European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 5, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Myma a i Vamp l a to. A a or. Gtd. A Volby a a de Jfe wipe i3r a a l.  Ifilla a a it a a a in for 1 French troops on the Beach of Dunkirk France await evacuation to England in one of the greatest retreats i a a a 0 m a a. % n. May pm -1tv 1/ a. M it Tell Lam Quot Quot of Quot a a so a 1940 thousands of British and French troops on the Beach of Dunkirk France await evacuation  in defeat at by John Barbour associated press the stalemate in Europe ended. Sit Krieg became Blitzkrieg. Fifty years ago at Dawn on May 10, 1940, Adolf Hitler blew the whistle and for the second time in nine months let Loose the full Force of his dogs of War. On the same Day almost by acclamation Winston Churchill was called on to be prime minister of great Britain. During the Winter German forces had taken Norway and Denmark almost As military exercises adding them to the bulging nazi sack with Poland Czechoslovakia and Austria. Now Hitler s targets were the Low countries the Netherlands Belgium and Luxembourg All neutrals All assured repeatedly of Germany s peaceful intent. In five Days he levelled Rotterdam and crushed the Netherlands sending Queen Wilhelmina and the dutch government into exile in Britain. But Holland was Only a Battle in passing. His steel phalanges spearheaded by Stuka dive bombers and paratroopers next turned to Belgium having breached the Steep Banks of the Meuse. Across four Bridgehead poured an armoured assault the likes of which Europe had never seen. German tanks in three columns a Hundred Miles Long roared and clanked through Sedan shattering two French armies in a dash toward the English Channel cleaving the Allied forces in half trapping the Best of the British and French divisions in Belgium to the North. Tactically the germans uncorked one innovation after another. Special task forces were assigned saturday May 5, 1990 specific targets fortresses and Bridges and delivered by Parachute and glider. For this they had practice on replica targets in Germany the previous Winter. The formidable fort Eben email was a Case in Point it was the strongest fortress in All of Europe a steel and Concrete bastion dug deep into belgian soil heavily armoured with gun turrets and manned by 1,200 men. The German assault was mounted by a task Force of 80 men commanded by a sergeant and borne to the fort by nine gliders that landed on the roof. Specially made hollow explosives knocked out the gun turrets spreading Gas and flame everywhere. Flamethrowers were then turned against every aperture essentially blinding the fortress. Panzer units and dive bombers finished the Job. A White Flag was posted at noon of the 11th. The fortress had fallen in 30 hours. Of the 80-Man task Force there were Only six killed and 19 wounded. It presaged what would happen to France s vaunted Maginot line. On the second Day of the Advance German commanders Felt the 15 divisions and six in Reserve of the sixth army in the North could fend off any attack by the 24 British and French divisions and the 15 belgian divisions facing it. To the South they greatly outnumbered the Allied forces. A week after the invasion of the Netherlands the German forces were rolling across undefended French Countryside. Churchill was astounded to discover the French had committed All their reserves and were essentially broken. Although his generals were confident Hitler himself was a bundle of nerves. He expected a French counterattack that would isolate his armies. His caution was clearly uncalled for. He authorized a Quot reconnaissance in Force Quot and with continued on Page 14 the stars and stripes a a a Page 13