Countdown to D-Day

by Peter Margaritis

  ***

  At the Berghof, Hitler, short of his operations staff, is hampered in dealing with a new Soviet offensive that has begun today across the Vistula River. Problems in the West are not being considered.

  ***

  A large conference is held at the Hôtel Georges V in Paris. In attendance are the senior staff members from Jodl’s OKW operations office, from OB West, and from the Inspector-General army group headquarters Heeresgruppe B.z.b.v.

  Rommel, for the most part, has not had a good relationship with the OKW operations officers. The dislike is mutual. When Rommel was given command of a panzer division back in mid-February 1940, less than three months before they would attack France, Jodl had been shocked and indignant at the appointment of this junior officer. Rommel was not a member of the General Staff, had little training with panzer units, and had spent the entire Polish campaign doing nothing, standing next to the Führer at their headquarters, watching units move eastward on a map.

  Rommel does not like Jodl, either. He considers him a cold, professional staff officer. And he always seems to have a pinched look on his face, like he has something sour in his mouth.

  Rommel knows that his resentment is returned, and so he will have to be careful in dealing with Jodl. After all, he is the linchpin in OKW, and easily the most powerful man in the Wehrmacht. An excellent clerk, he shrewdly knows when to keep his place and how to stay out of harm’s way by keeping his mouth shut and listening. A collected and levelheaded man, a member of the General Staff, he could easily become a powerful enemy.

  The other prominent figure in OKW is General der Artillerie Walther Warlimont, Jodl’s deputy and first assistant. In his late forties, Warlimont is quite handsome, and cuts a dashing figure. Calm and easygoing, he is socially active and highly popular with women. Well educated, clever and and remarkably versatile, he ably takes over for Jodl whenever the latter is ill or on vacation. His intellect includes an in-depth knowledge of wartime economies and basic strategies, both learned as a seasoned member of the Generalstab.

  Rommel considers Warlimont an ambitious fop and an unethical, glorified opportunistic clerk whose military capabilities are negligible.

  Jodl and Warlimont together could present a formidable front against him with the Führer. But Rommel still has some credibility left. Hitler had expressed every confidence in him, and had once even given him a copy of Mein Kampf Rommel remembered the inscription inside: “To General Rommel with pleasant memories.”

  So today Rommel is on his best behavior as he converses with these two visitors from OKW and their senior officers.

  With Rommel going first, each field marshal gives his opinions of how the West should be defended. Rommel argues that they must stop the enemy right on the beaches, and outlines his plan to fortify the coast, including laying some two million mines a month. He also states that the panzers must be placed in strategically vital positions close to the coasts, so that they can move swiftly against the invasion whenever it comes

  Von Rundstedt on the other hand, argues that stopping a landing is impossible, and therefore insists on keeping a powerful mobile strategic reserve inland to strike after the enemy had landed. Rommel’s view, he argues, is tactical; his on the other hand, is strategic. Rommel’s concern for the Channel and his desire to put all available forces there is understandable. But von Rundstedt’s concern is bigger and covers all of Western Europe. He must take into account the enemy’s strategic reserves and their ability to strike in another area of Europe.

  He also goes on to make a number of frank remarks about the command structure in France. In fact, he goes on to berate the entire armed forces command structure as well, and the way they are running things. He is, Warlimont later notes, in rare form.

  The air situation is covered as well. Jodl will later note in his diary:

  How on earth is the air war against the invasion going to be conducted? Major action against the enemy air forces is not possible. Fighters can carry out minor attacks against shipping and targets at sea. We must not accept battle with the enemy air force.

  The OKW entourage in turn makes a number of valid points. General von Buttlar has observed on his part of the tour that there were large gaps between the resistance nests strung out along the shore. On the Calvados coast, he noted that they were some 1,300 meters apart, and less than 15 percent of them were bombproof. He concludes that if the enemy overran any one of them, they would be able to move inland fairly swiftly through a three- or four-kilometer gap.

