Know Your WW1 History: Steering a Steam Roller – The German Invasion of France in 1914 Posted on 21 October 2022 by The Tactical Hermit Steering a Steamroller Bear in mind the German’s did this operation TWICE. Once in 1914 with infantry and again in 1940 with tanks and infantry (Blitzkrieg) which only took 46 days. What a difference 26 years makes.