Normandy Campaign
Part of World War II
Assault landing. One of the first waves at Omaha Beach. The U.S. Coast Guard caption identifies the unit as Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.
Date June 6, 1944 – August 25, 1944 Location Normandy, France Result Allied victory
Combatants
United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland	Nazi Germany
Commanders
Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air)	Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (absent) (Heeresgruppe B) Friedrich Dollmann (7.Armee)
Strength
326,000 (by June 11)	Unknown, probably some 1,000,000 in France by early June, but split up over the entire region
Casualties
United States: 29,000 dead, 106,000 wounded and missing; United Kingdom: 11,000 dead, 54,000 wounded and missing; Canada: 5,000 dead; 13,000 wounded and missing; France: 12,200 civilian dead and missing	200,000 dead, wounded and missing; 200,000 captured

The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 between Nazi Germany in Western Europe and the invading Allied forces as part of the larger conflict of World War II. Over sixty years later, the Normandy invasion, codenamed Operation Overlord, still remains the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving almost three million troops crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy in then German-occupied France. This article is becoming very long. ... Image File history File linksMetadata CG-2343t. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... Mont Saint Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Canadian_Red_Ensign. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Free_France_1940-1944. ... The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres in French) were French fighters in World War II, who decided to continue fighting against Axis forces after the surrender of France and German occupation, following the call of General De Gaulle, and the de jure government (Free French Government) of France... Image File history File links Flag_of_Poland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... Supreme Allied Commander is the title given to the most senior commander of some multinational organisations. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Categories: People stubs | 1883 births | 1945 deaths | Royal Navy admirals | Royal Navy officers | British World War II people ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory KCB, DSO and Bar (11 July 1892 - 14 November 1944) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in World War II and the highest-ranking British officer to die in the war. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Field Marshal of the German Army during World War II. He was one of Germanys more competent generals, and is remembered for remaining apolitical throughout his career. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (November 15, 1891 – October 14, 1944) was one of the most distinguished German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname The Desert Fox (Wüstenfuchs,  ) for the skillful military campaigns he... Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. The first was involved in the western campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Friedrich Dollmann Friedrich Dollmann (1876-June 30, 1944) was a German general during World War II, most notably serving during the early phases of the D-Day Invasion. ... The German Seventh Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. ... British infantry waiting to move off Queen White Beach, SWORD Area, while under enemy fire, on the morning of 6 June. ... Combatants Canada Germany Commanders Major-General R.F.L. Keller, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Lieutenant-General H.D.G. Crerar, 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Strength 15,000 Unknown Casualties 574 dead, 340 wounded Unknown Juno Beach was one of the landing sites... Gold Beach was the Allied codename for the centre invasion beach during the World War II Allied invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Lieutenant Omar Bradley, U.S. 1st Infantry Division and U.S. 29th Infantry Division Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss, German 352nd Infantry Division Strength 34,000  ? Casualties 2,400 Unknown The build-up of Omaha Beach: reinforcements of men and equipment moving inland. ... American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... Pointe du Hocs location Preinvasion bombing of Pointe du Hoc by 9th Air Force bombers. ... Combatants U.S.A. Germany Commanders Richard Winters Colonel von der Heydte Strength 13 60+ Casualties 4 dead, 2 wounded 15 dead, 12 prisoner, wounded unknown The Brécourt Manor Assault during Operation Chicago of the Normandy Invasion of World War II is often cited as a classic example of... During World War II, Operation Chicago was carried out by the Allies in 1944. ... The Battle of Villers-Bocage (June 13, 1944) was an unusual clash between the British and Germans in northern France during World War II. Michael Wittmann, an SS-Obersturmführer, led a unit of six PzKpfw VI Tiger tanks of the 501st Battalion to secure the N175 road near Villers... Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders J. Lawton Collins Friedrich Dollman Casualties ?? 39,000 captured The Battle of Cherbourg was part of the Battle of Normandy, fought immediately after the successful landings on June 6, 1944. ... During World War II, Operation Epsom (Allies, 1944) was a British attack to seize Caen, France. ... Operation Goodwood was an Allied military operation of World War II from July 18 to 20 July 1944 taking place in Normandy some weeks following D-Day. ... During World War II, Operation Atlantic (Allies, 1944) was a Canadian offensive, part of the British great breakout tentative (Operation Goodwood) during the Battle of Normandy, on June 19th. ... During World War II, Operation Spring (Allies, 1944) enabled to secure territory gains around Caen and its surroundings during the Battle of Normandy, after Operation Goodwood. ... Operation Cobra was the codename for the World War II operation planned by United States Army General Omar Bradley to break out from the Normandy area after the previous months D-Day landings. ... During World War II, Operation Bluecoat was an attack by British Second Army south of Caumont, France executed 29 July 1944. ... During World War II, Operation Lüttich was a counterattack launched by German forces on the left flank of the Allied lodgment at Normandy beginning on 7 August 1944. ... During World War II, Operation Totalise ( Allies, 1944) was a ground attack on 7 August 1944 by British, Canadian and Polish forces to breakout from the Normandy beachhead along the Caen-Falaise road. ... Operation Tractable was a military operation commanded by the 2nd Canadian Corps in Normandy in August 1944. ... During World War II, the Falaise pocket (also known as the Chambois pocket, Chambois-Montcormel pocket, Falaise-Chambois pocket and in French: Poche de Falaise) was the area between the four cities of Trun-Argentan-Vimoutiers-Chambois near Falaise, France, in which Allied forces tried to encircle and destroy the... Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders Troy H. Middleton (US VIII Corps Commander) Bernhard-Hermann Ramcke (Fortress Brest Commander) The Battle for Brest was one of the fiercest battles fought during Operation Cobra, the Allied breakout of Normandy which began on 27 July 1944, during World War II. Part of... The Liberation of Paris in World War II took place in late August 1944 after the battle of Normandy. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... A map of the operation. ... The drive to the Siegfried Line was one of the final Allied phases in World War II of the Western European Campaign. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower George Patton Bernard Montgomery Walther Model Gerd von Rundstedt Strength Dec 16 - start of the Battle: about 83,000 men; 242 Sherman tanks, 182 tank destroyers, and 394 pieces of corps and divisional artillery. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... A common understanding of Western Europe in modern times. ... The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II consisted of those nations opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Mont Saint Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ... The 1944 Invasion of Normandy An invasion is a military action consisting of armed forces of one geo-political entity entering territory controlled by another such entity, often resulting in the invading power occupying the area, whether briefly or for a long period, and sometimes permanently. ... A code name or cryptonym is a word or name used clandestinely to refer to another name or word. ... Satellite view of the English Channel Map of the English Channel The English Channel (French: La Manche (IPA: ) is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi   - Water (%) Population... Mont Saint Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ...

The primary Allied formations that saw combat in Normandy came from the United States of America, United Kingdom and Canada. Substantial Free French and Polish forces also participated in the battle after the assault phase, and there were also contingents from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, the Netherlands, and Norway.^[1] The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres in French) were French fighters in World War II, who decided to continue fighting against Axis forces after the surrender of France and German occupation, following the call of General De Gaulle, and the de jure government (Free French Government) of France...

The Normandy invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks and naval bombardments, and an early morning amphibious assault on June 6, “D-Day.” The battle for Normandy continued for more than two months, with campaigns to establish, expand, and eventually break out of the Allied beachheads, and concluded with the liberation of Paris and the fall of the Falaise pocket in late August 1944.^[2] An American Paratrooper using a MC1-B series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force. ... Gliders are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. ... Aerial warfare is the use of military aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of warfare. ... Naval gunfire support (NGFS) comprises the use of naval artillery to provide fire support support for amphibious assault troops. ... This article is about a military strategy involving land troops dispatched from naval ships. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... The Liberation of Paris in World War II took place in late August 1944 after the battle of Normandy. ... During World War II, the Falaise pocket (also known as the Chambois pocket, Chambois-Montcormel pocket, Falaise-Chambois pocket and in French: Poche de Falaise) was the area between the four cities of Trun-Argentan-Vimoutiers-Chambois near Falaise, France, in which Allied forces tried to encircle and destroy the...

The importance of the battle of Normandy was accurately described by Adolf Hitler: “In the East, the vastness of space will… permit a loss of territory… without suffering a mortal blow to Germany’s chance for survival. Not so in the West! If the enemy here succeeds… consequences of staggering proportions will follow within a short time.”^[3] Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. ...

Prelude

Allied preparations

Invasion training in England - Hitting the beach.

Training with live ammunition in England.

Eisenhower speaks with U.S. paratroops of the 502d Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division on the evening of June 5, 1944.

After the 1941 German invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa), the Soviets had done the bulk of the fighting against Germany on the European mainland. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill had committed the United States and the United Kingdom to opening up a “second front” in Europe to aid in the Soviet advance on Germany, initially in 1942, and again in spring 1943. Image File history File links Description: Invasion Training in England - Hitting the beach Source: ibiblio. ... Image File history File links Description: Invasion Training in England - Hitting the beach Source: ibiblio. ... Image File history File links Description: Invasion Training in England - Training with live ammunition Source: ibiblio. ... Image File history File links Description: Invasion Training in England - Training with live ammunition Source: ibiblio. ... General Dwight D. Eisenhower addresses American paratroopers on D-Day. ... General Dwight D. Eisenhower addresses American paratroopers on D-Day. ... During World War II, the 502d Parachute Infantry Regiment (502d PIR) was a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) —nicknamed the Screaming Eagles— is an air assault division of the United States Army mainly trained for air assault operations. ... Combatants Axis Powers Soviet Union Commanders Supreme commander: Adolf Hitler Supreme commander: Josef Stalin Strength ~ 3. ... This article is about the armed forces of the Soviet Union. ... FDR redirects here. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC(Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman and author, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. ...

