WW2 history buffs have often wondered why Von Luck(ironic name eh?), commander of the Panzer divisions in France let the 343.000 British troops escape the beaches of Dunkirk in what has been called the greatest amphibious rescue in history.
Even he himself wondered in recollections after the war but we have read that a big part of the “sitzakrieg” that followed for around a year afterward revolved around the issue of money.
Hitler was caught off guard after Poland when Britain and France both said enough and declared war after initial invasion and even though he accomplished amazing military victories culminating in the conquering of France in June 1940 he was not fully prepared to wage war properly.
Of course we were not there to really know but we suspect that the money issue had a lot to do with the fuel allotments for the “thirsty for fuel” Panzers which was why they were held back.
That being said, if we were to go to war and be cut off of fuel for the military because of the bonehead decision to empty the Strategic fuel reserve as described here, this, along with the border debacle, would constitute gross malfeasance of the highest order. Let us pray that doesn’t happen.