  Rommel comes away from the conference and notes:

  Met General Jodl, who shares my views of the coastal defense for the most part.

  Friday, January 14

  Jodl is on his way back to the Wolfsschanze to report to Hitler on his findings. Essentially, Rommel and von Rundstedt are right about one thing. The Atlantic Wall is too weak. And with the Russians attacking on the other side, the Führer will not be thrilled to hear this. Once again, Jodl is bringing him bad news. Well, at least this time, Warlimont and von Buttlar can back up his findings.

  ***

  Rommel stays at home and evaluates the conference with Jodl and von Rundstedt. He notes general support for his ideas from the former, but sees implacable resistance from the latter.

  ***

  Von Rundstedt is essentially doing the same as Rommel. He likes the younger field marshal’s zest, his energy, his resolve, and his dedication. But he considers him an amateur at strategy.

  And why not? Rommel was never a member of the Generalstab, and has risen through the ranks mainly as one of Hitler’s many “stars,” like that SS trash. When it comes to general strategic warfare, Rommel is a slouch. He proved that in North Africa, outstripping his supplies and biting off more than he could chew. And now this kid—Marshall Bubi, as von Rundstedt likes to call him—may get half of the Prussian’s command.

  It is not fair, and it is downright foolish to split the command like that.

  Saturday, January 15

  General Jodl apprehensively reports to Hitler at the Wolf’s Lair on his trip to the Western defenses. Rommel, he states, is correct in his assessments. Jodl tells him that he was not “impressed” by the defensive positions that he inspected. Everyone in France and the Lowlands is too lax. Von Rundstedt has done little to bolster the coastal defenses. The West is inadequately prepared to meet a major enemy landing. To make matters worse, OB West and his staff live in luxury in a swank Parisian Hôtel, mesmerized by Paris life.1 Soldiers go out to enjoy themselves along the city streets, often carrying briefcases, parcels, or umbrellas instead of rifles.

  The units in the field have picked up this slack behavior as well. Combat battalions transferred from the Östfront are required to do little except to rest and refit. Fraternization with the local populace is commonplace (especially with French women), and despite the Reich’s presence, there is little air of military authority in the occupied capital (except of course, at Gestapo headquarters). It is certainly a different world than the frenetic, desperate, savage operational life in Russia. In the meantime, large areas of the defensive positions along the coast are incomplete. And the Luftwaffe has not planned ahead at all.

  The Führer is understandably upset at the report (though, thankfully, not at Jodl).

  Jodl goes on to support Rommel’s efforts, and his concepts of hitting the enemy right on the beaches, The strategy seems sound, although there is good merit in having a panzer reserve as well. But to base their entire strategy on a mobile, inland defense, he concludes, seems foolhardy.

  The Führer agrees with him and adds, “The main thing, is that the moment the invasion begins, the enemy must be smothered in bombs. That’ll force them to take cover, and even if there’s only one jet airborne, they’ll still be forced to take cover, and this will delay them hour upon hour. But, in half a day, our reserves will be well on their way!”

  He asks Jodl if the once-defeatist Desert Fox would now be able to handle the defense of the West, and
Jodl replies that he can. Rommel these days is a flurry of activity, personally overseeing, detailing, and inspecting the massive construction plans to upgrade—no, to build up—the Atlantic Wall. It seems as though they have found their man.

  Hitler orders Jodl to write exactly what he has found out in no uncertain terms and to make sure his reports get circulated to the Western commands. He also instructs Jodl to issue the order: Rommel is to officially be put in command of the northern French coast. He is to be given the Fifteenth and the Seventh Armies. Army Group B is to become an operational reality again in the West.

  The official word goes out immediately.

  In the late afternoon at Fontainebleau, word comes down from the High Command that Rommel has officially been appointed commander of Heeresgruppe B. Rommel greets the news of his appointment with deep satisfaction. He is back in the saddle again, as the American cowboys say. And with Warlimont’s confirmation of OKW’s blessings on flooding the coastal plains, damming rivers, knocking down houses in his fields of fire, and generally uprooting the whole countryside as he sees fit, Rommel is now filled with even more resolve. He and his Atlantikwall des Stahls2 will defeat the Allies.