The British, under Churchill, wished to avoid the costly frontal assaults of World War I. Churchill and the British staff favoured a course of allowing the insurgency work of the SOE to come to widespread fruition, while themselves making a main Allied thrust from the Mediterranean to Vienna and into Germany from the south. Such an approach was also believed to offer the advantage of creating a barrier to limit the Soviet advance into Europe. However, the U.S. believed from the onset that the optimum approach was the shortest route to Germany emanating from the strongest Allied power base. They were adamant in their view and made it clear that it was the only option they would support in the long term. Two preliminary proposals were drawn up: Operation Sledgehammer, for an invasion in 1942, and Operation Roundup, for a larger attack in 1943, which was adopted and became Operation Overlord, although it was delayed until 1944. The military tactic of frontal assault is a direct, hostile movement of forces towards enemy forces in a large number, in an attempt to overwhelm the enemy. ... Combatants Allied Powers: British Empire Canada France Italy Russian Empire United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria German Empire Ottoman Empire Commanders Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Sir Arthur Currie Ferdinand Foch Nicholas II Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Wilhelm II Reinhard Scheer Franz Josef I Oskar Potiorek Ä°smail Enver Ferdinand I... An insurgency is an armed revolt or insurrection against an established civil or political authority, such as a constituted government or an occupation by an invading force. ... The Special Operations Executive (SOE), sometimes referred to as the Baker Street Irregulars after Sherlock Holmess fictional group of spies, was a World War II organization initiated by Winston Churchill and Hugh Dalton in July 1940 as a mechanism for conducting warfare by means other than direct military engagement. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... Vienna (German: Wien ) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... During World War II, Operation Sledgehammer was an Allied contingency plan for a limited-objective cross-channel invasion of Europe in response to a German or Soviet collapse in 1942. ...

The planning process was started in earnest in March 1943 by British Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Morgan, who was nominated Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (or COSSAC for short). His plan was later adopted and refined starting in January 1944 by SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force), led by General Dwight David Eisenhower. Frederick E. Morgan Sir Frederick Edgeworth Morgan (b. ... Badge of SHAEF Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (abbreviated as SHAEF) (acronym pronounced as shāf), was the headquarters of the Commander of Allied forces in north west Europe, from late 1943 until the end of World War II. General Dwight Eisenhower was in command of SHAEF throughout its existence. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ...

The short operating range of Allied fighters, including the British Spitfire and Typhoon, from UK airfields greatly limited the choices of amphibious landing sites. Geography reduced the choices further to two sites: the Pas de Calais and the Normandy coast. Because the Pas de Calais offered the shortest distance to the European mainland from the UK, the best landing beaches, and the most direct overland route to Germany, it was the most heavily fortified and defended landing site. Consequently, the Allies chose Normandy for the invasion. The Supermarine Spitfire was a single-seat fighter used by the RAF and many Allied countries in World War II. Produced by Supermarine, the Spitfire was designed by R.J. Mitchell, who continued to refine it until his death in 1937. ... The Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter aircraft, produced by Hawker Aviation starting in 1941. ... Pas-de-Calais is a département in northern France named after the strait which it borders. ... Mont Saint Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ...

In part because of lessons learned by Allied troops in the raid on Dieppe of 19 August 1942, the Allies decided not to assault a French seaport directly in their first landings. Landings in force on a broad front in Normandy would permit simultaneous threats against the port of Cherbourg, coastal ports further west in Bretagne, and an overland attack towards Paris and towards the border with Germany. Normandy was a less-defended coast and an unexpected but strategic jumping-off point, with the potential to confuse and scatter the German defending forces. Dieppes chert beach and cliff immediately following the raid on 19 August 1942. ... August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Port. ... Location within France Cherbourg-Octeville is a city and commune in Normandy, north-west France. ... Traditional coat of arms Modern flag (Gwenn-ha-du) Historical province of Brittany région of Bretagne, see Bretagne. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Département Paris (75) Région ÃŽle-de-France Mayor Bertrand Delanoë (PS) City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 86. ...

It was not until November 1943 [1] that General Dwight David Eisenhower was appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, effectively giving him overall charge of the Allied forces in Western Europe. In January 1944, General Sir Bernard Montgomery was named as commander of the 21st Army Group, to which all of the invasion ground forces belonged, and also in charge of developing the invasion plan.^[4] Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... Supreme Allied Commander is the title given to the most senior commander of some multinational organisations. ... Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and...

At that stage the COSSAC plan proposed a landing from the sea by three divisions, with two brigades landed by air. Montgomery quickly increased the scale of the initial attack to five divisions by sea and three by air, reflected in the plans for an additional assault at Utah Beach. In total, 47 divisions would be committed to the Battle of Normandy: 19 British, 5 Canadian and 1 Polish divisions under overall British command, and 21 American divisions with 1 Free French division, totaling 140,000 troops. On 7 April and 15 May Montgomery presented his strategy for the invasion at St Paul’s School. He envisaged a ninety day battle, ending when all the forces reached the Seine, pivoting on an Allied-held Caen, with British and Canadian armies forming a shoulder and the U.S. armies wheeling to the right. Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to fifteen thousand soldiers. ... Brigade is a term from military science which refers to a group of several battalions (typically two to four), and directly attached supporting units (normally including at least an artillery battery and additional logistic support). ... American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). ... St Pauls School St Pauls School is one of Britains oldest and most pre-eminent public schools. ... The Seine (pronounced in French) is a major river of north-western France, and one of its commercial waterways. ... Location within France Hôtel dEscoville, 16th century, Caen Anonymous pen-and-ink birds-eye view of the fortifications of Caen (Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris) South Wall of the Castle, a huge fortress in the center of the city Town Hall of Caen Caen train station. ...

U.S. soldiers march through a southern English coastal town, en route to board landing ships for the invasion of France.

About 6,900 vessels would be involved in the invasion under the command of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay (who had been directly involved in the North African and Italian landings), including 4,100 landing craft. 12,000 aircraft under Air Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory were to support the landings, including 1,000 transports to fly in the parachute troops. 10,000 tons of bombs would be dropped against the German defenses, and 14,000 attack sorties would be flown. Photo #: USA C-727 (Color) Normandy Invasion Preparations, 1944 U.S. Soldiers march through a southern English coastal town, en route to board landing ships for the invasion of France, circa late May or early June 1944. ... Photo #: USA C-727 (Color) Normandy Invasion Preparations, 1944 U.S. Soldiers march through a southern English coastal town, en route to board landing ships for the invasion of France, circa late May or early June 1944. ... Categories: People stubs | 1883 births | 1945 deaths | Royal Navy admirals | Royal Navy officers | British World War II people ... Landing craft Rapière LCU 1656 departs USS Bataan (LHD-5) well deck during Hurricane Katrina relief operations. ... An air marshals sleeve/shoulder insignia Air Marshal is the second most senior rank active in the Royal Air Force today, after the inactivation of Marshal of the Royal Air Force as a substantive rank in peacetime during defence cuts of the 1990s. ... Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory KCB, DSO and Bar (11 July 1892 - 14 November 1944) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in World War II and the highest-ranking British officer to die in the war. ...

The objective for the first 40 days was to create a lodgement that would include the cities of Caen and Cherbourg (especially Cherbourg, for its deep-water port). Subsequently, there would be a break out from the lodgement to liberate Brittany and its Atlantic ports, and to advance to a line roughly 125 miles (190 km) to the southwest of Paris, from Le Havre through Le Mans to Tours, so that after ninety days the allies would control a zone bounded by the rivers Loire in the south and Seine in the northeast. A lodgement is an enclave made by increasing the size of a bridgehead, beachhead or airhead. ... Location within France Hôtel dEscoville, 16th century, Caen Anonymous pen-and-ink birds-eye view of the fortifications of Caen (Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris) South Wall of the Castle, a huge fortress in the center of the city Town Hall of Caen Caen train station. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Département Paris (75) Région ÃŽle-de-France Mayor Bertrand Delanoë (PS) City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 86. ... Location within France Abbey of Graville, Le Havre An old house in Le Havre Church of St. ... Le Mans is a city in France, located at the Sarthe River. ... Tours is a city in France, the préfecture (capital city) of the Indre-et-Loire département, on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. ... The Loire River (pronounced in French), the longest river in France with a length of just over 1000 km, drains an area of 117,000 km², more than a fifth of France. ... The Seine (pronounced in French) is a major river of north-western France, and one of its commercial waterways. ...

