Axis order of battle
10 May – 25 June 1940
The Axis War Machine
The Battle of France, fought between May 10 and June 25, 1940, demonstrated the effectiveness of German Blitzkrieg tactics and modern military technology.
The German Wehrmacht deployed a combination of fast-moving armor, air superiority, and well-coordinated infantry to outmaneuver and crush French and British forces in just six weeks.
Germany’s offensive, known as Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), initially misled the Allies into believing the main attack would come through Belgium, prompting British and French forces to move north. Meanwhile, the real thrust came through the Ardennes, a region considered difficult for large-scale movement.
Map showing dispositions of the opposing forces.
...allowing German engineers to breach French fortifications...
German Panzer divisions, particularly Heinz Guderian’s XIX Panzer Corps, advanced with over 1,000 tanks, including the Panzer III and Panzer IV.
Though these models were not significantly superior to French tanks in terms of armor or firepower, their speed, radio communication, and ability to operate in concentrated formations made them highly effective.
On May 13, German forces crossed the Meuse River at Sedan, aided by relentless Luftwaffe air support. Stuka dive bombers targeted defensive positions, allowing German engineers to breach French fortifications.
...caught off guard by the speed of the attack, had no choice but to retreat...
Once across the Meuse, German tanks rapidly advanced westward, cutting through French defenses.
The Panzer divisions moved with a level of coordination that French forces, often reliant on slower tanks like the Char B1 and outdated battlefield communication, struggled to counter.
By the 20th May German units reached the English Channel near Abbeville, encircling British and French troops.
The Allies, caught off guard by the speed of the attack, had no choice but to retreat toward Dunkirk, where an evacuation began.
Meanwhile, German forces applied pressure along the Maginot Line, keeping French forces pinned. Italy entered the war on June 10 but played a minor role.
France surrendered on June 22, marking a stunning German victory driven by superior tactics, mobility, and well-integrated military technology.
German soldiers taking a white flag from surrendering French soldiers, somewhere on the Maginot line, c. June 1940. The Germans outflanked the Maginot Line in 1940 by invading through Belgium and the Ardennes Forest, bypassing the heavily fortified French defenses and swiftly advancing into France using Blitzkrieg tactics.
https://www.reddit.com/r/wwiipics/comments/v0l04i/german_soldiers_taking_a_white_flag_from/
A Modern Doctrine
In the years leading up to the Battle of France, German military doctrine evolved around the concept of combined arms warfare, integrating tanks, infantry, artillery, and airpower into a cohesive and highly mobile force.
This approach, refined through exercises and tested during the invasion of Poland in 1939, emphasized speed, coordination, and flexibility, forming the foundation of Blitzkrieg (lightning war).
At the core of German doctrine was the use of Panzer divisions as the spearhead of attacks, supported by mechanized and motorized infantry. Unlike the French, who deployed tanks in a defensive role and often in scattered formations, the Germans concentrated their armored units for maximum shock effect.
...autonomy to adapt to battlefield conditions rather than relying on rigid high-command directives...
Key to this strategy was the Kampfgruppe (battle group) concept, where tanks, infantry, engineers, and artillery operated together in flexible task forces, allowing for rapid advances and quick exploitation of breakthroughs.
German doctrine placed heavy emphasis on mission-type orders (Auftragstaktik), which gave field commanders autonomy to adapt to battlefield conditions rather than relying on rigid high-command directives. This decentralized approach allowed Panzer commanders like Heinz Guderian and Erwin Rommel to seize opportunities as they arose, particularly during the breakthrough at Sedan in May 1940.
...perfected a doctrine that merged speed, firepower, and coordination...
A crucial element of German combined arms tactics was the Luftwaffe’s close air support, primarily delivered by Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers.
The Stukas targeted defensive positions, artillery batteries, and communication hubs, softening up enemy lines before ground forces moved in. Air-ground coordination was achieved through radio-equipped tanks and mobile command units, allowing rapid responses and adjustments.
By 1940, Germany had perfected a doctrine that merged speed, firepower, and coordination, overwhelming slower, less flexible opponents. This doctrine was instrumental in their swift victory in France, as it exploited weaknesses in the Allied defensive strategy.
Organisation of forces
In 1940, the German Army (Heer) had a highly organized and hierarchical command structure, designed for speed, flexibility, and coordination.
