Battle of Arras

The Battle of Arras was an Allied counterattack launched on 21 May 1940 against the German push toward the Channel. The aim was to disrupt the advance of Rommel's 7th Panzer Division, which was rapidly moving toward the coast. Franco-British forces attacked in a pincer movement south of Arras, surprising the German advance guards. The well-armored British Matilda I & II tanks caused heavy initial losses. However, the Luftwaffe intervened quickly and German forces encircled the counterattack, halting its momentum.

As German troops raced toward the sea, the Allied high command sought to avoid the encirclement of the British Expeditionary Force and the French armies of the north. A counterattack was hastily organized around Arras. Although Franco-British coordination was rudimentary, it nevertheless achieved a surprise effect. It was also one of the rare occasions when the Allies temporarily went on the offensive during the debacle of May 1940.

The attack was conducted in two columns, with British armor to the west, supported by motorized infantry. The Matilda tanks, slow but well protected, crossed the German forward lines, spreading panic among some units. Rommel himself was caught by surprise and his headquarters threatened. But the absence of heavy artillery and air support prevented a significant breakthrough. The arrival of Stuka dive-bombers and German numerical superiority quickly reversed the momentum. Withdrawal was ordered by the end of the day.

Although tactically limited, the Battle of Arras caused a degree of concern within the German high command. Rommel even exaggerated the size of the Allied forces, which contributed to Hitler's decision to order a temporary halt to the advance on Dunkirk, later facilitating the evacuation. Strategically, the action failed to break the encirclement, but it demonstrated that Blitzkrieg was not infallible against a determined defense and suitable tanks.