Deception

In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a deception operation, Operation Bodyguard, designed to persuade the Germans that other points would be threatened as well as northern France (such as the Balkans and the south of France). Then, in the weeks leading up to the invasion, in order to persuade the Germans that the main invasion would really be coming to the Pas de Calais, as well as to lead them to expect an invasion of Norway, the Allies prepared a massive deception plan, called Operation Fortitude. Operation Fortitude North would lead the Axis to expect an attack on Norway; the much more vital Operation Fortitude South was designed to lead the Germans to expect the main invasion at the Pas de Calais, and to hold back forces to guard against this threat rather than rushing them to Normandy. An entirely fictitious First U.S. Army Group (“FUSAG”), supposedly located in southeastern England under the command of General Lesley J. McNair and General George S. Patton, Jr., was created in German minds by the use of double agents and fake radio traffic. The Germans had an extensive network of agents operating in England. Unfortunately for them, every single one had been “turned” by the Allies as part of the Double Cross System, and appropriate agents were dutifully sending back messages “confirming” the existence and location of FUSAG and the Pas de Calais as the likely main attack point. Dummy landing craft, constructed from scaffolding and canvas, were placed in ports on the eastern and southeastern coasts of Britain, and the Luftwaffe was allowed to photograph them. During World War II, Operation Bodyguard was the overall Allied strategic deception plan in Europe for 1944, carried out as part of the build-up to the invasion of Normandy. ... Operation Fortitude was the codename for the deception operations used by the Allied forces during World War II in connection with the Normandy landings. ... Lesley James McNair (died July 25, 1944) was a general of the United States Army, who was killed by friendly fire during World War II. As Commandant of the Command and General Staff College, McNair initiated changes that prepared the Colleges graduates to meet the upcoming challenges of World... General George Smith Patton Jr. ... A double agent pretends to spy on a target organization on behalf of a controlling organization, but in fact is loyal to the target organization. ... The Double Cross System or XX System, was a World War II anti-espionage and deception operation of the British military intelligence arm, MI5. ... The Deutsche Luftwaffe or (German: air force, literally Air Arm or Air Weapon, IPA: [luftvafÉ™]) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ...

In aid of Operation Fortitude North, Operation Skye was mounted from Scotland using radio traffic, designed to convince German traffic analysts that an invasion would be also mounted into Norway. Against this phantom threat, German troops that otherwise could have been moved into France were instead kept in Norway. Operation Skye was a deception plan carried out by the Allies during World War II. Operation Skye was subplan of Operation Fortitude, a wider deception plan. ...

Special equipment

Some of the more unusual Allied preparations included armoured vehicles specially adapted for the assault. Developed under the leadership of Major-General Percy Hobart (Montgomery’s brother-in-law), these vehicles (called Hobart’s Funnies) included “swimming” Duplex Drive Sherman tanks, mine-clearing tanks, bridge-laying tanks and road-laying tanks and the Armoured Vehicle, Royal Engineers (AVRE) - equipped with a large-caliber mortar for destroying concrete emplacements. Some prior testing of these vehicles had been undertaken at Kirkham Priory in Yorkshire, England. The majority would be operated by small teams of the British 79th Armoured Division attached to the various formations. Major-General Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart (14 June 1885-19 February 1957) was a British military engineer and commander of the 79th Armoured Division during World War II. He was responsible for many of the specialised armoured vehicles (Hobarts Funnies) that took part in the invasion of Normandy. ... Badge of the 79th Armoured Division Amphibious DD tanks await blowing of breaches in the sea wall on Utah Beach. ... DD Sherman tank with its flotation screen lowered. ... The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. ... Mortar has several meanings: A mortar is a military weapon into which is dropped a mortar shell, which is then fired in a high ballistic trajectory. ... The ruins of Kirkham priory are situated on the banks of the River Derwent, Yorkshire, at Kirkham, Yorkshire. ... Look up Yorkshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The 79th (Experimental) Armoured Division, Royal Engineers was a British Army armoured unit formed as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion of 6 June 1944. ...

The invasion plan also called for the construction of two artificial Mulberry Harbours in order to get vital supplies to the invading forces in the first few weeks of the battle in the absence of deep-water ports, and Operation PLUTO (Pipe Line Under The Ocean), a series of submarine pipes that would deliver fuel from Britain to the invading forces. A Mulberry harbour was a type of temporary harbour developed in World War II to offload cargo on a beach during the Allied invasion of Normandy. ... Operation Pluto (Pipe-Lines Under The Ocean) was a World War II operation by British scientists, oil companies and armed forces to construct undersea oil pipelines under the English Channel between England and France. ...

Rehearsals and security

Allied forces rehearsed their roles for D-Day months before the invasion. On April 28, 1944, in south Devon on the English coast, 749 U.S. soldiers and sailors were killed when German torpedo boats surprised one of these landing exercises, Exercise Tiger. April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... Devon is a large county in South West England, bordering on Cornwall to the west, Dorset and Somerset to the east. ... E-boat is the British and American name for the German Schnellboot (S-boot), a small, fast torpedo boat a little larger than the American PT boat and the British MTB. Specification Length - 34. ... The exercise involved travelling through Lyme Bay to Slapton Sands Sherman DD tank at the memorial A plaque at the memorial, commemorating those who perished Exercise Tiger (also called Operation Tiger) was the code name for an eight-day practice run for the Utah Beach landings of the D-Day...

The effectiveness of the deception operations was increased by a news blackout from Britain. Travel to and from the Irish Free State was banned, and movements within several miles of the coasts restricted. The German embassies and consulates abroad were flooded with all sorts of misleading information, in the well-founded hope that any genuine information on the landings would be ignored with all the confusing chaff. The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) (1922–1937) was the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties that were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and...

In the weeks before the invasion it was noticed that the crossword of the British Daily Telegraph newspaper contained a surprisingly large number of words which were codewords relating to the invasion. MI-5 (the Security Service) first thought this was a coincidence, but when the word Mulberry was one of the crossword answers, MI-5 then interviewed the compiler—a schoolmaster—and were convinced of his innocence. It was later revealed that the words were suggested by his pupils, and that they had heard nearby soldiers using them, without knowing what they meant. This article deals with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, see The Daily Telegraph (Australia) for the Australian publication The Daily Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper founded in 1855. ... Current MI5 headquarters in Thames House, London The Security Service, usually called MI5, is the British counter-intelligence and security agency. ...

There were several leaks on or before D-Day, of which one is of major interest. It involved General de Gaulle’s radio message after D-Day. He, unlike all the other leaders, stated that this invasion was the real invasion. This had the potential to ruin the Allied deceptions Fortitude North and Fortitude South. For example, Eisenhower referred to the landings as the initial invasion. The Germans did not believe de Gaulle and waited too long to move in extra units against the Allies. Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle ( ) (22 November 1890 – 9 November 1970), in France commonly referred to as le général de Gaulle, was a French military leader and statesman. ...

German preparations

German commanders. Left to right: Colonel General Blaskowitz, Field Marshal Rommel, Field Marshal von Rundstedt

Through most of 1942 and 1943, the Germans had rightly regarded the possibility of a successful Allied invasion in the West as remote. Preparations to counter an invasion were limited to the construction by the Organisation Todt, of photographically impressive fortifications covering the major ports. Download high resolution version (1360x1184, 617 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1360x1184, 617 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Organisation Todt Flag Organisation Todt (OT) was a Nazi construction and engineering group during the years of the Third Reich, which enslaved over 1. ...

In late 1943, the obvious Allied buildup in Britain prompted the German Commander-in-Chief in the West, Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, to request reinforcements. Most of his units were static garrison formations only, lacking transport and supporting services, and composed of men in low-grade physical categories (e.g. those who had lost fingers or toes to frostbite on the Eastern Front), or unwillingly conscripted Poles or other non-German nationalities. Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Field Marshal of the German Army during World War II. He was one of Germanys more competent generals, and is remembered for remaining apolitical throughout his career. ...

In addition to fresh units, von Rundstedt also received a new subordinate, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Rommel was originally intended only to make a tour of inspection of the Atlantic Wall. After reporting to Hitler, Rommel requested command of the defenders of northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands. These were organised as Army Group B in February 1944. (The German forces in southern France were designated as Army Group G, under General Johannes Blaskowitz). Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (November 15, 1891 – October 14, 1944) was one of the most distinguished German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname The Desert Fox (Wüstenfuchs,  ) for the skillful military campaigns he... German coast artillery in the Pas-de-Calais area, with laborers at work on casemate. ... Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. The first was involved in the western campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Rommel had recognised that for all their propaganda value, the Atlantic Wall fortifications covered only the ports themselves. The beaches between were barely defended, and the Allies could land there and capture the ports from inland. He revitalised the defenders, who laboured to improve the defences of the entire coastline. Steel obstacles were laid at the high-water mark on the beaches, concrete bunkers and pillboxes constructed, low-lying areas flooded and booby-trapped stakes known as Rommelspargel (Rommel's asparagus) set up on likely landing grounds to deter airborne landings.

These works were not fully completed, especially in the vital Normandy sector, partly because Allied bombing of the French railway system interfered with the movement of the necessary materials, and also because the Germans were convinced by the Allied deception measures and their own preconceptions that the landings would take place in the Pas de Calais, and concentrated their efforts there.

Rommel's defensive measures were also frustrated by a dispute over armoured doctrine. In addition to his two army groups, von Rundstedt also commanded a headquarters known as Panzer Group West under General Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg (usually referred to as von Geyr). This formation was nominally an administrative HQ for von Rundstedt's armoured and mobile formations, but it was to be renamed Fifth Panzer Army and brought into the line in Normandy. Von Geyr and Rommel disagreed over the deployment and use of the vital Panzer divisions. von Schweppenburg Leo Dietrich Franz Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg (b. ... The German Fifth Panzer Army was created in December of 1942 to help manage the emergency build-up of troops in Tunisia after the Allied Operation Torch landings in Algeria and Morocco. ...

Rommel recognised that the Allies would possess air superiority, and would be able to harass his movements from the air. He therefore proposed that the armoured formations be deployed close to the invasion beaches. In his words, it was better to have one Panzer division facing the invaders on the first day, than three Panzer divisions three days later when the allies would already have established a firm beachhead. Von Geyr argued for the standard doctrine that the Panzer formations should be concentrated in a central position around Paris and Rouen, and deployed en masse against the main Allied beachhead when this had been identified.

The argument went all the way up to Hitler, who characteristically imposed an unworkable compromise solution. Three Panzer divisions were given to Rommel, too few to cover all the threatened sectors, and three to von Geyr, not enough for a decisive intervention. (Four others were dispersed in Southern France and the Netherlands, under the tactical control of neither commander). Also, Hitler reserved to himself the authority to move most of these divisions, or commit them to action. On June 6, many Panzer division commanders were unable to move, as Hitler had not given the necessary authorization.