At the top was the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH), led by Generaloberst Walter von Brauchitsch, which oversaw army operations, though Hitler increasingly influenced decision-making.
Below the OKH, Army Groups (Heeresgruppen) controlled multiple armies, each containing several corps (Korps), which were further divided into divisions (Divisionen)—the primary operational units.
...specialized in artillery and later held key command positions in the interwar Reichswehr...
Generaloberst Walter von Brauchitsch.
Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-E00780 / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Brauchitsch, a Prussian aristocrat, he joined the military in 1900 and served in the First World War as a staff officer.
Rising through the ranks, he specialized in artillery and later held key command positions in the interwar Reichswehr.
In 1938, Hitler appointed him head of the Army, and in 1940, he oversaw the successful invasion of France.
Though nominally in charge, he largely deferred to Hitler and generals like Guderian and Rundstedt, as Blitzkrieg tactics swiftly secured a decisive German victory.
...initially, the Axis forces consisted only of German troops...
Although initially, the Axis forces consisted only of German troops, they Italians joined the conflict on the German side on the 10th June.
The total German ground forces in 1940 were as follows:
- 129 infantry divisions;
- 8 motorized infantry divisions (including 3 Waffen-SS);
- 10 Panzer divisions;
- 3 mountain divisions;
- 1 cavalry division;
- 2 airborne divisions;
....primary objective was to execute the main thrust...
Prior to the invasion of France in May 1940, the German Wehrmacht was organized into three major army groups, each with distinct roles in executing Fall Gelb (Case Yellow).
Army Group A, commanded by Gerd von Rundstedt, was the most powerful formation, consisting of 45½ divisions, including seven Panzer divisions.
Its primary objective was to execute the main thrust through the Ardennes Forest, an area the French considered unsuitable for large-scale mechanized operations.
Among its forces were Heinz Guderian’s XIX Panzer Corps, equipped with Panzer III and IV tanks, and Erwin Rommel’s 7th Panzer Division, known for its rapid advances.
Once through the Ardennes, this group aimed to cross the Meuse River at Sedan and drive toward the English Channel, cutting off Allied forces in Belgium.
...a secondary attack through Belgium and the Netherlands...
Army Group B, under Fedor von Bock, comprised 29½ divisions, including three Panzer divisions.
It launched a secondary attack through Belgium and the Netherlands, engaging the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and French forces to lure them north.
This force included General Georg-Hans Reinhardt’s XLI Panzer Corps, which helped overrun Dutch defences.
Army Group C, led by Wilhelm von Leeb, with 19 divisions, was positioned along the Maginot Line. Its role was largely defensive, keeping French forces engaged while the main assault unfolded to the north and west.
...relied heavily on radio communication, giving them superior battlefield coordination...
A standard infantry division was composed of three infantry regiments, each with three battalions, along with supporting artillery, reconnaissance, and logistics units.
Panzer divisions were structured differently, typically containing two Panzer regiments, motorized infantry, engineers, and strong artillery support.
These formations relied heavily on radio communication, giving them superior battlefield coordination compared to the Allies, who often depended on slower telephone and courier systems.
...combination of efficient command structure, mechanization, and support units...
At the battalion level, units had companies, which were further broken into platoons (Züge) and squads (Gruppen).
German units were supported by logistics (Nachschubtruppen), combat engineers (Pioniere) for fortifications and demolitions, and signals units (Nachrichtentruppe) for maintaining communications.
The combination of efficient command structure, mechanization, and support units allowed the Wehrmacht to execute Blitzkrieg tactics effectively in 1940.
Marching to France
In 1940, the German infantry division was the backbone of the Wehrmacht, forming the majority of its forces during the invasion of France.
Each standard infantry division (Infanterie-Division) comprised approximately 15,000–17,000 men and was structured into three infantry regiments, each containing three battalions.
These units were supported by an artillery regiment, reconnaissance, anti-tank, engineer, and signals units.
Some divisions were motorized (Infanterie-Division (mot.)), providing greater mobility, but most relied on horse-drawn transport for logistics.
...emphasizing physical endurance, marksmanship, and small-unit tactics...
A division was commanded by a Generalmajor or Generalleutnant, with regiments led by Obersts (colonels) and battalions by Majors or Oberstleutnants. Company commanders were usually Hauptmanns (captains), while platoons were led by Leutnants (lieutenants).
