(07-14-2010, 03:31 PM)jonnymacbrown Wrote: My only comment is this: The BEF was running because Sir John didn't want to fight. Me on the other hand, General Jonny; He is going to stand some ground with the BEF, dish out some hits to von Kluck or whoever the hell else comes down the pike and put the big hurt on the Hun. I'm not running from anybody, at least not in this wargame. jonny:smoke:
Well sure, and that is precisely why if the BEF stands and fights then they must be dwindled or it doesn't make sense - we get into situations of, well, absurdity on what the BEF can do with hindsight (they must be hard pressed).
But you might be missing most of the point about Sir John; it was cause and effect. He wasn't simply running because he lost his nerve, although that is what many historians love to paint a picture of, you know, because it couldn't be that the Germans had anything to do with the BEF retreating. Sir John was running because he was under constant pressure, in high fatigue from the fighting and retreating, and he was alone on the flank most of the time, with the 5e Armee not cooperating too much with him and Sordet on the left doing who knows what - dangling between what could have been a double envelopment by 2.Armee to the east, 1.Armee to the north and HKK.2 to the west if he did not fall back. He fought back when he could, and fell back when he had to but historians love to paint him as the bumbling buffoon, but certainly his strength of character, subordinate management, and his nerve were not his greatest qualities (he wasn't the greatest commander, sure).
Of course Sir John also did not want to be the one that went down in history as having lost the entire professional army of Britain in one campaign. So, it really has nothing to do with what you, as the BEF commander wants to do, it is all about what the Germans force you to do and how much space they afford you to work with. This of again is directly opposite to your other grand idea as the Germans to completely avoid them, to do so allows the BEF to do as they please.
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