The Allied invasion plan

D-day assault routes into Normandy.

The order of battle was approximately as follows, east to west: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1265x966, 188 KB) Allied invasion plans and german positions in the Normandy. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1265x966, 188 KB) Allied invasion plans and german positions in the Normandy. ...

British sector (Second Army)

• 6th Airborne Division was delivered by parachute and glider to the east of the River Orne to protect the left flank.
• 1st Special Service Brigade comprising No.3, No.4, No.6 and No.45(RM) Commandos landed at Ouistreham in Queen Red sector (leftmost). No.4 Commando were augmented by 1 and 8 Troop (both French) of No.10 (Inter Allied) Commando.
• I Corps, 3rd Infantry Division and the 27th Armoured Brigade on Sword Beach, from Ouistreham to Lion-sur-Mer.
• No.41(RM) Commando (part of 4th Special Service Brigade) landed on the far right of Sword Beach.
• Canadian 3rd Infantry Division, Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade and No.48 (RM) Commando on Juno Beach, from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer to La Rivière-Saint-Sauveur.
• No.46(RM) Commando (part of 4th Special Service Brigade) at Juno to scale the cliffs on the left side of the Orne River estuary and destroy a battery. (Battery fire proved negligible so No.46 were kept off-shore as a floating reserve and landed on D+1).
• XXX Corps, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division and 8th Armoured Brigade on Gold Beach, from La Rivière to Arromanches.
• No.47(RM) Commando (part of 4th Special Service Brigade) on the West flank of Gold beach.

The British Second Army was extant in both World Wars. ... The British 6th Airborne Division was an airborne unit of the British Army during World War II. It is best known for its participation in the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944. ... The Apollo 15 capsule landed safely despite a parachute failure. ... Gliders are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. ... Orne is the name of two rivers in France: one in Normandy and one in Lorraine. ... 45 (RM) Commando is a battalion sized formation of the British Royal Marines. ... The British Commandos were first formed by the Army in June 1940 during World War II as a well-armed but unregimented raider force employing unconventional and irregular tactics to assault, disrupt and reconnoitre the enemy in mainland Europe and Scandinavia. ... Ouistreham is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... The British I Corps has a long history, and was in existence as an active formation in the British Army for longer than any other corps. ... The British 3rd Infantry Division was part of the ill-fated British Expeditionary Force evacuated from Dunkirk early in World War II. It was the first British division to land at Sword beach on D-Day. ... The 27th Armoured Brigade was a Second World War British Army formation. ... British infantry waiting to move off Queen White Beach, SWORD Area, while under enemy fire, on the morning of 6 June. ... Ouistreham is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... Lion-sur-Mer is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... List of military divisions — List of Canadian divisions in WWII The formation of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was authorized on 17 May 1940. ... Soon after 3rd Canadian Tank Brigade assumed the designation in summer 1943 of the original 2nd Canadian Tank Brigade, the new 2nd Tank was redesignated and reorganized as 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. ... Combatants Canada Germany Commanders Major-General R.F.L. Keller, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Lieutenant-General H.D.G. Crerar, 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Strength 15,000 Unknown Casualties 574 dead, 340 wounded Unknown Juno Beach was one of the landing sites... Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... La Rivière-Saint-Sauveur is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... Orne is the name of two rivers in France: one in Normandy and one in Lorraine. ... The XXX Corps was an infantry corps in the British Army. ... // 50th Northumbrian Division History This formation was sent to France in 1940 as a Territorial Army division, and was involved in the evacuation at Dunkirk. ... The 8th Armoured Brigade was a Second World War British Army brigade. ... Gold Beach was the Allied codename for the centre invasion beach during the World War II Allied invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944. ... Arromanches-les-Bains or simply Arromanches is a town in Normandy, France, located on the coast in the heart of the area where the Normandy landings took place on D_Day, on June 6, 1944. ...

U.S. Sector (First Army)

• V Corps, 1st Infantry Division and 29th Infantry Division on Omaha Beach, from Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to Vierville-sur-Mer.
• 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions at Pointe du Hoc (The 5th diverted to Omaha).
• VII Corps, 4th Infantry Division and the 359th RCT of the 90th Infantry Division on Utah Beach, around Pouppeville and La Madeleine.
• 101st Airborne Division by parachute around Vierville to support Utah Beach landings.
• 82nd Airborne Division by parachute around Sainte-Mère-Église, protecting the right flank. They had originally been tasked with dropping further west, in the middle part of the Cotentin, allowing the sea-landing forces to their east easier access across the peninsula, and preventing the Germans from reinforcing the north part of the peninsula. The plans were later changed to move them much closer to the beachhead, as at the last minute the 91st Air Landing Division was found to be in the area.

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the U.S. First Army. ... For the V Corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, see V Corps (ACW) The V Corps (Fifth Corps)—nicknamed the Victory Corps—is a corps of the United States Army. ... The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army —nicknamed the Big Red One after its shoulder patch—is the oldest continuously serving division in the American Army. ... 29th Infantry Division Symbol The U.S. 29th Infantry Division was a United States infantry division that existed during World War I and World War II. Nicknamed Blue and Gray, the divisions motto is 29 Lets Go, taken from General Eisenhowers inspiring speech to the troops preparing... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Lieutenant Omar Bradley, U.S. 1st Infantry Division and U.S. 29th Infantry Division Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss, German 352nd Infantry Division Strength 34,000  ? Casualties 2,400 Unknown The build-up of Omaha Beach: reinforcements of men and equipment moving inland. ... Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... Vierville-sur-Mer is a commune and a canton of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... Official force name 75th Ranger Regiment Rangers Other names Airborne Rangers Army Rangers Task Force Ranger U.S. Army Rangers Branch U.S. Army Chain of Command USASOC Description Special Operations Force, rapidly deployable light infantry force. ... Pointe du Hocs location Preinvasion bombing of Pointe du Hoc by 9th Air Force bombers. ... For the VII Corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, see VII Corps (ACW). ... It has been suggested that U.S. 1st Brigade 4th Infantry Division be merged into this article or section. ... The 90th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. World War I Activated: August 1917. ... American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... There are communes that have the name La Madeleine in France: River Madeleine, in the Territoire de Belfort département Communes La Madeleine, in the Nord département Related La Madeleine-de-Nonancourt, in the Eure département La Madeleine-de-Villefrouin, in the Loir-et-Cher département La... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) —nicknamed the Screaming Eagles— is an air assault division of the United States Army mainly trained for air assault operations. ... Vierville is the name or part of the name of several communes in France: Vierville, in the Eure-et-Loir département Vierville, in the Manche département Vierville-sur-Mer, in the Calvados département This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army was constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on August 5, 1917, and was organized on August 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. ... Sainte-Mère-Église is a small town and commune of the Manche département, in the Cotentin Peninsula near the coast of Normandy, France. ... The Cotentin Peninsula juts out into the English Channel from Normandy towards England, forming part of the north-west coast of France. ... 91st Infantry Division 91st Air Landing Division The 91st Infantry Division was created in early 1944, and converted reorganized as the 91st Air Landing Division ( German luftlande) in the spring. ...

Naval participants

Large landing craft convoy crosses the English Channel on June 6, 1944.

The Invasion Fleet was drawn from 8 different navies, comprising 6,939 vessels (1,213 warships, 4,126 transport vessels (landing ships and landing craft) and 1,600 support vessels which included a number of merchant vessels). Photo #: 26-G-2333 Normandy Invasion, June 1944 A convoy of Landing Craft Infantry (Large) sails across the English Channel toward the Normandy Invasion beaches on D-Day, 6 June 1944. ... Photo #: 26-G-2333 Normandy Invasion, June 1944 A convoy of Landing Craft Infantry (Large) sails across the English Channel toward the Normandy Invasion beaches on D-Day, 6 June 1944. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... Landing craft Rapière LCU 1656 departs USS Bataan (LHD-5) well deck during Hurricane Katrina relief operations. ...

The overall commander of the Allied Naval Expeditionary Force, providing close protection and bombardment at the beaches, was Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay. The Allied Naval Expeditionary Force was divided into two Naval Task Forces: Western (Rear-Admiral Alan G Kirk) and Eastern (Rear-Admiral Sir Philip Vian). Categories: People stubs | 1883 births | 1945 deaths | Royal Navy admirals | Royal Navy officers | British World War II people ... Alan Goodrich Kirk (born October 30, 1888, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died October 1963, Washington, DC) was an admiral in the U.S. Navy and an American diplomat. ... Admiral of the Fleet Sir Philip Vian GCB KBE DSO was a British naval officer best known for the incident early in 1940 when a force under his command released captured British merchant sailors from the German supply ship Altmark in Norway. ...

The warships provided cover for the transports against the enemy whether in the form of surface warships, submarines or as an aerial attack and give support to the landings through shore bombardment. These ships included the Allied Task Force "O".

Full details of the naval participants in the landings are given at Operation Neptune.

Operation Neptune refers to the landing phase of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy. ...

Codenames

The Allies assigned codenames to the various operations involved in the invasion. Overlord was the name assigned to the establishment of a large-scale lodgement on the Continent. The first phase, the establishment of a secure foothold, was codenamed Neptune. According to the D-day museum [2]:

"The armed forces use codenames to refer to the planning and execution of specific military operations. Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe. The assault phase of Operation Overlord was known as Operation Neptune. (...) Operation Neptune began on D-Day (6 June 1944) and ended on 30 June 1944. By this time, the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Operation Overlord also began on D-Day, and continued until Allied forces crossed the River Seine on 19 August 1944."

