May 1940 - The Belgian ACG-1 tank squadron in combat | Tank Battles of WW2

Hello and welcome to The AceDestroyer! Today we will take a closer look at the destiny of the ACG-1’s of Belgium during the combat of May 1940. The ACG-1 was Belgium’s medium tank during the war. In this video we will follow the unit from the start of the war until the surrender of Belgium, 18 days later. Find out more in today’s video! Don’t forget to like and subscribe, and do leave a comment down below!
Cheers!
INFORMATION:
Bel Memorial. (z.d.). Bevrijding van Kapelle-op-den-Bos. Geraadpleegd op 22 mei 2020, van bel-memorial.or...
Geens, F. (z.d.). De Belgische Cavalerietank AGC-1. Geraadpleegd op 22 mei 2020, van frontsector.be...
18 Daagse veldtoch. (z.d.). Eskadron Pantserwagens Cavaleriekorps. Geraadpleegd op 22 mei 2020, van 18daagseveldtoc...
FOOTAGE:
All footages comes from the Ufa Tonwoche (Deutsche Wochenschau) No. 508 [30/05/1940]
Pictures are from Google images, mostly Wikipedia
MUSIC:
All music is from the KZbin audio library: www.youtube.co...
The Bronx is Burning
For We Are Many
Dark Alley Deals

[@oneman900]

Often forgotten the Belgian soldiers during the 18 day campaign 1940. My grandfather was taken POW at the Albertcanal on the morning of May 10th and sent to a Stalag near Fallingbostel. My Grand Uncle was badly injured during the last days of fighting with his C47 team at the river Lys and died of this injuries in the Hospital St-KruisBrugge on June 16 th1940. He was only 22..

[@TheAceDestroyer]

I'm sorry to hear that. I live close to the Lys battlefields, we've got a few memorials here in Kuurne and Ooigem dedicated to those who fell during the fighting at the Lys.

[@ColinH1973]

What a sad story. The crews must have been acutely aware of the shortcomings of their tanks, and yet they still did their best. Brave guys, and thanks for bringing it to public attention. Really well told Ace, please do more asap! 😁

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Ask any M4 Sherman tanker in Europe.

[@F2000-q2z]

The ACG-1 was actually a pretty decent tank. It had of course a few shortcomings. The frontal armour was 25mm. A PaK-36 could defeat that. But it wasn't much less than on German tanks (max 30mm). No radio on the ACG-1. It sometimes had issues with overheating in hot weather. Renault did not supply many spare parts. On the positive side: A two man turret on a French tank! Plus it had a lot of diascopes, vision slits and a periscope for good visibility. It also had an actual turret hatch on the top unlike the closed cupola on H-35, R-35, Somua... and a wide escape hatch on the back of the turret. The ACG-1 was armed with the Belgian C47 cannon (+7.65mm Hotchkiss MG). They carried both HE and AP ammo. Armour penetration was better than the PaK-36 and the guns on the German tanks. Great gun! The ACG-1 had a top speed of 42km/h and a horsepower to weight of 12.4 hp/ton. Decent stats. In short: great gun, decent mobility, good visibility, decent ergonomics for the time, rather light armour, no radio. In fighting capability similar to the Panzer 35(t) and 38(t).

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

@@F2000-q2z If I was a crew member in 1940 I would make sure that "wide escape hatch" was well-maintained!

[@F2000-q2z]

@@terraflow__bryanburdo4547 Oh my god the tank is on fire.

[@warci]

In the bastogne barracks there's some extra info on these tanks. Between the lines you could read we basically got ripped off by the french and they sold us tanks that were already completely worn out and super unreliable. But still these guys pushed on, knowing they didn't stand a chance.

[@theenigmaticgamer]

Thanks again for a very interesting video. The Belgian tankers were very brave men given the poor equipment they had been issued. It's only right that they should be recognised. Too often the parts played by the smaller nations in the 1940 campaign are simply glossed over, or ignored, in favour of the BEF and France. There were brave men in all those nations.

[@stalinemdr2797]

Bravo, excellente vidéo ! On oublie souvent la participation belge durant la seconde guerre mondiale...

