Saar Offensive
France and Poland signed a defensive alliance in 1921 through a military convention. This agreement set the stage for future cooperation against Germany. When Germany invaded Poland on the 1st of September 1939, France declared war two days later on September 3. The original plan called for forty divisions to attack Germany's western front. One armored division and three mechanized divisions were part of this massive force. Seventy-eight artillery regiments and forty tank battalions were also assigned to assist Poland. Pre-emptive mobilisation began in France on August 26. Full mobilisation was officially declared on September 1. French forces faced an inherently out-of-date system that hampered their ability to deploy quickly. Many pieces had to be retrieved from storage before any advance could begin. The command still relied heavily on World War I tactics involving stationary artillery. Transporting these heavy weapons took significant time and effort.
The offensive began on September 7, four days after France declared war. Eleven French divisions advanced along the border near Saarbrücken. They encountered weak German opposition during this initial push. French troops captured about twelve towns without resistance. These included Gersheim, Medelsheim, Ihn, Niedergailbach, Bliesmengen, Ludweiler, Brenschelbach, Lauterbach, Niedaltdorf, Kleinblittersdorf, Auersmacher, and Sitterswald. By September 9, most of the Warndt Forest was occupied by French forces. On September 10, a minor German counterattack briefly retook Apach. French forces reversed this loss within hours. The 32nd Infantry Regiment seized Brenschelbach on September 12. This action cost one captain, one sergeant, and seven privates. Four Renault R35 tanks were destroyed by mines north of Bliesbrück. A Schengen bridge near the meeting point of three borders was also destroyed. The Wehrmacht had effectively been stripped of fighting capability at that moment.
French forces stopped advancing after taking the Warndt Forest. Germans had heavily mined this forest area to halt progress. The offensive halted short of the Siegfried Line despite coming within a few kilometers. General Maurice Gamelin ordered units back to starting positions on September 21. Some generals like Henri Giraud saw this withdrawal as wasted opportunity. They made their disagreement known publicly. Britain and France feared large German air attacks on cities during early war stages. They did not know ninety percent of German frontline aircraft were in Poland. Few German units holding the line had been pared to the bone. This left French forces unknowingly with a three-to-one advantage over Germans. Historian Roger Moorhouse later called it a sham offensive on the Saar. The decision to stop came before any major engagement could occur.
A counterattack by the German 18th Infantry Regiment occurred on September 28. It took place between Bischmisheim and Ommersheim. French forces repelled this attack successfully. Complete withdrawal of French troops finished on October 17. About two thousand French casualties resulted from killed, wounded, or sick personnel. From October 16 to 17, the German army conducted a counteroffensive. Troops returning from the Polish campaign reinforced them. This retook territory still held by French covering forces. German reports acknowledged losing one hundred ninety-six soldiers plus one hundred fourteen missing. Three hundred fifty-six more were wounded. Eleven German aircraft were claimed shot down as of October 17. All French divisions received orders to retreat to barracks along the Maginot Line. The Phoney War period began immediately after these events concluded.
Polish Army general plan West assumed Allied offensive would provide relief. Limited and half-hearted actions did not divert German troops. The forty-division all-out assault never materialized. On September 12, the Anglo-French Supreme War Council gathered at Abbeville in France. They decided all offensive actions must halt immediately. General Maurice Gamelin ordered troops to stop no closer than one kilometer from German positions. Poland was not notified of this decision. Instead, Gamelin incorrectly informed Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły that half his divisions were in contact with enemy forces. He claimed French advances forced Wehrmacht withdrawal of at least six divisions from Poland. The following day, Louis Faury told Polish chief of staff Wacław Stachiewicz that planned major offensive had to be postponed from September 17 to September 20. This deception left Poland without expected support during its desperate struggle against Germany.
German military commander Alfred Jodl spoke at Nuremberg Trials about strategic impact. He stated if they did not collapse already in 1939 it was due to inactive French and British divisions. Approximately one hundred ten French and British divisions remained completely inactive against twenty-three German divisions. General Siegfried Westphal added that full force attack in September could have held out only one or two weeks. These testimonies highlighted how the failed invasion affected Germany's survival chances. The Saar Offensive became a critical moment where potential victory slipped away. Post-war analysis revealed missed opportunities for both sides. The outcome shaped future military strategies across Europe. Historians continue examining what might have happened had France pressed forward aggressively.
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Common questions
When did the Saar Offensive begin and end?
The offensive began on the 7th of September 1939, and ended with a complete withdrawal of French troops on the 17th of October 1939. The operation started four days after France declared war on Germany.
Which towns were captured by French forces during the Saar Offensive?
French troops captured about twelve towns including Gersheim, Medelsheim, Ihn, Niedergailbach, Bliesmengen, Ludweiler, Brenschelbach, Lauterbach, Niedaltdorf, Kleinblittersdorf, Auersmacher, and Sitterswald. These captures occurred without resistance during the initial push along the border near Saarbrücken.
Who ordered the halt of the Saar Offensive in September 1939?
General Maurice Gamelin ordered units back to starting positions on the 21st of September 1939. This decision stopped advancing French forces before they could reach the Siegfried Line.
How many French casualties occurred during the Saar Offensive?
About two thousand French casualties resulted from killed, wounded, or sick personnel during the operation. The conflict concluded with all divisions receiving orders to retreat to barracks along the Maginot Line.
Why did the German army lose soldiers during the counterattack on October 17?
German reports acknowledged losing one hundred ninety-six soldiers plus one hundred fourteen missing and three hundred fifty-six more wounded during the fighting. Eleven German aircraft were claimed shot down as of October 17 while French covering forces held territory.