military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (06/02/90)
Tuesday, 21 May, 1940 British tanks attack the German northern flank near Arras, and achieve initial success. The well-armored infantry tanks are nearly impervious to German antitank guns, and their progress is only halted by 88mm AA guns in direct-fire mode, personally supervised by General Rommel. A similar attack from the south toward Cambrai by French tanks meets with little success; the two attacks succeed, however, in alarming German high command. A conference is held in Ypres between the Allied commanders in the north; Generals Weygand, Billotte, and Gort (BEF). While returning to his headquarters, Billotte is fatally injured in a car crash, adding further confusion to the Allied command structure. The French destroyer L'Adroit is sunk off Dunkirk by the Luftwaffe. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@cbnews.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "France cannot die ! ... if I were told tomorrow that only a miracle could save France, I should reply, 'I believe in miracles because I believe in France !'" - Premier Paul Reynaud, to the French Senate