Battle which took place in the Second World War during the Battle of France in 1940.
The German crossing of the Meuse at Sedan broke the Allied front and enabled the encirclement of Allied armies, leading to the fall of France.
Key Facts
- Dates
- 12–15 May 1940
- German operational plan
- Fall Gelb (Case Yellow)
- Sedan captured
- 12 May 1940, without resistance
- Channel reached
- 20 May 1940, 5 days after bridgehead consolidation
- Allied air losses
- High losses depleting Allied bomber strength
- River crossed
- Meuse River
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Germany's Fall Gelb plan called for Army Group A to advance through the Ardennes, a hilly and forested region considered difficult for large armored forces. The intent was to strike at the weak hinge of the Allied line near Sedan, cross the Meuse, and swing northwest to the Channel coast, thereby encircling the Allied armies advancing into Belgium under the Dyle Plan.
Between 12 and 15 May 1940, German forces captured Sedan and crossed the Meuse in strength. Luftwaffe bombing and low French morale prevented the destruction of the bridgeheads. On 14 May, a combined RAF and French air attack failed to eliminate the crossings, with Allied bombers suffering severe losses in ensuing air battles. French counter-attacks from 15 to 17 May were undone by delay and confusion.
By 20 May, German forces had reached the English Channel, completing the encirclement of the British Expeditionary Force and the strongest Allied armies. The successful Meuse crossing fulfilled the core objective of Fall Gelb. Subsequent fighting in June destroyed the remaining French army as an effective force, expelled the British from the continent, and culminated in the defeat and occupation of France.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
2 belligerents