[@pablononpicasso1977]

Thanks for this piece of history. I wondered how other allied tank forces fared in 1940 such as Belgium and Holland but had not heard any accounts until now.

[@JohnnoDordrecht]

leuke video over onze leuke buren !

[@SunKing968]

Hi mate! Would you consider doing a similar video on the T-13 tank destroyer's part in the battle? Thanks!

[@jasonharry645]

Enjoyed watch that video, appears they didn’t have the numbers to give the Germans any big problems. Brave people 🇬🇧

[@oddballsok]

duh.

[@galatian5]

If you think these men were just defending their homeland against a tidal wave of on coming enemies. They did everything they could with what they were given.

[@regmarhanemann4882]

At 6:10 Ace says, "his tank was hit by a 37mm round.", and at that moment a 37mm round flies past the camera. Way cool.

[@altair458]

Another great post. This channel should have at least one million subscribers. 👍👍👍👍👍👌

[@benlaskowski357]

Well done, Ace. An untold tale. Didn't think the Belgians put up much of a fight. At least they didn't lie down.

[@stardekk1461]

Love that when you are changing the topic of the videos you are changing the avatar! Good job !

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Well, it was while making this video that I realized that the avatar now - the Belgian circle - suits me better as I'm from Belgium myself.

[@jayfrank1913]

@@TheAceDestroyer L'union fait la force (sorry about the Frenchification). I tried to look up the Flemish Movement quickly and got very confused. I hope that's not offensive.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

@@jayfrank1913 haha no, it's 'L'union fait la force' in French and 'Eendracht maakt macht' in Dutch (Flemish)

[@jayfrank1913]

@@TheAceDestroyer Thanks, Ace!

[@warci]

cool!! My grandfather 'recovered' a couple of shells from one of the tanks in kapelle op den bos.

[@SGusky]

This series is remarkable we are using it as a basis for our Bolt Action Armies for a World War II game we also play a game called Mustangs & Messershmitts and would love to add the Belgian Air Force too We knew they flew some gladiators hurricane Mark ones and a few CR 42s etc. could you please do a video like this on the Air Force and the fighting for those few days in May thank you for all your hard work

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks! Unfortunately I don't have any footage of Belgian planes, nor from the areas fought, so I can't really make a video out of it at the moment. However, I can recommend 'The Silent Attack' by Gonzales, Steinke and Tannahill. The book has a chapter on the air combat between the Belgian and German air force during the opening few days of the offensive.

[@F2000-q2z]

The Belgian army air force (part of the army not an independant airforce) had several types. The most modern were the Hurricanes Mk I with two bladed propellors. First ones were bought from the UK. SABCA at Gosselies had a license to produce them in BE. 1 new type was just finished on May 10th with a new propellor. The BE versions would get 4 x 13.2mm FN Browning guns instead of 8 x 7.65mm. All Hurricanes were destroyed/damaged within the first 2 days. There were some Fairey Battle light bombers. These tried to bomb the captured bridges near Eben Emael. All shot down AFAIK. They also had Gloster Gladiators. Some destroyed on the ground. The others flew escort for the Fairey Battles. All shot down AFAIK. The third somewhat modern fighter type was the CR.42 Falco. A decent number survived the first bombings. These engaged in air combat with the Luftwaffe and shot down some German planes. The most numerous type was the Fairey Fox. This type had been produced by SABCA in Belgium. Several different versions existed. Good plane for the mid thirties. Obsolescent by 1940 compared to fast monoplane's like the Me 109, Hurricane, Spitfire... Other that that there were some Fairey Fireflies, Renard parasol aircraft, prototypes...

[@F2000-q2z]

This is a Belgian propaganda film from 1939. There is footage of the army airforce in it as well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l57NYnuJp56mqZo

[@SGusky]

F2000 thanks I am working on a gladiator and a few cr-42s at the moment

[@christophegeldhof5729]

@@SGusky www.luchtvaartgeschiedenis.be/content/de-belgische-raids-op-het-albertkanaal

[@russelder9743]

My God thats terrible...the poor crews. I want thank you as i am learning a lot from your channel.....stay safe and stay free

[@caryblack5985]

This might be out of your area of history but I read years ago a book by Bles entitled A Child At War about a Belgian teenager who was a courier for the Belgian Resistance. She was later captured and sent to Ravensbruck Conentration Camp. It was quite a moving story. It would be interesting if you could do a video on the Belgian Resistance. I realize that photographic footage would be hard to find to illustrate such a story. I very much enjoy your videos and the quality you put into them.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoy my videos! Although the subject of Belgian resistance offers many interesting stories, it's like you said, photo's let alone moving images are terribly hard to find.

