Fall Gelb (Case Yellow) was a military operation by which Germany attacked France through the Ardennes forest, in May 1940, during World War II. The Ardennes region is located in northeastern France and southern Belgium. The armored divisions of Army Group A, under Gerd von Rundstedt, formed the spearhead of the invasion force, advancing in the direction of the town of Sedan and Bastogne as they had to cross the Meuse River. This military operation was conceived by Erich von Manstein and it was called the Manstein Plan.
In order for Fall Gelb to succeed, it had to be a surprise assault. Thus, Army Group A attack would be preceded by a diversionary invasion of Netherlands and Belgium to draw and lure most of the British BEF and French Army divisions. This secondary attack would be carried out by Army Group B, under Fedor von Bock. Thus, the Battle of France began on May 10, 1940, when the Luftwaffe's 7th Fallschirmjäger Division attacked and seized the Belgian Fort of Eben-Emael, while Army Group B's 18th Army pushed into Holland, with mechanized infantry divisions, through the north. By May 14, General Heinz Guderian's XIX Armor Corps (Army Group A) had reached the Sedan and crossed the Meuse.
To completely defeat France, Fall Gelb (Case Yellow) would be followed by a third German invasion of France, which would take place south of the Ardennes region on June 5, 1940. This offensive from the south was called Fall Rot (Case Red) and it would be carried out by Army Group C, under Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb, directly attacking and also bypassing the Maginot Line, through the Vosges Mountains in Alsace. On the other side of this heavily fortified line, the French territory was defended by the French 3rd Army. As a result of Fall Gelb and Fall Rot, France was forced to sign the Armistice at Compiegne on June 22, 1940.
German Forces
For the invasion of France, Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group A was composed of 45 divisions organized around three armies and one Panzer group; the 4th Army, led by Günther von Kluge; the 12th Army, under Wilhelm List; and the 16th Army, commanded by Ernst Busch; led by von Kleist, the Panzer Gruppe consisted of three Corps: the XIX, the XIV, and the XLI Corps.
Fedor von Bock's Army Group B was made up of the 6th Army, led by Walther von Reichenau, and the 18th Army, under Georg von Küchler.
Wehrmacht troops in action during Fall Gelb (Video)
Below, map of northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands, showing the lines of attack by the different German units during Fall Gelb (Case Yellow).
