military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (10/31/89)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker)
Tuesday, 31 October, 1939
Army Group A submits a document to O.K.H. proposing for the
first time a new plan (later known as the Manstein plan) for
the invasion of France. Manstein suggests concentrating the main
weight of the attack near the Ardennes, with breakthrough followed
by a rapid thrust across France to the English Channel, surrounding
the Allied armies in the north of France. The plan receives very
little attention for the time being. (1)
In a speech before the Supreme Soviet, Premier Molotoff praises the
peaceful intentions of Germany while accusing the Allies of "pursuing war
to safeguard their colonies." He also reiterates the USSR's demands on
Finland and condemns the current US move to repeal the arms embargo.
Italian Premier Mussolini replaces six of his cabinet ministers, the Army
and Air Force chiefs of staff, and the Fascist party secretary. Many of
the new ministers are perceived as being less pro-German than their
predecessors, and the action is regarded as a move away from Germany.
Among the new leaders is Army Chief of Staff Rudolfo Graziani.
President Roosevelt petitions Congress for an additional $275 million
to be added to the defense budget, "representing peacetime increases
in the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard... and recommissioning of World War
destroyers for patrol duty."
Contributing Reporter: Tom Tedrick (tedrick@ernie.Berkeley.EDU)
(1) "Lost Victories", by Manstein
"A Military History of the Western World", by J.F.C. Fuller
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Bill Thacker military@cbnews.att.com
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"What you do with your own Communists is your own business. They are
Trotskyists anyway. If you must, shoot them, and if you can't handle
them, I'll help you." - Josef Stalin, as reported by NY Times correspondent
Otto Tolischus, when asked during the Baltic negotiations what to do
with Communists imprisoned in those countries.