[@anselmdanker9519]

Thank you, for highlighting this episode in the invasion of Belgium.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

My pleasure! I hope you enjoyed it, or at least found it interesting.

[@100Kakdela]

Remarkable research, considering how obscure this is. Detailed to the point of tank commanders names and daily movements of units. Great work.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks! In this case, there were hardly any English sources, but as I'm from Belgium myself, there were a few Dutch and French sources on the subject.

[@hendriktrappeniers2916]

@@TheAceDestroyer for your information : you can find a lot of information in the Tank Museum News nr 122 edited by the Belgium Tank Museum vzw

[@100Kakdela]

@@TheAceDestroyer Thanks. Again - great work and keep the content about May 1940 rolling. I have recently read a book "Dunkirk: Fight to the last man", which covers Fall Gelb from British perspective, but there is really not enough on that topic.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

@@100Kakdela I've got the book 'Destination Dunkirk' at home, which also covers the British perspective. I've found quite some good information on the Battle of Leuven/ Louvain in 1940, so I think I'll make a video on that too.

[@100Kakdela]

@@TheAceDestroyer I was in Leuven just last year. Would love to see that! Also found an interesting book "Fall Rot", which is covered even less than Fall Gelb. It covers the second stage of battle for France. Planning on getting it soon.

[@bradyelich2745]

Greatfully, another Ace Destroyer video. My Friend's Dad is Belgian. Came to Canada to be a cowboy. Runs his farm with cows and bison on it. He is quite the man. Consequently, My Friend married a woman raised by a man that was 10 years old in 1940's Germany. Helmut told me a couple stories.

[@bradyelich2745]

@Frank DeFalco Would you believe there was a Jewish family that ran their shop through the whole war without being bothered by the authorities? Would you believe a feral pig charged my friend's Dad, and the Dad let lose with his 30-30, firing from hip, emptied the gun (7 or 9 rounds), and pig fell dead at his feet? The pig weighed 930 pounds. The pig was donated to help another guy out. They slung the pig over the box on a Ford Courier pickup truck, and the feet drug on the ground on both sides.

[@hardcoremedic]

top video, often forgotten, we belgians :) on a sidenote, there seems to be no mention of acg in the fighting around kwatrecht, there s mention of 4 T13's. btw thumbs up for the way you pronounce our town names , really impressed!

[@TheAceDestroyer]

I'm glad the pronunciation is correct as I'm from Kortrijk myself!

[@hardcoremedic]

@@TheAceDestroyer for a "westfluut" you are doing great 😁

[@jayfrank1913]

I love the earlier battles too. Keep up the great work!

[@johnnyappleseed738]

Great information on a very underrated part of the war. Very interesting, well presented.

[@deicide6669]

Another very good Video on this Channel, and such a Calm Voice Despite those Horrors we we See in them.

[@terrywright9765]

Good stuff Ace - keep 'em coming.🍺

[@yansolllo]

Another great video,always good to hear stories from our army,greetings from Liège/Luik ! :D

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks! Greeting back from Kortrijk (Courtrai)!

[@slicklandy7819]

A brilliant video, as always.

[@mmink9336]

Hi there, I’m relatively new to your channel and I just want to say how much I love the quality of your videos and the map graphics as well.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thank you! I'm glad to see that you're enjoying the content! By the way, welcome to the channel!

[@mmink9336]

The AceDestroyer thank you for the warm welcome, I can’t wait for more content from you!

[@Dreamw4lk3r]

Haha I've been following your channel for a while now and love your videos. They are of the same quality as Mark Felton's channel! Whilst watching this video, I was amazed at how correct your pronunciation was, and now I suspect you're actually Belgian! :-) Keep up the good work in any case! o7

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks! Haha, yes I'm indeed from Belgium. I'm from the area of Kortrijk.

