The Battle of Britain Five Months That Changed History, May—October 1940 by James Holland (z-lib.org).epub

Loerzer readily agreed but in the meantime von Kleist had gone straight
to General Hugo Sperrle, commander of Luftflotte 3, and had arranged a
single massed aerial bombardment instead. When Guderian found out, he
was incensed, but despite appeals von Kleist would not budge. ‘My whole
attack,’ Guderian noted, ‘was thus placed in jeopardy.’
It was with a sense of great anxiety that around 3.30 p.m. General
Guderian clambered up a chalky hill just south of the village of Givonne,
where his 10th Panzer Division had its advance artillery observation post
(OP). From there, on this clear, bright afternoon, he had a good view
towards Sedan only three miles ahead. He could just see the River Meuse,
twinkling in the sunlight, bending its way through the town. Rising gently
behind were the wooded hills in which lay the innumerable bunkers and
gun positions of the French.
The 10th Panzer were to attack on the left, on the eastern edge of the
town. 1st Panzer would make their assault in the centre, on the western side
at Gaulier before a sharp kink in the river, and with the Draperie Sedannaise
factory and buildings behind masking their approach. 2nd Panzer would
cross further west, across the exposed flood plains around the village of
Donchery. Guderian hoped 1st Panzer would cross first then thrust west and
eliminate the string of bunkers that overlooked 2nd Panzer’s crossing at
Donchery.
That was the plan, but how often was the plan the first thing to crumble
the moment the battle began? And there was so much that could go wrong.
Sedan was dense with enemy defences; if the French used their heads, his
attack could collapse before it had barely started – and with von Kleist’s
Luftwaffe bombardment plan there was every reason to think it would.
To his astonishment, however, as he peered through his binoculars, he
was firstly relieved by the number of his own guns firing, and then to see
the Luftwaffe arrive, only a few squadrons, protected by Me 109 fighters,
and delivering their lethal loads in exactly the way he had discussed with
Loerzer. He then learned they had been carrying out such attacks since
noon. ‘The flyers were doing exactly what I believed to be the most
advantageous for our attack,’ he recorded, ‘and I sighed with relief.’
At twenty minutes to four, the Luftwaffe then delivered a massive raid,
which targeted the loop in the river at Sedan itself, where 10th and 1st
Panzer were about to attack. The town now disappeared behind a mass of
smoke and dust. Hurrying back down the hill, Guderian reached his