  His first order that evening is to increase the number of offshore obstacles, a proposal several subordinates are strongly against. He tells them, “We’ll have all sorts of obstacles to stop their landing craft, and at various points. I expect that the enemy will land at high tide. Less open area to charge across, and easier to get across the low-tide obstacles. So we’ll start construction at the high water mark, and work our way seawards…” He notes in his diary:

  I have instructed that the troops ram stakes into the beaches as a barrier against landing craft.

  Yes, Rommel is back in his element.

  ***

  Von Rundstedt, on the other hand, greets the news of Rommel’s selection sourly. Well, it was going to happen anyway. No doubt, Rommel will soon get back in the spotlight. The disgusted old Prussian acknowledges the appointment by deciding to go on leave immediately. Let “Marshal Laddie” run the show.

  In the meantime, von Rundstedt’s chief, Günther Blumentritt, is asked by Speer’s deputy to come up with a million Frenchmen to go to work in Germany. That would seriously impair any attempt to strengthen the Atlantic Wall.

  Blumentritt promises to give the request every consideration.

  Just after midnight, while a disgruntled von Rundstedt is sleeping, set to go on leave in the morning, his counterpart, 54-year-old four-star General Dwight D. Eisenhower, arrives in Scotland from the United States to assume the command of all Allied forces in the European Theater of Operations (ETOUSA). He immediately begins preparations for the Allied invasion of Europe. His new command staff has been waiting for someone to take charge for over nine months now. Eisenhower is of course not to blame. He had been informed of his appointment by the president only five and a half weeks ago.

  Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, who is designated at this time to command the assault troops for the landing, has already been in England for 13 days.

  1Except in winter, the field marshal lived in St.-Germain-en-Laye (see December 12 entry).

  2“Atlantic Wall of Steel.”

  Sunday, January 16

  Generalfeldmarschall Rommel hits the road again, invigorated by his new appoint- ment—Befehlshaber, Heeresgruppe B.

  He had already surveyed the Fifteenth Army’s section of the coastline in late December when he was still the Führer’s inspector, and had laid out specific orders and plans for improving the beach defenses, emphasizing that time was critical. Now he is coming back to check on their progress.

  His inspection group drives northwest down the Seine to the coast, and they begin with General Reichert’s1 711th Division, east of the Orne River. Rommel steps confidently into the division’s headquarters, resolved to make sure every unit commander from regimental level up is completely clear on his strategy and intentions. His plans for interconnected, in-depth defensive fortifications to be constructed, and all his anti-invasion measures, will be put into full effect.

  Basically, the idyllic French vacation is over. The Allies are coming. It is time to get to work.

  The simple lunch that they are served is crowned with an exquisite dessert of apple soufflé. Then he is off again up the coast, into the mist. Cabourg, Deauville, Trouville-sur-Mer; the villages fly by as he stops, observes, and gives out instructions. The inspection group is generally satisfied with the defensive positions that they see, but the weak concentration of minefields is glaring.

  By dark, they have worked their way back up the Seine River to Rouen, where Rommel calls on the 81st Corps headquarters just west of the town. Stocky, self-confident GeneralOberst! Hans von Salmuth is present. General Gümbel, filling in for absent corps commander General Kuntzen, tells them that they already have some 253,000 mines down. Most of them have been laid on both sides of Cayeux- sur-Mer, 1 and their minelaying is averaging some 15 kilometers of coastline a day, with some ten mines being laid per sapper.

  Having already determined from what he has seen up here that von Salmuth has been slacking off in his defense efforts, Rommel, now displaying attitude to go with his new appointment, curtly orders: “Make that twenty.”

  And that is it. Once Rommel has made a decision, he expects it to be carried out immediately. Still, later on in the briefing, he orders that the hours these men spend on laying mines are to be increased, even if it means sacrificing time for training.

