re: Vader’s Model Desk: Char B1Bis French Heavy Tank

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Then how did they lose!?!?!?

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It was a combination of factors.

1. They tried to fight the war in 19140 like it was still 1918. Instead of concentrating their armor, they dispersed it among the infantry divisions. Thus, they rarely had enough armor in any one place to turn the tide.

2. Their logistics were terrible. The French lost more tanks by simply running out of fuel than to German guns.

3. Their entire battle plan played right into the German’s hands. Basically, when the Germans first launched their invasion, the French sent their best formations into Belgium to meet the Germans there. They did this because they didn’t want a repeat of 1914-1918 where the northeast of France was devastated by fighting. The French wanted this war to be fought in Belgium. But, what they failed to realize was the German force entering Belgium was was a trap to lure the French Army (along with the BEF) into being encircled. The real threat came from the south where the aim effort was coming through the Ardenne Forest. The French did react to this threat in the south with what forces they could muster (their best formations already being engaged up north in Belgium), but even here they misunderstood the Germans intentions. The French thought this German thrust intended to head toward Paris. But, once these German forces broke though the French defenses, instead of heading southwest toward Paris, they swung north and west and headed for the English Channel. There was little to stop them and the Germans were able to encircle an entire French Army Group along with the BEF. When this happened, the jig was up.