German coastal artillery in the Pas-de-Calais area, with laborers at work on casemate.

Mined stakes were part of the German defences on the Normandy beaches.

June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Image File history File links Description: German coast artillery in the Pas-de-Calais area - Laborers at work on casemate Source: ibiblio. ... Image File history File links Description: German coast artillery in the Pas-de-Calais area - Laborers at work on casemate Source: ibiblio. ... Coastal artillery was the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery in coastal fortresses. ... Pas-de-Calais is a département in northern France named after the strait which it borders. ... A Casemate is a heavy duty structure originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (640x925, 128 KB) Description: German defences on the Normandy beaches - Mined stakes Source: ibiblio. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (640x925, 128 KB) Description: German defences on the Normandy beaches - Mined stakes Source: ibiblio. ...

German defenses

The Germans had extensively fortified the foreshore area as part of their Atlantic Wall defences, with the thought that the forthcoming landings would be timed for high tide (this caused the landings to be timed for low tide). It was guarded by four divisions, of which only one (352nd) was of high quality (in fact, the only quality was from a cadre of the 321st Division—the core of 352nd). The 352nd had many troops who had seen action on the eastern front and on the 6th, had been carrying out anti-invasion exercises. The other defending troops included Germans who, usually for medical reasons, were not considered fit for active duty on the Eastern Front, and various other nationalities such as Soviet prisoners of war from the southern USSR who had agreed to fight for the Germans rather than endure the harsh conditions of German POW camps. German coast artillery in the Pas-de-Calais area, with laborers at work on casemate. ...

German defenses located in the Allies' planned landing areas consisted of four divisional areas or responsibility, with reserves also deployed in these areas.

Divisional Areas

• 716th Infantry Division (Static) defended the Eastern end of the landing zones, including most of the British and Canadian beaches.
• 352nd Infantry Division defended the area between approximately Bayeux and Carentan, including Omaha beach. Unlike the other divisions this one was well-trained and contained many combat veterans.
• 6th Parachute Regiment (Oberstleutnant Dr. Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte) defended Carentan.
• 91st Air Landing Division (Luftlande – air transported) (Generalmajor Wilhelm Falley), comprising the 1057th Infantry Regiment and 1058th Infantry Regiment. This was a regular infantry division, trained, and equipped to be transported by air (i.e. transportable artillery, few heavy support weapons) located in the interior of the Cotentin Peninsula, including the landing zone of the American airdrops.
• 709th Infantry Division (Static) (Generalleutnant Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben), comprising the 729th Infantry Regiment, 739th Infantry Regiment (both with four battalions, but the 729th 4th and the 739th 1st and 4th being Ost, these two regiments had no regimental support companies either), and 919th Infantry Regiment. This coastal defense division protected the eastern, and northern (including Cherbourg) coast of the Cotentin Peninsula, including the Utah beach landing zone.

716th Static Infantry Division 716th Volksgrenadier Division The 716th Static Infantry Division was raised in May 1941 for occupation duties in France. ... 352nd Infantry Division 352nd Volksgrenadier Division The 352nd Infantry Division () was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. A western front unit, the 352nd is notable as the defenders of Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944. ... Carentan is a commune of the Manche département in Normandy, France. ... 91st Infantry Division 91st Air Landing Division The 91st Infantry Division was created in early 1944, and converted reorganized as the 91st Air Landing Division ( German luftlande) in the spring. ... The Cotentin Peninsula juts out into the English Channel from Normandy towards England, forming part of the north-west coast of France. ... A C-130 Hercules airdropping a light tank. ... The 709th Static Infantry Division was raised in May 1941 and used for occuation duties in France until the Allied invasion. ...

Adjacent Divisional Areas

Other divisions occupied the areas around the landing zones, including:

• 243rd Infantry Division (Static) (Generalleutnant Heinz Hellmich), comprising the 920th Infantry Regiment (two battalions), 921st Infantry Regiment, and 922nd Infantry Regiment. This coastal defense division protected the western coast of the Cotentin Peninsula.
• 711th Infantry Division (Static), comprising the 731th Infantry Regiment, and 744th Infantry Regiment. This division defended the western part of the Pays de Caux.
• 30th Mobile Brigade (Oberstleutnant Freiherr von und zu Aufsess), comprising three bicycle battalions.

The 243rd Static Infantry Division was raised in July 1943. ... Heinz Hellmich (June 9, 1890, Karlsruhe – June 17, 1944, Normandy, France) was a German Generalleutnant during World War II. Awarded with a Knight’s Cross (on February 9, 1944). ... // Geography Étretat, falaise daval and the needle The Pays de Caux is a plateau of Upper Cretaceous chalk, like that which forms the North and South Downs in southern England. ... Bicycle infantry are infantry soldiers who maneuver on the battlefield using bicycles. ...

Mobile Reserves

The 21st Panzer Division (Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger) was deployed near Caen as a mobile striking force, and the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend (Brigadeführer Fritz de Witt) was stationed to the southeast. Its officers and NCOs were long-serving veterans, but the junior soldiers had all been recruited directly from the Hitler Youth movement at the age of sixteen in 1943, and it was to acquire a reputation for ferocity and war crimes in the coming battle. 5th Light Division 21st Panzer Division Created as 5th Light Division or 5th Light Afrika Division in Africa in early 1941, from an ad hoc collection of smaller units rushed to support the collapsing Italian army. ... The 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend ( Hitler Youth) was a German Waffen SS armoured division of World War II. It was one of only two German divisions to carry Hitlers name and was formed as an extension of 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler. The 12th SS was... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or noncom, is a non-commissioned member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ... The Hitler Youth (German: Hitler-Jugend, abbreviated HJ) was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party that existed from 1922 to 1945. ...

The landings

British Pathfinders synchronising their watches in front of an Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle.

Image File history File links Source: http://www. ... Image File history File links Source: http://www. ... One version of the patch worn on the uniforms of American pathfinders who served during World War II. During World War II, the pathfinders were a group of volunteers selected within the Airborne units who were specially trained to operate navigation aids to guide the main airborne body to the...

Weather Forecast

The final factor in determining the date of the landing was the anticipated weather. By this stage of the war, the German U-Boats had largely been driven from the Atlantic and their weather stations in Greenland had been closed down. The Allies possessed an advantage in knowledge of conditions in the Atlantic which was to prove decisive.

A full moon was required both for light for the aircraft pilots and for the spring tide. Most of May had seen fine weather, but this deteriorated in early June. Eisenhower had tentatively selected June 5 as the date for the assault, but on June 4, conditions were clearly unsuitable for a landing; wind and high seas made it impossible to launch landing craft and low cloud would prevent aircraft finding their targets. The Allied troop convoys already at sea were forced to take shelter in bays and inlets on the south coast of Britain. The tide is the cyclic rising and falling of Earths ocean surface caused by the tidal forces of the Moon and the Sun acting on the Earth. ...

The New York Times announces the landing

It seemed possible that everything would have to be cancelled and the troops returned to their camps (a vast undertaking, as the enormous movement of follow-up formations was already proceeding). The next full moon period would be nearly a month away. At a vital meeting on June 5, Eisenhower's chief meteorologist (Group Captain J.M. Stagg) forecast a brief improvement for June 6. Montgomery and Eisenhower's Chief of Staff (General Walter Bedell Smith) were keen to proceed with the invasion. Leigh Mallory was doubtful, but Admiral Ramsay allowed that conditions would be marginally favourable. On the strength of the weather forecast, Eisenhower ordered the invasion to proceed. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x1398, 361 KB)Front page of The New York Times from June 6, 1944. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x1398, 361 KB)Front page of The New York Times from June 6, 1944. ... The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... James Martin Stagg (Group Captain J.M. Stagg), (June 30, 1900 - June 23, 1975) was a British meteorologist who notably persuaded General Dwight D. Eisenhower to change the date of the Allied invasion of Europe in World War II, from June 5 to June 6, 1944. ... Walter Bedell Smith as U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union. ...

The Germans meanwhile took comfort from the existing poor conditions, and believed no invasion would be possible for several days. Some troops stood down, and many senior officers were absent. (Rommel, for example, took a few days' leave with his wife and family).

The French Resistance

The various factions and circuits of the French Resistance (also known as the Maquis) were included in the plan for Overlord. Groups were tasked with attacking railway lines, ambushing roads or destroying telephone exchanges or electricity sub-stations. They were to be alerted to carry out these tasks by means of the messages personnels, transmitted by the BBC in its French service from London. Several hundreds of these were regularly transmitted, masking the few of them that were really significant. Bold textItalic textLink title // Headline text Headline text Headline text == The cross of Lorraine used by the French Resistance as a symbolic reference to Joan of Arc. ... The Maquis were the dominantly rural guerrilla bands of Belgian and French Resistance. ... Lightning strikes during a night-time thunderstorm. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, invariably known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is the largest public broadcasting corporation in the world. ... Steganography is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one apart from the intended recipient knows of the existence of the message; this is in contrast to cryptography, where the existence of the message itself is not disguised, but the content is obscured. ...

One famous pair of these messages is often mistakenly stated to be a general call to arms by the Resistance. A few days before D-Day, the (slightly misquoted) first line of Verlaine's poem, "Chanson d'Automne", was transmitted. "Les sanglots longs des violons de l'automne"^[5] (Long sobs of autumn violins) alerted resistants in the Orléans region to attack rail targets within the next few days. The second line, "Bercent mon coeur d'une langueur monotone" (wound my heart with a monotonous langour), transmitted late on June 5, meant that the attack was to be mounted immediately. Paul Verlaine illustrated in the frontispiece of , 1902 Paul Marie Verlaine (March 30, 1844 – January 8, 1896) is considered one of the greatest and most popular of French poets. ...

