REASON EXPLAINED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 120, 22 May 1940, Page 9

REASON EXPLAINED

ENEMY BREAK-THROUGH

DISASTER TO A FRENCH ARMY

MEUSE DEFENCES WRONGLY THOUGHT

REDOUBTABLE

LONDON? May 21. In the French Senate this afternoon, the Prime Minister (M. Reynaud) gave a frank and clear description of the situation on the Western Front, and announced that the Germans had entered Arras and Amiens. "The country is in danger, 1' he said. "My first duty is to tell you the truth. "You know that the fortifications which were protecting the country can be divided into two parts —the Maginot Line from Basle to Longwy on the Luxemburg front, and the lighter line of fortifications from Longwy to the sea. Holland, Belgium, and Luxemburg having been invaded, the left wing of the French army advanced from the fortifications between Sedan and the sea, and, pivoting on Sedan, entered Belgium on a line running from Sedan to Antwerp, and even to Bois le Due in Holland.

"What did the enemy do in face of this situation, which he had foreseen and taken into account? He launched a formidable attack on the crest of the French army established behind the Metise between Sedan and Namur. ' "The Meuse, apparently a difficult river to cross, had been wrongly considered as a redoubtable obstacle for the enemy. That is the reason why the French divisions which were entrusted with its defence wore few and were spread out over a great area along the river. .. . ■ "In addition, the army commanded by General Gorap, and composed of divisions not so well officered and less well trained, were put there, the best troops forming part of the left wing marching into Belgium. BRIDGES NOT DESTROYED. "The Meuse is a river which is difficult to defend. Machine-gun fire on the flank is impossible, and infiltration is easy for manoeuvring troops. Add to that the fact that more than half the infantry divisions of General Corap's army had not yet reached the Meuse, though they had a very short movement to make, since they were nearest the point. "That was not all. As a result of a mistake which will be punished, the bridges over the Meuse were not destroyed. Over these bridges there passed the German armoured divisions, preceded by fighter aeroplanes which came to attack divisions which were scattered and badly trained for such attacks. - "Now you understand the disaster and the total disorganisation of General Corap's army. It was thus that the hinge of the French army was broken, "When I took over the War Ministry the day before yesterday I was met by Marshal Petain and General Weygand. What was the situation facing us? A breach about 60 miles wide had been opened in our front. Into this breach, poured a German army composed of motorised divisions. This army, after having caused a large bulge in the direction of Paris, turned wesj towards the sea, taking in the rear our entire fortified. system along the Franco-Belgian frontier, and threatening the Allied forces still engaged in Belgium. These forces were not given the order to retreat till last Wednesday evening." M. Reynaud then explained the extent of the German advance. He said that the day before yesterday an armoured division reached the line from Le Quesnoy to Cambrai and Peronne, and the Somme, as far as Ham. "For the past 24 hours the German advance has been continuing," he^said. "At 8 o'clock this morning the High Command informed me that Arras and Amiens had been occupied." CLEAR THINKING NEEDED. { "How have we got to this point?" asked M. Reynaud. He said that the moral value of the French Army was not in doubt, as had been proved by the early days in Belgium. "The truth is that our classic conception of the conduct of war has come up against a new conception. As the basis of this new idea lies not only the massive use of heavy armoured divisions and of co-operation between them and aeroplanes, but the creation of disorder in the enemy's rear by means of parachute raids. In Holland these raids nearly caused the fall of The Hague, and in Belgium they led to the seizure of the strongest fort of Liege." M. Reynaud went on to speak of the enemy's attempt to spread false news in .France and to start hurried evacuation by means of bogus telephone calls. "The Senate will understand that of all the tasks that confront us the most important is clear thinking," he continued. "We must recognise the new type of warfare we are facing and take immediate decisions. This surprise is not the first we have suffered and then overcome in the course of our history." At the beginning of the last war, he recalled, France had been handicapped by a lack of heavy artillery and too few machine-guns and had suffered a rude surprise in the treacherous weapon of gas, and yet France had hit back. "We adapted ourselves," he said, "and so ended master of the situation. It will be the same thing today if everyone of us wills it, if every soldier understands the immense role he plays, if every workmam now working twelve hours a

day carries on his task with even greater energy, and every man and every woman understands the great- , ness of this hour in which we are living. BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND ABROAD. "They are beginning to understand abroad. There are far off millions of men and women and children wh» begin to understand that it is a question of themselves and their future* May they not understand too late!" M. Reynaud then referred with pride to France's heroes who had come back to help France in her tragic hour—Marshal Petain, whom he described as "the conqueror of Verdun," the great leader who knew how to be human and who knew Kow , French victory could come out of the abyss; and General Weygand-—-in M. Reynaud's words, "Foch's man, the man who stopped the German rush when the front was broken in 1918, and who later changed our.destinies and led us to victory." M. Reynaud then revealed that General Weygand is now on the battlefields directing the operations in person. ' y- , . France would not tolerate defeatism or slackening. "Failure," he said, "will not be tolerated. Death is the mildest punishment for offence against the vital interests of the country at a time when our soldiers are dying. There will be no more dilatory procedure in regard to traitors, saboteurs, or cowards. There is no longer a place for any vested interest. Let us rise to the misfortune* of our country." "TWO GREAT EMPIRES CANNOT , BE BEATEN." France was up against an enemy who had new military tactics, not only in the technical sense but also in the sense of trying to destroy confidence among the civilians and o£ having a will for total destruction. In conclusion, M. Reynaud said: "Two great peoples, two great empires close* ly united, cannot be beaten; they cannot die. France wUI be worthy of her allies. If you tell me that only a miracle can save France, I would say, 'I believe in miracles for I believe in France.'" M. Reynaud's speech was loudly, cheered by all senators and the President of the Senate made a short speech, saying that the, applause showed their common faith in victory. He went on to express to the French and Allied armies France* deep admiration and gratitude.