[@dancarson1479]

Belgian documentary, love it. 👍🏼

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

"Flimsy armor, no radio and low on petrol is no way to go to war, son!" I guess that is what happens when your primary military spec for a tank is "Don't make the Germans mad!"

[@thhseeking]

That, as a Belgian by birth, makes me mad :( Idiotic politicians. Same in the Netherlands. The pollies kept cutting the military budget, including the Navy of a country with overseas "possessions" (Netherlands East Indies). Little Belgium upsetting the Germans? Somebody was getting paid, laid, or both.

[@Dreamw4lk3r]

They called it an armored car for political reasons. That's not the same as suggesting they effectively sought out a shitty tank because they did not want to "anger the Germans". I assume the choice was primarily made because of budgetary constraints. When looking at interwar tank doctrine and most contemporary tanks it was not - at first glance - a bad choice. However, Renault delivered a tank that was worse than specified. One (perhaps its only?) saving grace was the two man turret design :D

[@oddlookinbloke8753]

Very, very brave men

[@pirrostsakas]

admirable work done in this channel! thank u very much :)

[@minhtruong8565]

Thanks !

[@lijger1]

Just a side note. The Belgians had an armoured Car brigade in WW1. It was sent to Russia as it was not usable on the Ypres Front. Perhaps this played a role as in why tanks were not a big priority, certainly for a more neutral country.

[@jamestheotherone742]

@Pedro Kantor It was understandable, tanks were seen as offensive weapons, specifically to break thru defenses (trenches). The Belgians, like most Europeans, had no intention of breaking thru anyone's defense, so what tanks they bought was more "well everyone else is doing it" than any strategic national requirement. The German plans changed more based upon the experience in Poland and the potential of mechanized forces.

[@F2000-q2z]

Tanks like the ACG-1 were expensive and Belgium didn't have experience in producing these. Not sure if they had all the necessary industry and tools. So they would have to be bought elsewhere. Belgium did have the production capability to make lighter T-13 self-propelled anti-tankguns. These were a lot cheaper, faster and simpler to make and could be made locally. Simple, light tankdestroyers with a big gun for the time made a lot more sense for the Belgian defensive doctrine. The commander of the chasseurs ardennais was offered ACG-1 tanks but replied that he would rather have 3x as much T-13's instead.

[@hendriktrappeniers2916]

The experience from august/september 1914 led to the Armoured Car brigade (ACM). The experiences obtained in Russia had no big influence on the idea to have tanks or not (after WW1 the Belgians had Renault FT17). Main reason to have no tanks, was neutrality as tanks were seen as an offensif weapon.

[@bobsmith2815]

Note how many countries felt radios were unnecessary and resulted in no coordination and individual tanks out on a limb.

[@johncostello2948]

They fought gallantly, but in the end they were doomed to go down in a hail of gunfire.

[@soldieramerican5964]

Excellent as always!

[@rheinfalke]

Immerwieder tolle Berichte von Dir! Große Verehrung!

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thank you! Danke!

[@WarblesOnALot]

G'day, Yay Team ! For some reason I feel that this is the second time I've seen this - is it a Repost ? Otherwise I'm imagining things (?). Have a good one. ;-p Ciao !

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Hello! No, it's not a remake. It's my first take on this subject. Thanks! You too!

[@WarblesOnALot]

@@TheAceDestroyer Hmmn, I must've watched it this morning, early, and not had time to comment ; then come back and watched it again this afternoon...(?). Oldtimers Syndrome (!). Have a good one. ;-p Ciao !

[@steveswitzer4353]

excellent as expected

[@speedygonzales9049]

I love this Videos! A nice Episode as well... viele Grüße, weiter so!

[@philipryan25]

Great video 👍

[@generalsaufenberg4931]

i never even heard of belgian tanks. thx for this video 👍

[@stevejauncey3086]

Thanks for sharing. Do any examples still exist?

[@F2000-q2z]

The Belgian war museum has a turret that was recovered from the coastal defenses. I don't think that it's on display for the moment. The French Saumur museum has a French AMC-35.