The German intelligence service (the Abwehr) had discovered the meaning of this particular pair of messages. They rightly interpreted them to mean that invasion was imminent or underway. On hearing the second part, they alerted their superiors, and all Army commanders in France. Unfortunately for them, they had issued a similar warning a month before, when the Allies had begun invasion preparations and alerted the Resistance, but then stood down because of a forecast of bad weather. The Abwehr having given this false alarm, their genuine alarm was ignored or treated as merely routine.

In addition to the tasks given to the Resistance as part of the invasion effort, the Special Operations Executive planned to reinforce the Resistance with three-man liaison parties, under Operation Jedburgh. The Jedburgh parties would coordinate and arrange supply drops to the Maquis groups in the German rear areas. Also operating far behind German lines and frequently working closely with the Resistance, although not under SOE, were larger parties from the British, French and Belgian units of the Special Air Service brigade. The Special Operations Executive (SOE), sometimes referred to as the Baker Street Irregulars after Sherlock Holmess fictional group of spies, was a World War II organization initiated by Winston Churchill and Hugh Dalton in July 1940 as a mechanism for conducting warfare by means other than direct military engagement. ... Jedburgh was an operation in World War II in which men from the Office of Strategic Services and the British Special Operations Executive parachuted into Nazi occupied France to conduct sabotage and guerilla warfare, and to lead French Maquis forces against the Germans. ... The term maquis may refer to: The Cameroonian maquis, guerrillas from the outlawed Union des Populations Camerounaises political party; The Corsican maquis democracy of the 18th century; The maquis shrublands found in France, Corsica, and elsewhere around the Mediterranean Sea; The French maquis, who resisted the Nazis during World War... It has been suggested that SAS Troops be merged into this article or section. ...

Airborne landings

The airborne landings were intended to secure the flanks of the assault area. U.S. paratroopers jump into Australia on a military training exercise. ...

British landings

Main article: Operation Tonga

The 6th Airborne Division was the first full unit to go into action, at sixteen minutes past midnight, in Operation Tonga. One set of objectives was Pegasus Bridge and other bridges on the rivers at the east flank of the landing area. The bridges were very quickly captured by glider forces and held until relieved by the Commandos later on D-Day. Another objective was a large gun battery at Merville. Although this larger glider and paratroop force was widely scattered, the battery was destroyed. However, the diminished assault team suffered 50% casualties in the attack. Operation Tonga: Pathfinders synchronising their watches in front of an Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle. ... The British 6th Airborne Division was an airborne unit of the British Army during World War II. It is best known for its participation in the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944. ... Operation Tonga: Pathfinders synchronising their watches in front of an Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle. ... Pegasus Bridge before its replacement Pegasus was the name given to a bridge over the Caen canal, near the town of Ouistreham. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

American landings

The 82nd (Operation Detroit) and 101st Airborne Divisions (Operation Chicago) were less fortunate in quickly completing their main objectives. Partly owing to unmarked landing zones, radio silence, poor weather and difficult terrain, many units were widely scattered and unable to rally. Efforts of the early wave of pathfinder teams to mark the landing zones were largely ineffective. Some paratroopers drowned when they landed in the sea or in deliberately flooded areas. After 24 hours, only 2,500 of the 6,000 men in 101st had assembled. Many continued to roam and fight behind enemy lines for days. The 82nd occupied the town of Sainte-Mère-Église early in the morning of June 6, giving it the claim of the first town liberated in the invasion. The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army was constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on August 5, 1917, and was organized on August 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. ... During World War II, Operation Detroit was the glider insertion of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division into Normandy on the night of 6 June 1944 as part of Operation Overlord. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) —nicknamed the Screaming Eagles— is an air assault division of the United States Army mainly trained for air assault operations. ... During World War II, Operation Chicago was carried out by the Allies in 1944. ... Pathfinder can have several meanings: // Fiction Relating to James Fenimore Coopers Leatherstocking Tales novels:(Also is known as The Inland Sea) Pathfinder, a nickname for Natty Bumppo The Pathfinder, the title of one of the novels Relating to the Star Trek fictional universe: Pathfinder (Voyager episode), an episode of... Sainte-Mère-Église is a small town and commune of the Manche département, in the Cotentin Peninsula near the coast of Normandy, France. ...

Sword Beach

Main article: Sword Beach

British troops take cover after landing on Sword Beach

On Sword Beach, the regular British infantry got ashore with light casualties. They had advanced about five miles (8 km) by the end of the day but failed to make some of the deliberately ambitious targets set by Montgomery. In particular, Caen, a major objective, was still in German hands by the end of D-Day. British infantry waiting to move off Queen White Beach, SWORD Area, while under enemy fire, on the morning of 6 June. ... Image File history File links Infantry_waiting_to_move_off_Queen_White_Beach. ... Image File history File links Infantry_waiting_to_move_off_Queen_White_Beach. ... British infantry waiting to move off Queen White Beach, SWORD Area, while under enemy fire, on the morning of 6 June. ... Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and... Location within France Hôtel dEscoville, 16th century, Caen Anonymous pen-and-ink birds-eye view of the fortifications of Caen (Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris) South Wall of the Castle, a huge fortress in the center of the city Town Hall of Caen Caen train station. ...

1st Special Service Brigade, under the command of Brigadier The Lord Lovat DSO and MC, went ashore in the second wave led by No.4 Commando with the two French Troops first, as agreed amongst themselves. The 1st Special Service Brigade's landing is famous for having been led by Piper Bill Millin. The British and French of No.4 Commando had separate targets in Ouistreham: the French a blockhouse and the Casino, and the British two batteries which overlooked the beach. The blockhouse proved too strong for the Commandos' PIAT (Projector Infantry Anti Tank) weapons, but the Casino was taken with the aid of a Centaur tank. The British Commandos achieved both battery objectives only to find the gun mounts empty and the guns removed. Leaving the mopping-up procedure to the infantry, the Commandos withdrew from Ouistreham to join the other units of their brigade (Nos.3, 6 and 45), moving inland to join-up with the 6th Airborne Division. PIAT in Canadian War Museum The PIAT, for Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank, was one of the earlier anti-tank weapons based on a HEAT shell. ... A27M Cruiser Tank VIII Cromwell was one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in World War II. It was the first tank in the British arsenal to combine a dual-purpose gun, high speed, and reasonable armor. ... Ouistreham is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... 45 (RM) Commando is a battalion sized formation of the British Royal Marines. ...

Juno Beach

German defense at Juno Beach. Picture was taken in August 2005

Main article: Juno Beach

The Canadian forces that landed on Juno Beach faced 11 heavy batteries of 155 mm guns and 9 medium batteries of 75 mm guns, as well as machine-gun nests, pillboxes, other concrete fortifications, and a seawall twice the height of the one at Omaha Beach. The first wave suffered 50% casualties, the second highest of the five D-Day beachheads. The use of armour was successful at Juno, in some instances actually landing ahead of the infantry as intended and helping clear a path inland.^[6] Image File history File links Juno_Beach. ... Image File history File links Juno_Beach. ... Combatants Canada Germany Commanders Major-General R.F.L. Keller, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Lieutenant-General H.D.G. Crerar, 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Strength 15,000 Unknown Casualties 574 dead, 340 wounded Unknown Juno Beach was one of the landing sites...

Personnel of Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando "W" landing on Mike Beach, Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead. June 6th, 1944.

Despite the obstacles, within hours the Canadians were off the beach and beginning their advance inland. The 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars) and The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada achieved their June 6 objectives, when they crossed the Caen–Bayeux highway over nine miles (15 km) inland.^[7] Image File history File links Canada_JunoBeach_1_RCNCOMMANDO.jpg Personnel of Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando W landing on Mike Beach, Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead. ... Image File history File links Canada_JunoBeach_1_RCNCOMMANDO.jpg Personnel of Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando W landing on Mike Beach, Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... Location within France Hôtel dEscoville, 16th century, Caen Anonymous pen-and-ink birds-eye view of the fortifications of Caen (Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris) South Wall of the Castle, a huge fortress in the center of the city Town Hall of Caen Caen train station. ... Bayeux (pronounced ) is a small town and commune in the Calvados département, in Normandy, northwestern France. ... A mile is the name of a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...

By the end of D-Day, 15,000 Canadians had been successfully landed, and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division had penetrated further into France than any other Allied force, despite having faced strong resistance at the water's edge and later counter-attacks on the beachhead by elements of the German 21st and 12th SS Hitlerjugend Panzer divisions on June 7 and 8.

List of military divisions — List of Canadian divisions in WWII The formation of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was authorized on 17 May 1940. ... 5th Light Division 21st Panzer Division Created as 5th Light Division or 5th Light Afrika Division in Africa in early 1941, from an ad hoc collection of smaller units rushed to support the collapsing Italian army. ... The 12. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ...

Gold Beach

Main article: Gold Beach

At Gold Beach, the casualties were also quite heavy, partly because the swimming Sherman DD tanks were delayed, and the Germans had strongly fortified a village on the beach. However, the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division overcame these difficulties and advanced almost to the outskirts of Bayeux by the end of the day. With the exception of the Canadians at Juno Beach, no division came closer to its objectives than the 50th. Gold Beach was the Allied codename for the centre invasion beach during the World War II Allied invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944. ... The DD Tank is commonly used to refer to amphibious tanks used in the Battle of Normandy, they were predominately American M4 Sherman medium tanks adapted to allow them to travel on water and land. ... // British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division History This formation was sent to France in 1940 as a Territorial Army division, and was involved in the evacuation at Dunkirk. ... Bayeux (pronounced ) is a small town and commune in the Calvados département, in Normandy, northwestern France. ...

