Evening star., 1940-06-05

BERLIN, June S LP).-FolloU-
ing is the high commands CON-
muniQue last night on the con-
clusion OF the battle OF Flanders:
The great battle in Flanders and
Artois is ended. 1t will 60 down In
war history as the greatest destruc-
tive battle of all times.
When the German Army entered
upon its decision in the west on
the morning of May 10 the strategic
goal as given by the Fuehrer and
supreme commander in chief was
to force a through in the
enemy border Notifications south
of Namur and thereby create a pre-
condition for destruction of the
French and English Armies north
of the Aisne and Somme.
At the same time Holland was to
be occupied swiftly and thereby
eliminate it as base for a planned
English operation by land and in
the air on the north flank of the
German Army.
On June the army could report
fulf1llment of this gigantic task to
the supreme commander in chief.
Leadership of One Will
Made Feat Possible.
In between lies the heroism OF the
German soldier and this glorious
deed of German leadership is pos
slble to such a degree only in an
army which is led by one will, ami
mated by one idea and borne up by
Jubilation and readiness for the sac
rlflce OF a united people.
More exact consideration and an
probation of the operations of the
army. air force and navy must be
kept for a later time. From this
short survey the German people
should learn only how this tremen-
dous victory could be accomplished
in such a short time and obtain
the certainty that the final victory
Is ours.
For months the German leader
ship faced daily the danger that
Allied mobile armies would make a
thrust against the Ruhr territory
under the pretext of aid for Holland
and Belgium.
We were able to anticipate this
danger on May 10 in the last mo-
ment
1t (the army no longer could be
opposed in laborious, weeks-long
continuous wrestling to exhaustion
for closed border zones and modern
built Notifications of Holland and
Belgium.
'Tnvincible" Forts
Taken by Surprise Action.
Under the smashing blows of the
German Air Force, which in a few
hours established security in its
own air by ruthless attacks on the
enemy air force, it was possible not
only to take possession of important
bridges without damage but also tc
seize forts which the enemy hereto
fore had held invincible by a great
number OF surprise actions prepared
in the smallest detail, on the part OF
picked units Of the army and all
force.
Further, parachutists and troop.
landed by plane successfully gained
a foothold in the interior fortifica
ton of Holland. despite the strong.
est defense. and held open the gate.
way from the south over the great
bridge at Moerdijk until tanks ane
motorized units arrived and strucl
at Rotterdam in cooperation with
the air force.
This invasion for the first tim,
into a Notifications zone from tn,
air and the swift action Of thes.
storm troops from without in con.
nection with breaking through al
the same time of the Grebbe Line
southeast of Utrecht, forced capitu.
lation Of Holland May IA aftel
fighting of hardly five days.
Belgium Proved Superiority
OF German Tanks.
Meanwhile. not only were al
border Notifications and fortified
zones in the north and south O.
Belgium swiftly broken through bu
all enemy tank units thrown agains
us were defeated and the superior
ity of the German tank weapon, it.
organization. its leadership and it
materials proven.
Storming out ahead, infantry di.
visions and armored corps reached
the Meuse between Dinant and Sc
dan on May 13 and found itsel
faced not only with a deep Gu
valley but also strongly built borde
Notifications in which the French
9th Army itself was established TO
defense.
Contrary to all hitherto tactica
conceptions and all reckonings o
enemy leadership, armored troop
in an unheard of brave action, ac
companied and followed by infantr,
divisions which had come up unde
forced march, and time and again
ideally supported by the air force
overcame the river, including tn
border Notifications, battered tn
enemy defense and all counterat
tacks to pieces and prepared tn
way up to the Disc.
In this fashion the breach in
the enemy's front was made. And
again the enemy leaders expert
enced a surprise which they had
Held impossible. Tanks and mo-
torized units drove with such
speed farther through to the sea
that they even surprised enemy
troops drilling on the training
grounds at Abbeville.
Planned to Eliminate
"Marne Wonder" of 1914.
For German leadership had takel
care that the protective body o
divisions rolled away from tn
| 6o,,nIo,~1, nf