To Lose a Battle (101 page)

Gauché, General M.,
93
,
166
,
178
,
249

Gaulle, General Charles de: and NATO,
83
; on need for professional armoured division,
113–16
; protégé of Pétain,
113
; on Gamelin,
163
; Keller’s reply on tanks,
179
; on danger of Panzers,
226
; and 4th Armoured,
231
; Guderian misattributes tanks to,
469
; leads tank attack on Montcornet,
489–94
; its value,
494–6
; lack of air support,
505
,
540
; and ‘treachery’,
533
; leads tank attack on Crécy-sur-Serre,
537–40
; on Weygand,
556
; leads attack on Abbeville,
629–30
; Under-Sec. for Defence,
645
,
650
; on evacuation of Corps Diplomatique,
645
; backs Reynaud,
652
; and Declaration of Union,
659
; flies to England,
660–1
; return to power,
680

Gembloux Gap,
290
,
312
,
402
,
505

Gennep,
266

George V, King,
45–6

George VI, King,
180
,
271
,
668

Georges, General: character, career, health,
167–8
; at Victory Parade (1919),
50
; military doctrine,
118
; and ‘Saar Offensive’,
141
; relations with Gamelin,
163–5
,
167–8
,
437–9
; C.-in-C. N.E. Front,
166
; on Escaut and Dyle-Breda Plans,
170–2
,
175
; blind to German threat,
246
; and air operations,
277
,
289
,
299
; and Meuse front,
293
,
313
,
333
,
364
,
370–1
,
384
,
391
,
399–400
; delegates powers to Billotte,
293
,
296
; meets Belgians,
296
; ‘a rather serious pinprick’,
333
,
371
; in tears,
371
; and 1st Armoured,
376–7
,
439
; misleads Gamelin,
403–4
; orders counter-attack,
419
,
441
; and Touchon,
424–5
; and 2nd Armoured,
428–9
,
439
; sacks Corap,
429
; was he responsible?,
438–9
; troop movements ordered,
439–40
; and fighting at Stonne,
441
; fears for Maginot Line,
441
,
443
,
464
; and threats to Paris,
443
,
464
; ‘calm’ misleads Churchill,
446
; orders to Billotte, Giraud, Touchon,
464–5
; appoints Frère,
508
; Reynaud and Pétain visit,
536
; and defence of the Somme,
537
; orders attack on Cambrai,
547
; and Gamelin’s last ‘Instruction’,
550–4
; Weygand and,
557–8
,
566–7
; and plans for Gort’s counter-attack,
567
,
576
; defeatist,
651
; later career,
678

Germany: condition in 1919,
57
; unable to pay reparations,
60
,
65
; demilitarized,
63
; population,
64
; training of youth,
95–6
; adroit propaganda,
153–6
,
270
; news of victories in,
481–2
; war production cut back,
669
;
see also
Luftwaffe
,
Wehrmacht

Gibbs, Anthony,
143
,
146

Giraud, General Henri: in Dyle-Breda Plan,
174–5
,
267
,
289
,
291
; withdraws,
295
,
369
; replaçes Corap,
429–30
; Brooke on,
429–30
; disquieting message to Billotte,
430
; and 2nd Armoured,
469–70
; thinks line ‘stabilized’,
472
; Martin misinforms,
474
; and 9th Motorized,
497
; and Kosak,
498
; avoids capture,
512
; surrenders,
518
; later career,
678

Givet,
239
,
240
,
292
,
378–9
,
413
,
639

Goebbels, Joseph,
148
,
153
,
158
,
270
,
404
,
433
,
531

Goering, Hermann,
120–1
,
185
,
211
,
218
,
247
,
265
,
611

Gontaut-Biron, C. A. de,
252
,
275

Gort, Lord: character, career,
568–71
; and Air Component,
165
; command structure,
165
,
293
,
296
,
570
; all quiet,
369
; ordered to retire to Escaut,
431
; informs Belgians,
431
; and retreat to Dendre,
507
; and attack at Arras,
546
; to fall back on Calais?,
547–8
; and Billotte’s plans for counter-attack,
549–50
; no confidence in French,
549
,
588–9
; warns of possible evacuation,
550
; ordered to ‘force his way south’,
567
; and Weygand’s take-over,
568
; lack of orders from French,
570
; and Churchill,
570–1
; and counter-attack on Arras,
573–6
,
582
; misses Weygand at Ypres,
585–6
; meets Billotte and Leopold at Ypres,
588
; cannot attack without French,
603
; telegram to Eden,
603
; Eden’s reply,
604
; withdraws towards Dunkirk,
604–5
; decides to save B.E.F.,
608
; Dunkirk perimeter defences,
611
,
620
; Churchill on,
630–1
; ordered to evacuate, doubtful of success,
631
; leaves Dunkirk,
632
; and B.E.F.,
635
,
636
; and ‘Ultra’,
636
,
637
; later career,
679

Goutard, Colonel A.,
230
,
358
,
379
,
397
,
399
,
489
,
575
,
591

Grandsard, General C.,
235
,
236
,
238–9
,
241
,
313
,
315–16
,
336–9
,
342–3
,
358–9
,
362–5
,
384–6
,
629

Greece,
610

Grubnau, Lieutenant,
354–5
,
365
,
382–3

Guderian, General Heinz: early career,
90; tank pioneer,
90–4
;
Achtung–Panzer!,
90–4
,
205
,
207
,
246
,
337
; Gamelin ignores,
117
; on combination of horse and motor,
118
; and Stuka,
122–3
; in Polish campaign,
142–3
; on Manstein,
196
; and plan to attack Sedan,
198–9
; protests at Hitler’s distrust,
200
; and Manstein Plan,
201
,
205
; and
Sichelschnitt,
207–8
,
210
,
211–12
; on Panzer strength,
229–30
; on tank breakdowns,
231
; into Luxembourg,
258
,
261–2
; disagreements with Kleist,
279–80
,
401
,
434–5
,
487
; diverts Reinhardt,
283
; advances to Sedan,
284–7
; crosses Semois,
300–2
; escapes bombs,
301
; and crossing of Meuse,
304–5
,
317–18
,
333–7
,
342–6
,
351–8
,
365–6
,
386
; heads west,
387
,
392
,
418
,
424–6
; on Sedan Bridge with Rundstedt,
388
; and flak batteries,
390
; battle at Stonne,
418
,
422
,
424
,
441
; on Balck,
426
; to Montcornet,
467–8
; misattributes action to de Gaulle,
469
; order to attack captured,
471
,
534
; ordered to halt,
487–8
; ‘reconnaissance in force’,
488–9
,
501
; and de Gaulle’s attacks,
493–5
,
538–41
; to Péronne,
512
; orders advance across Somme,
538
; and ‘burnt out’ fuel depot,
538–9
,
541
; to the Channel,
558
,
562
; frets for lack of further orders,
565
; and ‘Frank-force’ attack,
578–9
,
596
; to Calais and Boulogne,
597–8
; ordered to halt on Aa,
610
; allowed to advance ‘too late’,
614
; to Gravelines,
617
; and ‘Ultra’,
635–6
; in final battle,
639
,
643–4
,
647
; later career,
676