Word: panzers
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Spain lay in the cross fire of war. About 140,000 German troops including three Panzer divisions were near Spain's borders. Dictator Francisco Franco refused Adolf Hitler's request for permission to send German troops through to Gibraltar, announced that Spain would defend herself against any attacks from either side. He mobilized an army of some 1,350,000, declared that in the event of any attack on Spain or its possessions, he would seek aid from the enemies of the attacker...
...worry about too little and too late, poured additional planes into the French Protectorate from bases in Sardinia and Sicily. German paratroops captured and held the airfield after French scattered garrisons under the leadership of the ubiquitous General Henri Giraud fired on the Nazis and Italians. Drawing on "flying Panzer divisions," supposedly held for an invasion of Britain, Hitler air-ferried twelve-and 15-ton tanks to protect the approaches to Bizerte harbor. Italian marines were reported landed by sea. Axis subs swarmed like sharks off the coasts...
...constant pressure against the 40-mile front had had its effect. Rommel in alarm had begun to withdraw his stores and supplies. To counter what seemed to be the greatest threat, at the end of his line which was anchored to the seacoast, he had swung the 21st Panzer Division north. That was when the inexorable Montgomery struck...
...Italians it was a terrific letdown by their German allies. They had fought a good fight. In the south, the famed Folgore parachute division fought to the last round of ammunition. Two armored divisions and a motorized division, which had been interspersed among the German Panzer army, thought they would be allowed to retire gracefully with Rommel's 21st, 15th and 19th light. But even that was denied them. When it became obvious to Rommel that there would be little chance to hold anything between Daba and the frontier, his Panzers dissolved, disintegrated and turned tail, leaving the Italians...
...over shorter supply lines which the British had been unable to sever. To Rommel from Crete had flown a complete German infantry division - the 146th. From Italy, a full infantry division. Also reported in the desert were German and Italian parachute troops, and on hand were two veteran Panzer divisions and Rommel's tough, veteran 19th light motorized infantry division. One estimate of his strength: 125,000 to 140,000 men, rested and equipped...