[@stevejauncey3086]

@@F2000-q2z Thanks for replying.Keep up the good work 😎

[@stevenburvenich168]

The numbers and lack of radio did more than the other factors. German tanks had about same armour or worse, only some Pz IV with more powerful gun. Just think of 100 or 250 ACG-1's... Would we be speaking about malfunctions in may 1940 then? Perhaps not. Or not more than with the Panther. ;) Next about the T13? :D

[@frederikdemoor8172]

As always, a very good video. Congrats for correct naming the towns (from a Belgian)...

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks! It would have been hard for me to pronounce them wrong as I'm from Kortrijk myself.

[@frederikdemoor8172]

@@TheAceDestroyer aha! Dan maar in't Nederlands. Ik ben van Gavere. Top video's die je afleverde, altijd een plezier om naar te kijken... Wist totaal niet dat je vanuit "de buurt" was... Grappig

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

I hadn't ever heard anything about Belgian Tanks but - they had an army so it's not surprising they had some. Thanks. That was interesting. .

[@13stalag13]

Any chance you could do an episode covering Belgian flying aces of WW I?

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Well, I think I'll have to disappoint you I'm afraid. I tend to stick to ground warfare. I also try to keep WW1 videos to a minimum. Although it's something I'm hugely interested in, I am aware that the majority of the viewers are far more keen on seeing WW2 content. None the less, a few videos concerning my WW1 research can be found in my videos.

[@harcovanhees394]

Thanx AceDestroyer, great video - there is not much to find about Belgian tank actions. And you’re pronunciation is very well, are you Belgian ? Please another video of the French 7 th army which went all the way to the Netherlands on the 10 and 11 of may. Especially 1 DLM - 2 BLM (6th Regiment Cuirassiers and 4th Regiment Dragons Portés, which fought in my neighbourhood.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks! Yes, I'm from Belgium. I've got plans for a few more May 1940 videos, so who knows I might tackle that.

[@F2000-q2z]

Sending the oldest and best 1st DLM + the 25th and 9th DIM motorised infantry divions to Breda was one of the dumbest things the French did :D. They didn't really do anything useful up there. Their original purpose was to be a reserve force in the north of France. A far far better plan :D. They wasted their fighting power in NL and messed up the Belgian logistics by demanding priority access on the railway lines.

[@harcovanhees394]

@@F2000-q2z With the knowledge later, indeed it would be better to have reserve behind the lines of the 9th and 1st army. But the allies didn't know or suspected an advance through the Ardennes. The plan was to make a united front with all allied countries and The Netherlands to work together and stop the Germans to get to the North Sea and important harbours like Rotterdam and Antwerp. It's a pity that the French armoured cars didn't go to the Moerdijk bridges to get rid of the Germans so that the bridges could be blown. Then the Dutch lines would be in tact and German parachutists in Rotterdam would be without support and could not fight for long. Then (maybe) the Dutch could help the allies a few days more.

[@F2000-q2z]

@@harcovanhees394 Well linking up with the Dutch was rather awkward and difficult. The lines only met in the small area around Antwerpen and Breda. In case something went wrong the Dutch would fall back northwest to Vesting Holland (the region of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Den Haag). The Allies would fall back southwest to France. The Westerschelde prevents a connection over land beyond Antwerp. So maintaining a land link is difficult. From a strategic point of view, the best plan would have been to concentrate most Dutch forces around Vesting Holland. This way they could provide a lot of airbases and seaports for the British RAF and Royal Navy. As well as a foothold to bring in more British troops. Of course this would have left most Dutch territory lightly defended.

[@harcovanhees394]

@@F2000-q2z You're wright but the neutrality demanded to defend all borders even with Belgium. There have been some secret talks between the generals of both nations but they couldn't agree, The Dutch general Winkelman would like that the French got further to the Peellinie but that was not what the Belgians wanted to do and the Dutch had no other defencible lines in North Brabant. So the Germans could get around the Peellinie via Belgium. The French wouldn't either. By the way, the English did almost nothing, just landed in Hoek van Holland and stayed there for a couple of days. There was no coördination in the preperation also because of our Neutrality.

[@RailfanDownunder]

Interesting.... Very interesting!