The backbone of the division was the NCO (non-commissioned officer) corps, with ranks like Feldwebel responsible for small-unit leadership and discipline.
German infantry training was rigorous, emphasizing physical endurance, marksmanship, and small-unit tactics. Troops were trained to operate independently and adapt quickly, following the Auftragstaktik (mission-type orders) doctrine, allowing initiative at lower command levels.
...discipline and coordination played a crucial role...
A typical German infantryman carried the Karabiner 98k, a bolt-action rifle. Each squad had a MG 34 machine gun, providing superior firepower.
Officers carried Walther P38 or Luger P08 pistols, while submachine guns like the MP 38/40 were issued to squad leaders. Mortars, Pak 36 anti-tank guns, and artillery provided additional fire support.
German infantry divisions were well-trained, flexible, and heavily supported by artillery and airpower.
Though not as mobile as Panzer units, their discipline and coordination played a crucial role in Germany’s swift victory in France.
The Armoured Spearhead
The German Panzer divisions were the spearhead of the Wehrmacht’s Blitzkrieg strategy, combining tanks, mechanized infantry, artillery, and engineers into a highly mobile force.
Each Panzer division typically consisted of two Panzer regiments, one motorized infantry regiment, artillery, reconnaissance, engineers, and anti-tank units, allowing it to operate independently with speed and coordination.
These formations played a crucial role in the rapid German victory during the Battle of France.
...panzers benefited from radio communication, tactical coordination, and superior crew training...
Panzer divisions primarily used the Panzer I, Panzer II, Panzer III, and Panzer IV tanks.
The Panzer III, armed with a 37mm KwK 36 cannon, was intended as the main battle tank, while the Panzer IV, equipped with a short-barreled 75mm gun, provided fire support.
Though French and British tanks often had superior armor and firepower, German Panzers benefited from radio communication, tactical coordination, and superior crew training.
...a crucial role in battlefield awareness...
Panzer divisions were commanded by Generalleutnants, with regiments led by Obersts and battalions by Majors or Oberstleutnants.
Company commanders were Hauptmanns, while platoons were led by Leutnants.
Panzer crews typically consisted of a commander, gunner, loader, driver, and radio operator, with the commander playing a crucial role in battlefield awareness.
...honed coordination between tanks, infantry, and air support...
German Panzer troops underwent rigorous training, focusing on combined arms tactics, speed, and independent decision-making.
They followed Auftragstaktik (mission-type orders), allowing flexibility in combat. Extensive maneuvers and live-fire exercises honed coordination between tanks, infantry, and air support.
By 1940, Panzer divisions had proven their superiority through mobility, communication, and tactical efficiency, enabling them to outmaneuver and encircle Allied forces, leading to Germany’s swift victory in France.
The Big Guns
German artillery played a crucial role in the success of Blitzkrieg, providing fire support for infantry and armored units during the invasion of France.
Artillery units were integrated into divisions, corps, and army-level formations, ensuring both tactical and strategic firepower to break enemy defenses and support rapid advances.
...was also employed in an anti-tank role, devastating Allied armor...
The standard divisional artillery piece was the 10.5 cm leFH 18 (leichte Feldhaubitze 18), a 105mm light howitzer that served as the primary indirect fire weapon for infantry divisions.
Heavier firepower came from the 15 cm sFH 18 (schwere Feldhaubitze 18), a 150mm heavy howitzer, used for long-range bombardment.
The 88mm FlaK 36, originally an anti-aircraft gun, was also employed in an anti-tank role, devastating Allied armor.
Artillery units also utilized field guns like the 7.5 cm FK 16 nA, and motorized divisions had self-propelled artillery for greater mobility.
...trained in rapid deployment, precise coordination, and combined arms tactics...
Artillery formations were commanded by Generalleutnants at the divisional level, with regiments led by Obersts and battalions by Majors or Oberstleutnants.
Batteries, the core fire units, were led by Hauptmanns, with individual gun crews commanded by Leutnants and Feldwebels (senior NCOs).
German artillery crews were trained in rapid deployment, precise coordination, and combined arms tactics, ensuring effective fire support for infantry and tanks.
...ensuring high accuracy and fast response times...