  Von Salmuth looks at him pointedly as he hears this remark, and when a break in the briefing comes shortly thereafter, he tonelessly asks to speak to Rommel privately. The two of them go into an empty room and close the door.

  Alone with the field marshal, van Salmuth complains about the amount of work the men are doing. As it is now, he explains in a somewhat imposing tone, they have no time for military training, including the use of weapons and tactics. “When the battle begins,” he concludes defiantly, “I want fresh, well-trained soldiers—not physical wrecks.”

  Rommel is quickly getting mad. Even though his appointment is only a day old, the time has come to establish his authority with his generals. He looks pointedly at von Salmuth and says in a menacing low tone, “Evidently, you don’t intend to carry out my orders.”

  Von Salmuth snorts in derision. “Stick around a bit,” he replies patronizingly to this newcomer, “and you’ll soon see that you can’t do everything at once.” He pauses briefly and adds, “Your program is going to take at least a year to complete. If anybody tells you any different, then he’s either just trying to flatter you, or he’s a Schweinidiot.”

  Rommel stays tightlipped and follows him out as they return to the briefing. Von Salmuth knows that the field marshal is upset, but he is content that he has made his point. After all, he has had years of experience on the Army General Staff, and more wartime experience than Rommel. And besides, he commands the massive Fifteenth Army—Rommel’s largest and most important unit. His opinion should weigh a good deal with the field marshal, who is still a newcomer to the area and somewhat of an outsider.3

  The briefing continues, although now there is a decided tension in the air. The conference finally ends, and all the staff members file outside, Rommel’s own officers heading towards their cars. Rommel tells von Salmuth to stay behind.

  When everyone else has cleared out and the door is shut, Rommel turns on the general and launches into a tirade. He lets loose with a vociferous tongue-lashing that can be heard throughout the building. A startled von Salmuth turns red from embarrassed resentment. Angrily, he tries to defend himself. He shouts back that the intensity of Rommel’s program is driving the area commanders crazy.

  “I don’t care!” the field marshal roars back. He then continues with his diatribe, cursing at the army commander and dressing him down in several imaginative ways. Von Salmuth suffers through a five-minute verbal onslaught. Finally, red-faced and rasping out of breath, Rommel ends his castigation a
nd once more tells von Salmuth that he will obey his orders.

  After an embarrassing silence, a chastened von Salmuth opens the door. The glowering field marshal stomps out wordlessly towards his car, a humiliated von Salmuth walking just behind him. Rommel turns, glances at von Salmuth, and impassively tells him goodbye. He then strides over to his black car and climbs into the front.4 Admiral Ruge is already in the back. Their driver Daniel5 then takes off in a trail of dust. The admiral of course stays silent.

  After they leave the area and are heading towards Fontainebleau for the night, Rommel, picking up on the awkward silence, drops his glare and turns around to smirk at Admiral Ruge. He hitches his thumb back towards the dwindling building, winks, and chortles, “He’s quite a roughneck, that one. That’s the only language he understands.”

  A shocked Ruge can only stare back at him.6

  1Fifty-two-year-old Generalleutnant Josef Reichert. A colonel when the war broke out, Reichert rose through the command structure. He commanded the 177th and the 714th Infantry Divisions, before taking command of the 711th on March 15, 1943, relieving Generalleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm Deutsch.

  2On the English Channel, about 31km northwest of Abbéville, and some 83km northwest of Amiens.

  3Von Salmuth, with so much wartime experience, no doubt considered himself an expert on warfare. And he had a reputation for being outspoken and directly presenting his views when he thought the need arose. His letter to Jodl back in December 1943 complaining about the Atlantic Wall (see Preface) was ample proof of that.

  4Rommel nearly always sat in the front—riding “shotgun.”

  5Oberfeldwebel Karl Daniel, a Luftwaffe sergeant who was Rommel’s personal driver in Europe.