To Lose a Battle (97 page)

Barthou, J.L.,
83
,
167

Battle bombers,
278
,
288
,
298–9
,
301
,
340
,
389–92
,
432
,
504–5

Baudet, General,
236
,
316
,
339
,
363
,
385

Baudouin, Paul: on Gamelin,
164
,
457
; and Narvik,
215
; Secretary to War Cabinet,
226
,
625
,
628
; and Reynaud,
227
,
271
,
444–5
,
448
,
458
,
628–9
; attempts to gain information,
371
; bad news,
404–5
; on Churchill,
461
; on mood in Paris,
510
; and Weygand,
558
,
602
,
622–3
; and ‘separate peace’ lobby,
622–5
,
628–9
,
652
,
656–7
,
659–60
; on Vuillemin,
626–7
; and Hélène de Portes,
654–5
,
656
; abandons Pétain,
680

Bauer, Eddy,
246
,
531

Bazeilles,
304
,
326
,
334
,
346

Beaufre, General André,
71
,
77
,
80
,
239
,
272
,
370–1
,
403
,
429
,
557

Beaurains,
578
,
581

Beauvoir, Simone de,
61
,
99
,
111
,
134
,
138
,
147
,
237
,
521
,
533
,
668

Beck, Colonel-General,
191
,
196

Beck-Broichsitter, Lieutenant,
420–2

Belgian Army: and defence of Ardennes,
241–3
; retreats,
295
,
369
,
431
,
588
,
599
; Weygand’s plans for,
584–5
,
593
; at
‘limits of… resistance’,
616
; surrenders,
619–21
; losses,
667

Belgium: France’s ally,
75
; French plan to advance into,
75
,
80
,
84–5
,
169–72
; revokes Franco-Belgian Treaty,
84
; Hitler’s designs on,
169
,
172–3
,
185
; High Command,
173
; invaded,
259
,
263–5
,
267–71
,
275
,
281–7
,
289–90
; refugees from,
453
; Allied retreat from,
507–8
,
546
; surrenders,
619–21
; French and later British bitterness at,
621

Benoist-Méchin, J.,
587–8

Berlin: affray in (1919),
54
; ceremony in Opera House (1935),
86
; troops for Poland in,
137
; Christmas in,
149
; ample food,
154
,
249–50
; no excitement at victories,
481–2
,
661–2
; ceremony in Opera House (1940),
669

Bertin-Boussu, General,
395
,
419

Besançon,
647
,
659

Billotte, General: and No. 1 Army Group,
165
; and Dyle-Breda Plan,
171
,
175
,
290–1
; blind to threat to Sedan,
246
; ‘nothing will happen’,
249
; and Blanchard,
295
; and Belgians,
296–7
; and air operations,
299
,
339–40
; and Bruneau,
377
; and Corap,
406–7
,
412
,
429
; and Giraud,
430
,
518
; orders retreat to Escaut,
431
; and to Dendre,
507
; reports failure to Georges,
537
; and Prioux,
547
; and British ‘evacuation at Calais’,
547–8
; and plans for Gort to counter-attack,
548–50
,
568
,
572
; and communications with G.Q.G.,
566
; Ironside and,
571–2
; and Weygand’s meeting with Leopold,
583–6
; signs of breakdown,
586
; meets Gort at Ypres,
588
; drinks milk, dies,
589
; rumours of suicide,
589–90

Bismarck, Colonel von,
325
,
373–4
,
411
,
676

Blanchard, General,
174
,
290
,
295
,
402
,
428
,
430–1
,
542
,
546
,
572
,
574–6
,
585–6
,
589
,
601
,
603–5
,
616
,
621
,
632

Bletchley Park,
634
,
636

Bloch, Marc,
129
,
168–9

Blomberg, General von,
82–3
,
86
,
190

Blum, Léon: forms Popular Front,
107–8
; and 1936 strikes,
109
; Matignon Agreement,
110–11
; distrusts professional army,
117
; blind to threat of Hitler,
128
; resigns,
132
; ‘shame’ at Munich,
134
; renounces Communists,
156
; and folly of banning
L’Humanité
,
158
; ostracized,
219
; later career,
678

Blumentritt, General G. von,
261
,
287
,
485–6

Bock, Field-Marshal Fedor von,
185
,
193
,
197–8
,
201–2
,
206–9
,
265
,
292
,
402
,
485
,
507
,
565
,
599
,
620
,
639
,
641
,
649

Bois, Élie,
101
,
131
,
223
,
224
,
227–8
,
444
,
450
,
455

Bond, Brian,
586

Bonnet, Georges,
101
,
124
,
133
,
137
,
219–20
,
226

Boothe, Clare,
145
,
154
,
219
,
224
,
248
,
252
,
290
,
451
,
522
,
532–3
,
535
,
620

Bordeaux,
649
,
654
,
658
,
661

Boucher, General,
311–12
,
330
,
373
,
479

Bouffet, General,
310
,
479

Bouillon,
276
,
286
,
300–2
,
316–17
,
680

Boulogne,
548
,
597
,
617

Bouvellemont,
418
,
426–7
,
467