"Rat-a-tat-tat!"
The German tanks advanced swiftly, unleashing a barrage of fire. The relentless machine-gun fire exacted a devastating toll on the stunned French soldiers, many of whom fell lifeless into pools of blood.
As more and more German tanks surged across the bridge, transitioning into a merciless slaughter of the French forces, the bewildered soldiers finally seemed to awaken from their shock. They screamed in panic, fleeing for their lives.
German infantry followed closely alongside the tanks, charging across the bridge to join the assault.
The accompanying engineers promptly set about neutralizing the explosives planted by the French, ensuring the bridge's safety.
"Damn it! How did the Germans get here? Blow the bridge!" barked the officer in charge of its defense.
However, their actions were a beat too slow. As they pressed the detonator, no explosion followed.
"Oh God! This is it. The Germans have cut our explosive wires," the officer's face drained of color.
Clearly, he understood the implications of the bridge falling into German hands. It signified they were now trapped in a deadly crossfire, and given the ferocity of the German assault, they could scarcely hold out for long.
"Curse those British! How could the Germans have crossed their lines? Were they silently wiped out?" This was, of course, implausible, suggesting only one conclusion: the British had surrendered. For the French, this was an even more catastrophic revelation. With the British capitulation, they were now left to fight alone in Paris.
As more German tanks and infantry crossed the bridge, they began executing their planned operations, systematically eliminating the surrounding French troops and consolidating their hold on the bridge.
The sudden onslaught caught the French soldiers unprepared. Under such circumstances, they stood no chance against the German advance. Moreover, the Germans had deployed their armored units, which were deadly adversaries for the infantry. Unless the French had their anti-tank weapons at the ready, which they clearly did not, resistance was futile.
Increasingly, German forces streamed across the bridge, launching an all-out attack on the French.
At the Bastille Square, the French command headquarters in Paris, Generals Gamelin and De Gaulle were abruptly awakened by the chaos. They were baffled by the sudden battle.
"Report, General! A large number of German tanks and infantry are pouring across the bridge, attacking our positions. We are completely unprepared and are being pushed back," an officer reported.
"How can this be? How did the Germans breach the British defenses?" General Gamelin's face flushed with rage. Deep down, he suspected the truth but was reluctant to accept it.
"Sir, our analysis suggests that the British must have secretly surrendered. Otherwise, the Germans could not have taken the bridge so easily," the officer replied.
"Damn those despicable British! They surrendered behind our backs!" General Gamelin cursed vehemently.
"Sir, lamenting the British is futile now. We need to focus on how to confront our current crisis. With the British surrendering, we are now caught between German forces on two fronts, and that spells disaster for us," General De Gaulle cautioned.
After a moment of contemplation, General Gamelin commanded, "Order the artillery to fire upon the bridge immediately. We must destroy it at all costs. If we don't, more and more Germans will flood into the northern districts, and we will be unable to withstand their onslaught."
"Yes, General." The staff officer hurried to relay the command.
"General De Gaulle, the First Army must immediately counterattack the bridge. If the artillery fails, we will rely on you. If we can destroy the bridge, we might still have a chance to hold our ground; otherwise, we are doomed," General Gamelin stated.
De Gaulle nodded, acutely aware that the situation had reached a critical juncture.
The French artillery had already suffered heavy losses in previous skirmishes, leaving only a limited number of units operational. Nonetheless, to demolish the bridge, they assembled all remaining heavy artillery. However, the 75mm field guns alone would likely be insufficient against the sturdy structure; they would need multiple consecutive hits, making the 105mm howitzers their primary weapon.
Yet, the Germans had anticipated this. The moment the French 105mm guns opened fire, they were met with a counter-barrage from German artillery across the river.
The Germans' prepared 105mm and 150mm howitzers unleashed a furious salvo, suppressing the French artillery positions to safeguard the bridge.
Meanwhile, German aircraft took to the skies. Bombers, laden with explosives, began bombarding the French artillery emplacements, while fighter planes strafed with their machine guns.
Under the relentless bombardment and artillery fire, the French positions suffered devastating losses. Many of their guns were destroyed before they could even fire a shot.
Although some French artillery did manage to return fire, their shells fell short, landing harmlessly in the river, failing to damage the two bridges.
The French gunners displayed remarkable courage, holding their positions against the German fire and bombing until they were overwhelmed. Yet their valiant efforts yielded no success; they could not destroy the bridge before their units were decimated.
The First Army launched a fierce counteroffensive against the German forces that had infiltrated northern Paris. Despite inflicting considerable casualties, particularly on the armored units, they could not push their lines close enough to the bridge. As more Germans continued to cross, the First Army's objectives became increasingly unattainable.
After half a day of brutal combat, the First Army sustained grievous losses and was compelled to withdraw. Their hopes of demolishing the bridge vanished into thin air.