the 10th Panzer Division besieging Calais’ ancient walls while the 1st turned toward Dunkirk. In Boulogne, we used 88mm flak guns to breach medieval ramparts before storming the harbor, where panzers even engaged British torpedo boats. By May 24, forward elements reached the Aa Canal near Gravelines, just short of Dunkirk.

Legacy of Blitzkrieg

This campaign redefined modern warfare. Our coordinated panzer-airforce tactics overcame superior French armor through superior mobility and decision-making. The high command’s hesitation at Dunkirk perhaps cost total victory, but the operation proved the viability of deep strategic penetration by armored forces. For the troops who raced from the Ardennes to the Channel in fourteen days, it remained their proudest achievement – despite what they called “two wasted days” of halted advances. The 1940 campaign became the textbook example of Blitzkrieg, studied by militaries worldwide to this day.