No.47 (RM) Commando was the last British Commando unit to land and came ashore on Gold east of Le Hamel. Their task was to proceed inland then turn right (west) and make a ten-mile (16 km) march through enemy territory to attack the coastal harbour of Port en Bessin from the rear. This small port, on the British extreme right, was well sheltered in the chalk cliffs and significant in that it was to be a prime early harbour for supplies to be brought in including fuel by underwater pipe from tankers moored offshore. Port-en-Bessin-Huppain is a commune of the Calvados d partement, in the Basse-Normandie r gion, in France. ...

Omaha Beach

Troops in an LCVP landing craft approach Omaha beach June 6, 1944.

Main article: Omaha Beach

Senior military officials aboard the USS Augusta during the Normandy Invasion, June 1944. General Omar N. Bradley is the second man from the left.

Omaha Beach was the bloodiest landing beach on D-Day. Elements of the 1st Infantry Division and 29th Infantry Division faced the German 352nd Infantry Division, one of the best trained on the beaches. Allied intelligence failed to realize that the relatively low-quality 714th Infantry Division (static) had been replaced by the 352nd a few days before the invasion. Omaha was also the most heavily fortified beach, and the pre-landing aerial and naval bombardment of the bunkers proved to be ineffective. On the Eastern sector, 27 of the 32 DD tanks deployed never reached the beach. On the Western sector the DDs were landed directly on the beach, but suffered heavy losses due to German artillery defending the beach. The official record stated that "within 10 minutes of the ramps being lowered, [the leading] company had become inert, leaderless and almost incapable of action. Every officer and sergeant had been killed or wounded [...] It had become a struggle for survival and rescue". There were about 2,400 casualties on Omaha on D-day, most in the first few hours. Commanders considered abandoning the beachhead, but small units, often forming ad hoc groups, eventually took the beach and pressed inland. marines approaching omaha beach Photo #: SC 320901 Normandy Invasion, June 1944 Troops in an LCVP landing craft approaching Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944. ... marines approaching omaha beach Photo #: SC 320901 Normandy Invasion, June 1944 Troops in an LCVP landing craft approaching Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Lieutenant Omar Bradley, U.S. 1st Infantry Division and U.S. 29th Infantry Division Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss, German 352nd Infantry Division Strength 34,000  ? Casualties 2,400 Unknown The build-up of Omaha Beach: reinforcements of men and equipment moving inland. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Lieutenant Omar Bradley, U.S. 1st Infantry Division and U.S. 29th Infantry Division Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss, German 352nd Infantry Division Strength 34,000  ? Casualties 2,400 Unknown The build-up of Omaha Beach: reinforcements of men and equipment moving inland. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (740x630, 95 KB)Senior military officials aboard the USS Augusta observing the Normandy invasion, June 1944. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (740x630, 95 KB)Senior military officials aboard the USS Augusta observing the Normandy invasion, June 1944. ... Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893 - April 8, 1981) was one of the main US Army field commanders in North Africa and Europe during World War II. Bradley was born to a poor family near Clark, Missouri, the son of a schoolteacher. ... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army —nicknamed the Big Red One after its shoulder patch—is the oldest continuously serving division in the American Army. ... 29th Infantry Division Symbol The U.S. 29th Infantry Division was a United States infantry division that existed during World War I and World War II. Nicknamed Blue and Gray, the divisions motto is 29 Lets Go, taken from General Eisenhowers inspiring speech to the troops preparing... DD Sherman tank with its flotation screen lowered. ...

Pointe du Hoc

Main article: Pointe du Hoc

The massive, concrete cliff-top gun emplacement at Pointe du Hoc was the target of the 2nd Ranger battalion, commanded by James Earl Rudder. The task was to scale the 100 foot (30 metre) cliffs under enemy fire with ropes and ladders, and then attack and destroy the guns, which were thought to command the Omaha and Utah landing areas. On capturing the emplacements the guns were found to have been moved. The Rangers did, however push further inland and find and destroy the guns. Pointe du Hocs location Preinvasion bombing of Pointe du Hoc by 9th Air Force bombers. ... Pointe du Hocs location Preinvasion bombing of Pointe du Hoc by 9th Air Force bombers. ... James Earl Rudder (May 6, 1910 – March 23, 1970) was a United States Army Major General, Texas Land Commissioner and President of Texas A&M University. ... A foot (plural: feet) is any of several old units of distance or length, measuring around a quarter to a third of a meter. ...

Utah Beach

Main article: Utah Beach

Casualties on Utah Beach, the westernmost landing zone, were 197 out of around 23,000 landed, the lightest of any beach. The 4th Infantry Division troops landing at Utah Beach found themselves in the wrong positions due to a current that pushed their landing craft to the southeast. Instead of landing at Tare Green and Uncle Red sectors, they came ashore at Victor sector, which was lightly defended. Relatively little German opposition was encountered. The 4th Infantry Division was able to press inland relatively easily over beach exits that had been seized from the inland side by the 502nd and 506th Parachute Infantry Regiments of the 101st Airborne Division. This was partially by accident, as their planned landing was further down the beach. By early afternoon the 4th Infantry Division had succeeded in linking up with elements of the 101st. American casualties were light, and the troops were able to press inward much faster than expected, making it an almost complete success. American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... It has been suggested that U.S. 1st Brigade 4th Infantry Division be merged into this article or section. ...

After the landings

Landing supplies at Normandy.

How the beachheads were supplied on D-Day. Photo taken 6 June 1944 by Steck SC190631 public domain.

The build-up of Omaha Beach: reinforcements of men and equipment moving inland.

Once the beachhead was established, two artificial Mulberry Harbours were towed across the English Channel in segments and made operational around D+3 (9 June). One was constructed at Arromanches by British forces, the other at Omaha Beach by American forces. By the 19 June, when severe storms interrupted the landing of supplies for several days and destroyed the Omaha harbour, the British had landed 314,547 men, 54,000 vehicles, and 102,000 tons of supplies, while the Americans put ashore 314,504 men, 41,000 vehicles, and 116,000 tons of supplies..^[8] Around 9,000 tons of materiel was landed daily at the Arromanches harbour until the end of August 1944, by which time the port of Cherbourg had been secured by the Allies, and had begun to return to service. The German defenders positioned on the beaches put up relatively light resistance, being ill-trained and short on transport and equipment, and having been subject to a week of intense bombardment. An exception was the 352nd Infantry division, moved earlier by Rommel from St. Lo, which defended Omaha beach. The tenacity of the 352nd's defence, and perhaps also the indication by Allied intelligence that there would be only two 2 battalions of the 716th Division there, was responsible for Omaha's high casualty rate. Other German commanders took several hours to be sure that the reports they were receiving indicated a landing in force, rather than a series of raids. Their communication difficulties were made worse by the absence of several key commanders. The scattering of the American parachutists also added to the confusion, as reports were coming in of Allied troops all over northern Normandy. Supplying Normandy coast Photo # 26-G-2517 LSTs landing vehicles and cargo on a Normandy beach, June 1944 From [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Supplying Normandy coast Photo # 26-G-2517 LSTs landing vehicles and cargo on a Normandy beach, June 1944 From [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2920x2324, 420 KB) This graphic tells the story of how the France beachhead was supplied on D-Day. 6 June 1944 Photo by Steck. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2920x2324, 420 KB) This graphic tells the story of how the France beachhead was supplied on D-Day. 6 June 1944 Photo by Steck. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2828x2243, 611 KB) The build-up of Omaha Beach. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2828x2243, 611 KB) The build-up of Omaha Beach. ... A Mulberry harbour was a type of temporary harbour developed in World War II to offload cargo on a beach during the Allied invasion of Normandy. ... Satellite view of the English Channel Map of the English Channel The English Channel (French: La Manche (IPA: ) is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Arromanches-les-Bains or simply Arromanches is a town in Normandy, France, located on the coast in the heart of the area where the Normandy landings took place on D_Day, on June 6, 1944. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Lieutenant Omar Bradley, U.S. 1st Infantry Division and U.S. 29th Infantry Division Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss, German 352nd Infantry Division Strength 34,000  ? Casualties 2,400 Unknown The build-up of Omaha Beach: reinforcements of men and equipment moving inland. ... June 19 is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 195 days remaining. ... Materiel (from the French for material) is the equipment and supplies in Military and commercial supply chain management. ... Location within France Cherbourg-Octeville is a city and commune in Normandy, north-west France. ... Saint-Lô is a city and commune of France, the préfecture (capital) of the Manche département, in Normandy. ...

Despite this the German 21st Panzer division mounted a concerted counterattack, between Sword and Juno beaches, and succeeded in reaching the sea. Stiff resistance by anti-tank gunners and fear of being cut off caused them to withdraw before the end of 6 June. According to some reports the sighting of a wave of airborne troops flying over them was instrumental in the decision to retreat. Created as 5th Light Division or 5th Light Afrika Division in Africa in early 1941, from an ad hoc collection of smaller units rushed to support the collapsing Italian army. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ...