They followed Auftragstaktik (mission-type orders), allowing flexibility in targeting and adjusting fire on the battlefield.
Forward observers with radio equipment played a key role in guiding artillery strikes, ensuring high accuracy and fast response times.
By 1940, German artillery was efficient, well-trained, and highly adaptable, providing essential support for Blitzkrieg and helping secure Germany’s victories in France.
OKH Reserve
The OKH Reserve in 1940 consisted of German divisions held under the Oberkommando des Heeres (Army High Command) for strategic deployment. It included Panzer, infantry, and motorized units, allowing flexibility to reinforce breakthroughs, exploit successes, or counter unforeseen threats during the campaign.
Second Army
Commanded by General of Cavalry Maximilian von Weichs
- 267th Infantry Division
- 294th Infantry Division
- IX Corps - General der Infanterie Hermann Geyer
- 15th Infantry Division
- 205th Infantry Division
- XXVI Corps - General der Artillerie Albert Wodrig
- 34th Infantry Division
- 45th Infantry Division
- 295th Infantry Division
- VI Corps - General der Pioniere Otto-Wilhelm Förster
- 5th Infantry Division
- 293rd Infantry Division
German soldiers move through a devastated French village.
OKH Reserves: Corps and division details.
Ninth Army
Commanded by Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz
- 211th Infantry Division
- XXXXII Corps - General der Pioniere Walter Kuntze
- 50th Infantry Division
- 291st Infantry Division
- XXXXIII Corps - Generalleutnant Hermann Ritter von Speck, from 31 May Generalleutnant Franz Böhme
- 88th Infantry Division
- 96th Infantry Division
- 292nd Infantry Division
- XVIII Corps - General der Infanterie Eugen Beyer, from 5 June Generalleutnant Hermann Ritter von Speck
- 25th Infantry Division
- 81st Infantry Division
- 290th Infantry Division
Reconnaissance squads head the German advance into Luxembourg, on May 10, 1940.
German Army Group A
Commanded by Generaloberst Gerd von Rundstedt
Generaloberst Gerd von Rundstedt.
Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-S37772 / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Army Group A: Corps and division details.
Fourth Army
Commanded by Generaloberst Günther von Kluge (Chief of Staff: Generalmajor Kurt Brennecke).
- II Corps - General of Infantry Adolf Strauß -> 30.5.1940 General of Infantry Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel
- 12th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach
- 32nd Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Franz Böhme
- V Corps - General of Infantry Richard Ruoff
- 211th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Kurt Renner
- 251st Infantry Division - Generalmajor Hans Kratzert
- 263rd Infantry Division - Generalmajor Franz Karl
- VIII Corps - General of Infantry Walter Heitz
- 8th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Rudolf Koch-Erpach
- 28th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Hans von Obstfelder -> 20.5.1940 Generalmajor Johann Sinnhuber
- 87th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Bogislav von Studnitz
- 267th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Ernst Fessmann
- XV Corps - General of Infantry Hermann Hoth (dispositions north to south: Yvoir-Houx-Dinant)
- 5th Panzer Division - Generalleutnant Max von Hartlieb -> 22.5.1940 Generalleutnant Joachim Lemelsen -> 6.6.1940 Generalmajor Ludwig Cruwell
- 7th Panzer Division - Generalmajor Erwin Rommel
- 62nd Infantry Division - Generalmajor Walter Keiner
German soldiers on the march during the Invasion of France.
Twelth Army
Commanded by Generaloberst Wilhelm List (Chief of Staff: Generalleutnant Eberhard von Mackensen).
- III Corps - General of Artillery Curt Haase
- 3rd Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Walter Lichel
- 23rd Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Walter von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt
- 52nd Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Hans-Jurgen von Arnim
- VI Corps - General of Engineers Otto-Wilhelm Förster
- 16th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Heinrich Krampf
- 24th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Justin von Obernitz -> 1.6.1940 Generalmajor Hans-Valentin Hube
- XVIII Corps - General of Infantry Eugen Beyer -> 1.6. Generalleutnant Hermann Ritter von Speck
- 5th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Wilhelm Fahrmbacher
- 21st Infantry Division - Generalmajor Otto Sponheimer
- 25th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Erich Clößner
- 1st Mountain Division - Generalleutnant Ludwig Kübler
A formation of German Dornier Do 17Z light bombers, flying over France on June 21, 1940.
