the xix army corps was reorganized into the western campaign in may 1940, containing three panzer divisions. the 1st panzer division under friedrich kirchner, the 2nd panzer division under rudolf veiel, the 10th panzer division under ferdinand schaal, and the infantry regiment großdeutschland joined the xix army corps, now under the command of panzer group kleist. the xix army corps became part of the german effort to trap the allied troops with an attack through the ardennes forest, devised by erich von manstein known as the "sickle cut". the xix army corps crossed into luxembourg on 10 may, and progressed through southern belgium supported by the german third air fleet. then battle of sedan was won by 15 may 1940 by the germans, despite heavy losses to the french char b1 bis tanks. the xix army corps established a bridgehead on the meuse, which allowed them to attack northward to the english channel, and later southward to encircle allied armies deployed in belgium and the french forces along the maginot line. on 20 may, amiens had been captured by 1st panzer division, to complete the xix army corps' march to the english channel. germany won the battle of arras on the next day, which led the allies to evacuate towards calais and dunkirk. xix army corps continued northwards on 22 may then were reinforced by the xiv army corps, and began the siege of calais on 24 may. a victory on 26 may saw xix army corps take 20,000 allied soldiers as prisoners of war, and the onset of the battle of dunkirk. two days later soldiers of "leibstandarte" killed 80 men of british 144th infantry brigade in the wormhout massacre. the ensuing victory at dunkirk ended the northward campaign of the xix army corps on 29 may. on 1 june, guderian was assigned to command "panzergruppe guderian", taking most of the xix army corps staff with him, and were joined by the xli corps and the xxxix corps, and became part of the 12th army. panzergruppe guderian were redeployed southwards, commencing battle on 10 june. german tanks advanced quickly southward, and only met french resistance in forests and villages. philippe pétain became leader of france on 16 june, began negotiating for a ceasefire with the germans. a day later, the 29th infantry division reached the border of switzerland, effectively encircling allied soldiers on the maginot line. the xix army corps campaign ended on 22 june, with the establishment of vichy france. during its campaigns, the xix army corps and "panzergruppe guderian" captured 250,000 prisoners.