Manstein Plan

E21384

The Manstein Plan was a German World War II operational strategy that called for a surprise armored thrust through the Ardennes to encircle Allied forces and rapidly defeat France in 1940.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf World War II campaign plan
military strategy
operational plan
alsoKnownAs Sichelschnitt concept
approvedBy Adolf Hitler
associatedCommander Erich von Manstein
basedOnDoctrine Blitzkrieg
conflict World War II
countryOfOrigin Nazi Germany
designedForCampaign Battle of France
historicalSignificance decisive factor in the fall of France in 1940
implementedBy Heer
Wehrmacht
influencedBy Schlieffen Plan (conceptual heritage)
initiallyRejectedBy Oberkommando des Heeres
keyFeature bypassing the main Maginot Line fortifications
concentration of armor on a narrow front
deep penetration by panzer divisions
operational encirclement of Allied armies in Belgium and northern France
surprise armored thrust through the Ardennes
use of speed and surprise
languageOfName German
mainAxisOfAdvance Ardennes
Sedan sector
militaryBranchInvolved German Army
Luftwaffe
operationName Fall Gelb
opposedBy Franz Halder
opposedForces British Expeditionary Force
French Army
phaseOf Fall Gelb
primaryObjective encirclement of Allied forces
rapid defeat of France
proposedBy Erich von Manstein
reliedOn close air support by Luftwaffe
rapid river crossings
underestimation of Ardennes as tank terrain by Allies
replacedPlan Fall Gelb (original variant)
resultedIn Dunkirk pocket
breakthrough at Sedan
collapse of French front in 1940
encirclement of Allied forces in Belgium
strategicEffect defeat of France in six weeks
division of Allied armies
outflanking of Maginot Line
theater Western Front
timePeriod June 1940
May 1940
year 1940

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Battle of France
notableTactic

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