Sixteenth Army
Commanded by General of Infantry Ernst Busch (Chief of Staff: Generalmajor Walter Model)
- VII Corps - General of Infantry Eugen von Schobert
- 36th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Georg Lindemann
- 68th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Georg Braun
- XIII Corps - Generalleutnant Heinrich von Vietinghoff
- 15th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm von Chappuis
- 17th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Herbert Loch
- 10th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Konrad von Cochenhausen
- XXIII Corps - Generalleutnant Albrecht Schubert
- 34th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Hans Behlendorff
- 58th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Iwan Heunert
- 76th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Maximilian de Angelis
- 26th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Sigismund von Förster
- Panzer Group Kleist - General of Cavalry Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist (Chief of Staff: Generalmajor Kurt Zeitzler)
- XIV Corps - General of Infantry Gustav Anton von Wietersheim
- 2nd Infantry Division (mot.) - Generalleutnant Paul Bader
- 13th Infantry Division (mot.) - Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm von Rothkirch und Panthen
- 29th Infantry Division (mot.) - Generalmajor Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp
- XXXXI Corps - Generalleutnant Georg-Hans Reinhardt (disposition of Panzer Corps north to south, Montherme)
- 6th Panzer Division - Generalmajor Werner Kempf
- 8th Panzer Division - Oberst Erich Brandenberger
- XIX Corps - General of Cavalry Heinz Guderian [20] (dispositions east to west: Donchery to Sedan)
- 2nd Panzer Division - Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel
- 1st Panzer Division - Generalleutnant Friedrich Kirchner
- 10th Panzer Division - Generalleutnant Ferdinand Schaal
- Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland
German motorcyclists pass through a destroyed town in France in 1940.
Reserves
- XXXX Corps - Generalleutnant Georg Stumme
- 6th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Arnold Freiherr von Biegeleben
- 9th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Georg von Apell
- 4th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Erick-Oskar Hansen
- 27th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Friedrich Bergmann
- 71st Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Karl Weisenberger
- 73rd Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Bruno Bieler
German Army Group B
Commanded by Generaloberst Fedor von Bock (Chief of Staff: Generalleutnant Hans von Salmuth)
Generaloberst Fedor von Bock
Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1977-120-11 / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Army Group B: Corps and division details.
Sixth Army
Commanded by Generaloberst Walter von Reichenau (Chief of Staff: Generalmajor Friedrich Paulus)
- XVI Corps - General of Cavalry Erich Hoepner
- 4th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Erick-Oskar Hansen
- 33rd Infantry Division - Generalmajor Rudolf Sintzenich
- 3rd Panzer Division - Generalmajor Horst Stumpff
- 4th Panzer Division - Generalmajor Ludwig Radlmeier -> 8.6.1940 Generalmajor Johann Joachim Stever
- IV Corps - General of Infantry Viktor von Schwedler
- 15th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Ernst-Eberhard Hell
- 205th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Ernst Richter
- XI Corps - Generalleutnant Joachim von Kortzfleisch
- 7th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz
- 211th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Kurt Renner
- 31st Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Rudolf Kaempfe
- IX Corps - General of Infantry Hermann Geyer
- XXVII Corps - General of Infantry Alfred Wäger
- 253th Infantry Division - Generalleutnant Fritz Kuhne
- 269th Infantry Division - Generalmajor Ernst-Eberhard Hell
Soldiers from the SS-VT Division (SS "Verfügungstruppe") during the Invasion of France.
Eighteenth Army
Commanded by General of Artillery Georg von Küchler
- 1st Cavalry Division - Major General Kurt Feldt
- X Corps - General Christian Hansen
- SS "Adolf Hitler" Reinforced Regiment - Sepp Dietrich
- 227th Infantry Division
- 207th Infantry Division[3]
- SS "Der Fuhrer" Reinforced Regiment (Detached from SS "Verfugungstruppe" Division)
- XXVI Corps - General Albert Wodrig
- 256th Infantry Division
- 254th Infantry Division
- SS "Verfügungstruppe" Division (Less one Regiment "Der Fuhrer") - ss-Gruppenfuhrer Paul Hausser
- 9th Panzer Division - Major General Alfred Ritter Von Hubicki
- XXXIX Corps (Activated 13 May 1940) – Lieutenant General Rudolf Schmidt
A German motorized column streams through the “impenetrable” Ardennes Forest in the opening days of Hitler’s attack in the West, May 1940.
