With the flank of the First Army exposed, the Germans could thrust to the English Channel which would encircle and destroy the Allied forces.

When the Allied armies advanced into Belgium according to the Dyle Plan, they would be tied down by German offensive operations in eastern Belgium at Hannut and Gembloux. The delay was to entice the Allies into believing the main thrust would, like the Schlieffen Plan in World War I, come through Belgium and then down into France. The German breakout of the Ardennes was scheduled for 15 May, five days after the German attacks on the Netherlands and Belgium. The primary purpose of the Germans was to tie down the strongest elements of the French First Army and keep it away from the main German attack by Army Group A through the Ardennes, as laid down in the German operational plan Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), by General Erich von Manstein. It was also the largest clash of tanks in armoured warfare history at the time.

It was the largest tank battle in the campaign. The Battle of Hannut was a Second World War battle fought during the Battle of Belgium which took place between 12 and at Hannut in Belgium.

Mai 1940 bei Hannut im zentralen Teil Belgiens stattfand.

Die Schlacht bei Hannut war die größte Panzerschlacht während des Westfeldzuges im Rahmen des Zweiten Weltkriegs, die vom 12.

Largest tank battles in history