Word: counterattacking
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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...ground at Hertogenbosch, Tilburg and Eindhoven, is where the first German assault could be expected. Gaining this foothold, the Germans could then press on to take Flushing and other coastal points south of the river deltas, enjoying the Dutch flood zone as protection for their right flank from any counterattack. The likelihood of this attack, and its obvious menace to Belgium, was believed last week to have led King Leopold to tell Queen Wilhelmina that if the Germans invaded her land, his troops would have to occupy her southeastern corner to meet them. Also, it was understood, he would invite...
...attack in force the Germans have made. It came along the northern flank through the Moselle Valley-an offensive that an official French communique described as "an attack supported by artillery fire." French outposts were slowly driven back toward the Maginot Line. From the rear came reinforcements and a counterattack and at the end of the day the German infantry had been stopped, at least for the time. But they had pushed back about a mile and a quarter into the no-man's-land between the Maginot Line and the Westwall...
Unlike the solid, continuous Maginot Line, the Siegfried Position carries on the old Lossberg concept of defense in depth and swift counterattack from a protected rear. A break-through would be the signal for the great rear fortifications to open up with heavy artillery fire (spare gun-barrels as well as a large supply of munitions are cached in deep caverns connected by tunnel railways). Mobile troops, hitherto protected, would thrust out at the invading flanks. The cushion-&-spring force would be terrific...
...German troop concentrations observed behind the Westwall from Coblenz to Mannheim were believed to be preparing, not for any major counteroffensive, but to reinforce the Wall, to counterattack locally, to engage the Allies in field fighting if & when they ever do break through...
...France's main Maginot Line is manned by veteran regulars, with young reservists performing the attack work, so Germany's Wall is manned by 20 divisions (some 250,000 men) of the regular Land-wehr, mostly veterans of 35-45, specially trained for defense. For sallies and counterattack which the Germans executed with moderate success last week, less valuable field troops are used, and Allied observers reported streams of reinforcements flowing toward Trier at week's end. They looked like about six divisions, which would be no great diversion from the 70 (out of Germany...