Reserves
- 208th Infantry Division
- 225th Infantry Division
- 526th Infantry Division
- Air Landing Corps (Under Luftwaffe control)
- 7th Air Division
- 22nd Air Landing Infantry Division
German Army Group C
Commanded by Generaloberst Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb.
Generaloberst Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb.
Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-L08126,_Wilhelm_Ritter_von
Army Group C: Corps and division details.
First Army
Commanded by Generaloberst Erwin von Witzleben
- 197th Infantry Division
- Höh. Kom. z.b.V. XXXVII - Generalleutnant Alfred Böhm-Tettelbach
- 246th Infantry Division
- 215th Infantry Division
- 262nd Infantry Division
- 257th Infantry Division
- XXIV Corps - General der Panzertruppe Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg
- 60th Infantry Division
- 252nd Infantry Division
- 168th Infantry Division
- XII Corps - Generaloberst Gotthard Heinrici
- 75th Infantry Division
- 268th Infantry Division
- 198th Infantry Division
- XXX Corps - General der Artillerie Otto Hartmann
- 258th Infantry Division
- 93rd Infantry Division
- 79th Infantry Division
- Höh. Kom. z.b.V. XXXXV - General der Infanterie Kurt von Greiff
- 95th Infantry Division
- 167th Infantry Division
A German armoured tank crosses the Aisne River in France, on June 21, 1940, one day before the surrender of France.
Seventh Army
Commanded by Generaloberst Friedrich Dollmann
- Höh. Kom. z.b.V. XXXIII - General der Kavallerie Georg Brandt
- 213th Infantry Division
- 554th Infantry Division
- 556th Infantry Division
- 239th Infantry Division
- XXV Corps - General der Infanterie Karl Ritter von Prager
- 557th Infantry Division
- 555th Infantry Division
- 6th Mountain Division
- 218th Infantry Division
- 221st Infantry Division
Overview of German armoured strength, May 1940.
Luftwaffe support
The Luftwaffe was a sizeable, well-trained, and well-equipped arm of the Wehrmacht, with a number of its members having seen action in the Spanish Civil War. Army Group B was allocated almost 2000 combat aircraft to support its invasion of France, along with over 500 transport and glider aircraft. Over 3000 combat aircraft were allocated to support Army Groups A and C. In total, it was almost double the size of the Allied air force it would face.
It was to mainly provide close support to the land forces with dive-bombers such as the Ju87 Stuka (which effectively acted as flying artillery) and medium bombers such as the Dornier Do17 or Heinkel He111. However, it was flexible enough to carry out operational, tactical, and strategic bombing as required.
Dornier Do 17 bomber from Kampfgeschwader 76 in flight, France, summer 1940.
Italian Army Group "West"
Commanded by by Prince General Umberto di Savoia.
Prince General Umberto di Savoia.
1st Army
4th Army
Commanded by General Pietro Pintor
- II Army Corps - General Francesco Bettini
- III Army Corps - General Mario Arisio
- XV Army Corps - General Gastone Gambara
Commanded by General Alfredo Guzzoni
- I Army Corps - General Carlo Vecchiarelli
- IV Army Corps - General Camillo Mercalli
- Alpine Army Corps - General Luigi Negri
The Italians committed around 312,000 troops to the campaign although they lacked artillery, transport and equipment designed for operating in Alpine environments.
Italian troops in Menton, France in June 1940.
Sources
Wikipedia
Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-L08126,_Wilhelm_Ritter_von
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/german-invasion-europe-fall-of-france-1940/
https://europeremembers.com/it/biography/umberto-di-savoia-2/
https://pictureshistory.blogspot.com/2010/07/german-invasion-of-france-may-1940.html
https://www.thefamousbirthdays.com/people/walther-von-brauchitsch
Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-E00780 / CC-BY-SA 3.0
http://www.2kompanie.org/vt-division-original-photos.html#PhotoSwipe1475775070076
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/
https://www.reddit.com/r/ThisDayInHistory
D-Day Encyclopedia, © 2014 by Barrett Tillman.
https://www.historyonthenet.com/german-army-ww2
https://www.feldgrau.com/WW2-German-Wehrmacht-Organization/
Frank Baldwin