intensified measures in their rationing of consumers' goods. 2. The operations up to nov will have, the following conseguenees: a. The destruction of food suplies will play an important role in breaking the enemy's will to resist. s should be especially con- sidered, therefore, in the operations against the chief ports and the .food stocks of the enemy. The transit of food tbroh rance is to be preventedalso. b. The figit-against tonna in itself, however, cannot have a decisive effe upon te economy o the enemy. In spite of this the at- tacks upon shipping must be continued, not only for their immediate re- sults, but also in order to drive the enemy into convoying and thus to tie up a large amount of shipping space. It will also be important to force the enemy to extend his convoy system over the longest sea-routes possible. c. Aerial minela in is, in agreement between the Commander in Chief, Navy an the Co er in Chief, Air Force, to be extended also to the French Atlantic ports, as far as-seems necessary.* d. Interference with public services (gas, water, electricity) at the climax of the warfare against ritsh economy can have a decisive significance. Measures are to be prepared to accomplish this, as well as countermeasures for the protection of our own public services. e. Coordinated with operations against the economy of the. enemy, acts of sabotage and economic warfare must be employed to a greater ex- tent. mutual coordination of ensive actions by the Navy and Air Force must be assured. 4. Apart from the tasks enumerated according to their urgency in Directive No. 9, paragraph 4,it will be the most important mission of the Air Force during the operation in the West to destroy the British aircraft industr , in order to deprive the British Air Force, the lst potent weapon which could be directly employed against us, of the basis of its existence. 5. The exact time for the beginning of coordinated measures in the war upon the enemy's economy will be given in a separate order. signed: Keitel * Pencilled marginal note: "Carried out by communication l/Skl 694&/J& g.Kdos on 29 May 1940." - 99 - The. uehrer and Supreme Commander Fuehrer Headquarters of the Armed Forces 5 June l94O Nr. 33069/40 Gkdos.Chefs. No. 2 of seven copies Top secret 1. In order to clear up the situation around Narvik conclusively, all preparations to relieve the Dietl Group from the north also, in addition to those measures already initiated, are to be made. Therefore arrangements are to be made for landing strong forces of the Arm in Lyngen Fjord, east of Tromsoe, which is unoccupie a present. hese will advance to-the rear of the enemy forces in front of the Windisch Group over the highway leading southwest, and will take and oc- cupy the area around Narvik. At the same time the Air Force will take possession of an air base in the vicinity of Bard i~oss, and will support the advance of the Army from there. The mission of the av will be, besides transporting the forces, to take care, of supplyingthem from then on. 2. The necessary reconnaissance and preparations are to be begun at once and must be carried out with the greatest dispatch. 3. The following guiding principles are to be observed in the course of reconnaissance and preparations: a. Group XXI will initiate and direct uniformly the reconnais- sance for a landing in Lyngen Fjord. The various High Commands of the branches of the Armed Forces will give the necessary detailed orders directly. The reconnaissance activities are to cover primarily the following: (1) Feasibility of landing and unloading in Lyngen Fjord. (2) Protection of landing activities. (3) Suitability and state of repair of the Lyngen Fjord- Bardufoss-Narvik highway. The Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief, Air Force will carry out reconnaissance for the purpose of occupying and utilizing the Bardufoss airport and will acquaint Group XXI with the results thereof. b. The Army High Command will get ready. two mixed forces suitable for mountain service of approximately 3,000 men each, including supplies for 4 weeks. Each unit is to be issued 4 to 6 Panzer IV's, Czech tanks of 35 to 38 tons, or assault guns (according to the carrying capacity of the transport vessels). The Army High Command will convey promptly the data regarding the com- position, equipment, and tonnage requirements of these units to the Naval High Command. The Navy is to prepare the steamers BREMEN and EUROPA for the job of transportation. - 100 - Special consideration is to be given to quick unloading. The necessary preparations of the Air Force will be ordered by the Com- mander in Chief, Air Force. k. The operational plans and the probable period required for prepara- tion are to be reported to me by the respective High Commands through the Armed Forees High Command. Group XXI will report the results of reconnaissance and the intended assignment of the forces after landing. All measures must be planned so that they can be executed in short order after my decision has been made. The importance of very eareful concealment of the preparations is es- pecially emphasized. 5. It is intended to regulate command Jurisdiction of this operation in the some manner as during the occupation of Norway. 6. The basis requirement of the entire operation is that the Dietl Group be able to maintain itself until the results of the operation are felt. Until that time the Dietl Group will be left to its own devices, since the reinforcements advancing overland from the south will hardly be able to arrive any earlier either. Therefore it remains an important task of the Air Force to replenish the Dietl Group by air, with both personnel and materiel, whenever the weather permits. signed: Adolf Hitler The Fuebrer and Supreme Commander ,Fuehrer Headquarters of the Armed Forces 8 June 19+0 W A/Abt.L Nr. 33071/10 Gk.Chefs. No. 2 of five copies Top secret Directive No. 114 1. The enemy is offering stubborn resistance to the right wing and the center of the 6th Army, 2. Therefore, following the report of the Commander in Chief, Army, I approve the orders given this morning by Army Group B, namely: a, Merely to tie down the enemy at the 6th Army front. b. To transfer the XIV Army Corps to the left wing of the 4th- - 101 - Army. *. To inflict a crushing defeat on the strong enemy forces facing the 6th Army by increased pressure of the bulk of the 4th Army toward the southeast and of the left wing of the 6th Army toward the southwest. 3. In addition I issue the following order: a. The basis aim of the whole operation which was laid down in Directive No. 13 remains in force, i.e., to defeat and destroy the enemy forces in the Chateau-Thierry-Mietz-Belfort triangle, and to bring about the collapse of the aginot line. However, since the first phase of the operation has not yet been eon- cluded and resistanee north of Paris is very strong, larger forces than originally planned must remain at the Lower Seine and opposite Paris for the time being. b. Army Group A will begin the offensive on 9 June toward the south-southeast as ordered in Directive No. 13. e. The 9th Army will advance southward toward the Marne. It is to be augmented as soon as possible by the XVI Army Corps (including the SS formations and the SS Death's Head Division assigned to it). Strong reserves must. back up the point where the two Army Groups join. d. I reserve to myself the decision as to the later objective of the 9th Army and as to whether the latter is to be left with Army Group B or assigned to Army Group A. 4. The mission of the Air Force, in addition to what has been laid down In I1eeti77sar. asl, ollows: a. .To support the concentric attack against the flanks of the main enemy. forses facing Army Group B. b. To keep under observation and strong fighter sover the coastal strip on the right flank of Army Group B and the region southwest of the Bresle sector. *. To assist in the attack by Army Group A at the focal point. signed: Adolf Hitler _ - 102 - The Fuebrer and Supreme Commander Fuebrer Headquarters of the Armed Forces 14.June 19k0 WFA/Abt. L Nr. 33083/10 G.Chefs. No. 2 of six copies Top; secret Directive No. 15 1. The enemy is evacuating the region of Paris under the impact of our attakis uon his crumbling fronts, and has also begun to evacuate the fortress-triangle Epinal-Metz-Verdun behind the Maginot line. Paris has been declared an open city by means of posters. A general retreat of the main forces of the Frenh Army to positions across the Loire is not out of the question. 2. The ratio of power and the condition of the French Army permit us to pursue two objectives at the same time from now on. a.1 To prevent the enemy forees, retreating from the Paris region or standing at the Lower Seine, from establishing a new front. be To destroy the enemy forces in front of Army Groups A and C, and to bring about the collapse of the Maginot line. 3. Therefore, with regard to further operations of the Army, I order the following: a.
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