[@quinnfell3824]

New style seems very cool!

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks! I'm glad you like it!

[@guntervandyck9054]

Nice video and very good dutch (Belgian) pronounciation.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thank you very much! Well, I'm from the area of Kortrijk myself, so the Flemish pronunciations shouldn't pose a problem.

[@guntervandyck9054]

@@TheAceDestroyer Ik had het net gezien :-) Maar toch als West-Vlaming is het misschien nog een knappere prestatie om zo een goede uitspraak te hebben. ;-) Proficiat met je kanaal, heel professioneel gemaakt en heel erg leerrijk! Just noticed in your bio. But still even as an habitant of West-Flanders it might be even a higher achievement to have such a good Dutch pronounciation. ;-) Congrats on the channel, very professional and very educational to see (also local) war history

[@militarywargaming7840]

Very interesting would love to know about all the other tanks and tank destroyers and their history per se

[@F2000-q2z]

Tanks encyclopedia has some basic info on the Belgian AFV's: tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/belgium/ww2_Belgian_Tanks.php

[@arozes8324]

More Belgian history yes!!!

[@jkilla9934]

Hullebroeck sounds like hull break or Hüllenbruch.

[@fazerswinky2766]

i made dna test and iam spanish and belgian :DD i love belgian ww2 weapons like the light and medium tank we did and the renard planes also the artevelde heavy frigate

[@mauriceupton1474]

How embarrassing.

[@SeLmiC1337]

Thanks Ace. I personally am not very interested in Belgium but I appreciate you are focusing on lesser known places and battles instead of doing D-Day video number 327. :-)

[@pottierkurt1702]

Keep em coming!! If you ever run out of ideas you can @ me on ze twitterverse or ze reddits. Of in wust vlondren Al's we were bute mogen.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks! Haha ja, we zitten inderdaad al een paar weekskes vast.

[@pottierkurt1702]

@@TheAceDestroyer Your pronunciation of Dendermonde gave you away ;-) .

[@randyschaff8939]

Good vid🇨🇦🤠

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Thanks!

[@Jacksnowyy5008]

Kapelle-op-den-bos is where i live i don't they fought here with the tank devision

[@JackyNickelson]

When you pronounced the Belgian names and places. Makes me think you are from Belgium.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Yes, I am indeed from Belgium.

[@roybennett6330]

Poor tanks,brave crews, great bier

[@warrenstanford7240]

Belgians stupidly sold their Leopard tanks to the Germans, never learnt the lesson that freedom cost treasure and sometimes blood, a lot of it!

[@istoppedcaring6209]

Belgium has been terrible at war since the revolution when the country did the exact same things to the flemish as the united kingdom of the netherlands had done to the south as a whole, french became the only official language despite the majority of the army being flemings that had previously defected to fight for the revolution, now they were not just second class but were no longer commanded in their own language. this persisted up to well after ww2 and there still hasn't been so much as an acnowledgement of wrongdoings, Brussels only became majority French in 1930, the frenchification persisted for a long time and was only held back because the flemish started organizing against it, every student movement in every flemish university carries the flemish lion in their banner, though most have forgotten what their predecessors had suffered repression for.

[@BATTERIESc]

The belgians had more than enough men, time to prepare, AT guns etc etc and performed very poorly in ww2. They did as little as possible to cooperate with their allies and once the fighting started were far more defeatist and less willing to hold their positions than the early French reserve B formations. Quite poor.

[@Briselance]

Calling them armoured cars "not to provoke the Germans"... 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@pancakes3250]

Hi, i am confused. Is all these happening after dunkirk?

[@F2000-q2z]

Belgium was invaded on 10 May 1940. The Belgian army surrendered on 28 May 1940. The evacuation at Dunkirk took place from 26 May to 4 June 1940.

[@TheAceDestroyer]

Like F2000 mentioned, this happened before Dunkirk. In fact, throughout the video you can see the Germans (red area) coming ever closer to the sea. Dunkirk is just off the map, but you would find it on the left of the map, if you would follow the coast.

[@pancakes3250]

@@TheAceDestroyer I thought allies made a line at some river in belgium?

[@pancakes3250]

@@F2000-q2z Thank you.

