The Striking Hammer

A final French armored counterattack near Rethel on the 10th was led by two formations of the formidable Renault B1bis, so highly regarded that each was individually named. General De Lattre declared that "they were the striking hammer." During the …

1940-06-10

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A final French armored counterattack near Rethel on the 10th was led by two formations of the formidable Renault B1bis, so highly regarded that each was individually named. General De Lattre declared that "they were the striking hammer." During the assault on Perthes by Group Maitre, each B1bis individually withstood heavy fire while punishing the German machine gun nests one by one. The force took the town and held it until ordered to withdraw overnight.

Perthes, South of Rethel, France

The Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries during the Second World War. On 3 September 1939 France had declared war on Germany, following the German invasion of Poland. In early September 1939, France began the limited Saar Offensive. By mid-October, the French had withdrawn to their start lines. In six weeks from 10 May 1940, German forces defeated Allied forces by mobile operations, conquering France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, ending land operations on the Western Front until the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944. Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940.

Wikipedia: Battle of France

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