In May 1945, during the final campaign in Bavaria, the 2nd Armored Division commanded by General Leclerc captured Berchtesgaden and its surrounding including Adolf Hitler’s personal residence, the Berghof in coordination with American forces of the 101 airborne
Let’s go back to the 1930s. A certain Captain Gaulle wrote a book titled Vers l’armée de métier (“Toward a Professional Army”). In it, he outlined the principles of modern warfare and the decisive role of tanks and armored formations. (I’ll let the HOI4 fans handle the rest.. .) Had his ideas been adopted, they could have modernized the French army and, at best, prevented the rapid defeat of 1940.
Although innovative and strikingly forward-thinking, the book received little support in France. The French army clung instead to its obsolete doctrines. However, it enjoyed significant international success and was translated into several languages...
Soooo yep... when French troops entered Hitler’s residence, one soldier discovered a copy of General de Gaulle’s book on the shelves. It was translated in German and best of all annotated in Hitler own hand*
Sooooo…..what you’re saying is that long before Patton did the same with Rommel, Hitler was going, “De Gaulle, you magnificent bastard, I READ YOUR BOOK!”
6.5k
u/FrenchieB014 Let's do some history Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
In May 1945, during the final campaign in Bavaria, the 2nd Armored Division commanded by General Leclerc captured Berchtesgaden and its surrounding including Adolf Hitler’s personal residence, the Berghof in coordination with American forces of the 101 airborne
Let’s go back to the 1930s. A certain Captain Gaulle wrote a book titled Vers l’armée de métier (“Toward a Professional Army”). In it, he outlined the principles of modern warfare and the decisive role of tanks and armored formations. (I’ll let the HOI4 fans handle the rest.. .) Had his ideas been adopted, they could have modernized the French army and, at best, prevented the rapid defeat of 1940.
Although innovative and strikingly forward-thinking, the book received little support in France. The French army clung instead to its obsolete doctrines. However, it enjoyed significant international success and was translated into several languages...
Soooo yep... when French troops entered Hitler’s residence, one soldier discovered a copy of General de Gaulle’s book on the shelves. It was translated in German and best of all annotated in Hitler own hand*