[@F2000-q2z]

@@pancakes3250 The Belgians were dug in on the Albert Canal. The French and Enlish moved east up to the Dyle line. This fortified line ran from Antwerp to the French positions on the Meuse more or less. The Belgian fell back west to the Dyle line. The plan was to stop the Germans here once all the Allied forces were dug in behind these fortifications. Unfortunately the Germans broke through to the south in the Ardennes and outflanked the Dyle position. After that, the Allied fell back step by step to the coast, from one river to the next.

[@dirk6001]

Being brave did not help anymore

[@johan4105]

Yes 25 tanks and some donkeys😂😂😅

[@MrNaKillshots]

Why bother? Might as well have no tanks.

[@gladinesrudy]

Our soldiers have no progress it is the same as then , the Belgian government invests too late and too little in defence. Our soldiers wil have not the right tools as always. This will once cost many soldiers lives

[@the_hate_inside1085]

Buy something French, then instant regret.

[@F2000-q2z]

It was a decent design but still had some teething issues.

[@jamwri671]

So unprepared in defence yet so ruthless in Africa🤔

[@powerraccoon493]

The fact that a king (and the higher classes) did bad things in Africa without the plebs knowing about it/having any participation or input in the actions in Congo and having a 'flawed' national defence have nothing to do with each other. In 1908 the 'Free State of Congo' (under command of Leoplold II) became 'Belgian Congo' (under the ownership of the Belgian government) and by 1940 the conditions got a lot better for the people in Congo as their hands weren't cut off anymore and they weren't mistreaded on the same level as before (I am not saying that the mistreatment was fully gone). You may argue that because of the Rubber and other resources from Congo, Belgium would have a very strong economy. They did however, not as strong as you would think. Until 1908, all income from Congo went to Leopold II as Congo was 'his posession'. 1908 and 1940 were not that far apart from each other and the Great War had just taken place. By 1940 Belgium was still recovering from the Great War and the economical crisis of 1929. Belgium started to build up their army as they saw the rise of a certain evil person in Germany at the time, but due to the rebuilding of the state and the economical rebuilding, not enough could be invested into the army. During the mass mobilisation the days prior to the German invasion, the Belgian army had about 600.000 men...but not the equipment to arm all of the manpower. In contrary to popular belief Belgium did have a modern army but not in the way you would think. We had the fortress of Eben-Emael, which was considered the most modern fortress by the time of the german invasion. We had very mobile divisions using motorcycles and sidecars, the sidecars had side wheel drive and had reverse, something that no other nation had and both were Belgian patents. As soon as the German army invaded Belgium and got their hands on these sidecars, they were sent to Germany to reverse-engineer them and put our technology on their own sidecars and other vehicles (like the R75 and other motorcycles). We also had the 47mm anti-tank gun; a gun that could easily penetrate armor of up to 40mm thick at 1000 meters...more than enough to take out a Pz. II/III/IV at 1000 meters even when they were angled towards the Belgian anti-tank gun.This anti-tank gun proved very effective but we just didn't have enough of them... An unknown fact is also taht at a certain moment the French army/high command took over control of the Belgian army and the whole structure started to collapse as the french were very well-known for their structure and good defense capabilities. Conclusion; Yes, Leopold II DID do bad things, not the unknowing Belgian people, but it had nothing AT ALL to do with the so called 'bad' defense of the Belgian army. It's the larger powers like France and Great-Britain which Belgium was counting on and they were the ones who failed terribly. It's also overlooked how those 2 major powers did very bad things in their colonies and they started framing Leopold a lot (not that it was a bad thing to adress the attrocities but France and Britain did it themselves), as soon as newspapers started critisising British and French misbehaviour in their colonies. This is not meant to smash your statement to pieces, I personally think the statement just was incorrect If there were any spelling or grammar mistakes, I apologise... But I apologise a lot more if I stated anything wrongly in my 'response' If you fully read this, thank you very much and I am always open for discussion!

[@alexanderchenf1]

Absolutely no infantry support. Laughable

[@powerraccoon493]

Tanks were made to support infantry, that's what they did. Not the other way around.

[@alexanderchenf1]

@@powerraccoon493 Reorganize your thought and say again