The Allied invasion plans had called for the capture of Carentan, St. Lo, Caen and Bayeux on the first day, with all the beaches linked except Utah, and Sword (the last linked with paratroopers) and a front line six to ten miles (10 to 16 km) from the beaches. In practice none of these had been achieved. However, overall the casualties had not been as heavy as some had feared (around 10,000 compared to the 20,000 Churchill feared), and the bridgeheads had withstood the expected counterattacks. Carentan is a commune of the Manche département in Normandy, France. ... Location within France Hôtel dEscoville, 16th century, Caen Anonymous pen-and-ink birds-eye view of the fortifications of Caen (Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris) South Wall of the Castle, a huge fortress in the center of the city Town Hall of Caen Caen train station. ...

The German 12th SS (Hitler Youth) Panzer division assaulted the Canadians on June 7 and June 8, and inflicted heavy losses, but was unable to break through. Meanwhile, the beaches were being linked: Sword on June 7, Omaha June 10, Utah by June 13. The Allies were actually reinforcing the front faster than the Germans. Although the Allies had to land everything on the beaches, Allied air superiority and the destruction of the French rail system made every German troop movement slow and dangerous. The 12. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... This is part of the history of rail transport by country series During the early 19th century railway construction began in France with short mineral lines. ...

The resulting disposition of Allied forces within the bridgehead was then the U.S. First Army in the west and the British Second Army in the east.

Cherbourg

Main article: Battle of Cherbourg

In the western part of the lodgement, U.S. troops were to occupy the Cotentin Peninsula, especially Cherbourg, which would provide the allies with a deep water harbour. The country behind Utah and Omaha beaches was characterised by bocage; ancient banks and hedgerows, up to three metres thick, spread one to two hundred metres apart, and so both being impervious to tanks, gunfire, and vision, and making ideal defensive positions. The U.S. infantry made slow progress, and suffered heavy casualties, as they pressed towards Cherbourg. The airborne troops were called on again and again to restart a stalled advance. The far side of the peninsula was reached on the 18th June. Hitler prevented German forces from retreating to the strong Atlantic Wall fortifications in Cherbourg, and after initially offering stiff resistance the Cherbourg commander, Lieutenant General von Schlieben, capitulated on June 26 after destroying most of the facilities, making the harbor inoperable until the middle of August. Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders J. Lawton Collins Friedrich Dollman Casualties ?? 39,000 captured The Battle of Cherbourg was part of the Battle of Normandy, fought immediately after the successful landings on June 6, 1944. ... The Cotentin Peninsula juts out into the English Channel from Normandy towards England, forming part of the north-west coast of France. ... Cherbourg is a city of Normandy, in northwestern France, in the Manche département, of which it is a sous_préfecture. ... Bocage is a French word referring to a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, with tortuous side-roads and lanes bounded on both sides by banks surmounted with high thick hedgerows limiting visibility. ... German coast artillery in the Pas-de-Calais area, with laborers at work on casemate. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ...

Caen

Main article: Battle for Caen

Map showing operations close to Caen.

Believing Caen to be the "crucible" of the battle, Montgomery made it the target of a series of attritional attacks. The first was Operation Perch, which attempted to turn the Germans' flank at Villers-Bocage, which was halted at the Battle of Villers-Bocage. After a delay owing to the difficulty of supply because of storms from the 17 until the 23 June, a German counterattack (which was known through Ultra intelligence) was pre-empted with Operation Epsom. Caen was severely bombed and then occupied north of the River Orne in Operation Charnwood from 7 July until the 9 July. A major offensive in the Caen area followed under General Dempsey with all three British armoured divisions, codenamed Operation Goodwood from the 18 July until the 21 July that captured the remainder of Caen and the high ground to the south at a high cost. A further operation, Operation Spring, from the 25 July until 27 July by the Canadians secured limited gains at a high cost. Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery, Miles Dempsey, Richard OConnor, Guy Simonds Edgar Feuchtinger, Erwin Rommel, Gerd von Rundstedt, Günther von Kluge Strength 2nd British Army, 51st Highland Division, 11th British Armoured divison, 7th British Armoured Divison, Polish 1st Armoured Division, VIII British Corps, Royal Air... Image File history File links Battleforcaenmap. ... Image File history File links Battleforcaenmap. ... Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery, Miles Dempsey, Richard OConnor, Guy Simonds Edgar Feuchtinger, Erwin Rommel, Gerd von Rundstedt, Günther von Kluge Strength 2nd British Army, 51st Highland Division, 11th British Armoured divison, 7th British Armoured Divison, Polish 1st Armoured Division, VIII British Corps, Royal Air... Villers-Bocage is the name of several communes in France: Villers-Bocage, in the Calvados département, in Normandy, and the site of the Battle of Villers-Bocage Villers-Bocage, in the Somme département This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might... The Battle of Villers-Bocage (June 13, 1944) was an unusual clash between the British and Germans in northern France during World War II. Michael Wittmann, an SS-Obersturmführer, led a unit of six PzKpfw VI Tiger tanks of the 501st Battalion to secure the N175 road near Villers... June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175 th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... Ultra (sometimes capitalized ULTRA) was the name used by the British for intelligence resulting from decryption of German communications in World War II. The term eventually became the standard designation in both Britain and the United States for all intelligence from high-level cryptanalytic sources. ... During World War II, Operation Epsom (Allies, 1944) was a British attack to seize Caen, France. ... During World War 2, Operation Charnwood (Allies, 1944) had the objective to capture Caen and its surroundings during the ongoing Battle of Normandy. ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... July 9 is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 175 days remaining. ... Miles Dempsey (15th December 1896 - 5th June 1969) was commander of the 2nd British Army during the D-Day landings in World War II. After graduating from Sandhurst Military Academy in 1915 Dempsey joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment. ... Operation Goodwood was an Allied military operation of World War II from July 18 to 20 July 1944 taking place in Normandy some weeks following D-Day. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ...

The breakout from the beachhead

Main article: Operation Cobra

An important element of Montgomery's strategy was to cause the Germans to commit their reserves to the eastern part of the theatre to allow an easier breakout from the west. By the end of Goodwood the Germans had committed the last of their reserve divisions there so now there were six and a half Panzer divisions facing the British and Canadian forces compared to one and a half facing the United States armies. Operation Cobra, was launched on July 24 by the U.S. First Army, and was extremely successful with the advance guard of VIII Corps entering Coutances at the western end of the Cotentin Peninsula, on July 28, after a penetration through the German lines. Operation Cobra was the codename for the World War II operation planned by United States Army General Omar Bradley to break out from the Normandy area after the previous months D-Day landings. ... Operation Cobra was the codename for the World War II operation planned by United States Army General Omar Bradley to break out from the Normandy area after the previous months D-Day landings. ... July 24 is the 205th day (206th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 160 days remaining. ... Coutances is a commune of Normandy, France, in the Manche département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... The Cotentin Peninsula juts out into the English Channel from Normandy towards England, forming part of the north-west coast of France. ... July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining. ...

Map showing the breakout from the Normandy bridgehead.

On August 1, VIII Corps became part of Lieutenant General George S. Patton's newly arrived U.S. Third Army. On August 4, Montgomery altered the invasion plan by detaching only a corps to occupy Brittany and hem the German troops there into enclaves around the ports while the rest of the Third Army continued south. The U.S. First Army turned the German front at its western end. Because of the concentration of German forces south of Caen, Montgomery moved the British armour west and launched Operation Bluecoat from 30 July until 7 August to add to the pressure from the United States armies. This drew the German forces to the west, allowing the launch of Operation Totalize south from Caen on the 7 August. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1265x965, 1723 KB) Summary www. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1265x965, 1723 KB) Summary www. ... August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... George Smith Patton, Jr. ... Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the U.S. Third Army. ... August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. ... During World War II, Operation Bluecoat was an attack by British Second Army south of Caumont, France executed 29 July 1944. ... July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... During World War II, Operation Totalize (Allies, 1944) was a ground attack on 7 August 1944 by British, Canadian and Polish forces to breakout from the Normandy beachhead along the Caen-Falaise road. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ...

The Falaise Pocket

Main article: Falaise Pocket

At the beginning of August more German reserves became available with the realisation that no landings were going to take place near Calais. The German forces were being encircled, and the German High Command wanted these reserves to help an orderly retreat to the Seine. However, they were overruled by Hitler who demanded an attack at Mortain at the western end of the pocket on the August 7. The attack was repelled by the Allies, who again had advance warning from Ultra. The original Allied plan was for a wide encirclement as far as the Loire valley, but Bradley realised that many of the German forces in Normandy were not capable of manoeuvre by this stage, and obtained Montgomery's agreement by telephone on August 8 for a "short hook" further north to encircle German forces. This was left to Patton to effect, moving nearly unopposed through Normandy via Le Mans, and then back north again towards Alençon. The Germans were then left in a pocket with its jaws near Chambois. Fierce German defence and the diversion of some American troops for a thrust by Patton towards the Seine at Montes prevented the jaws closing until August 21, trapping 50,000 German troops. Whether this could have been achieved earlier and more prisoners taken has been a matter of some controversy. Patton's thrust prevented the Germans from establishing the Seine as a defensive line, and the Canadian First and British Second Armies both advanced there, bringing the war in Normandy in their sector to a close, and meeting the projected schedule set by Montgomery with time to spare. During World War II, the Falaise pocket (also known as the Chambois pocket, Chambois-Montcormel pocket, Falaise-Chambois pocket and in French: Poche de Falaise) was the area between the four cities of Trun-Argentan-Vimoutiers-Chambois near Falaise, France, in which Allied forces tried to encircle and destroy the... During World War II, Operation Lüttich was a counterattack launched by German forces on the left flank of the Allied lodgment at Normandy beginning on 7 August 1944. ... Mortain is a small town and commune in the Manche département, France. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... The Loire River (pronounced in French), the longest river in France with a length of just over 1000 km, drains an area of 117,000 km², more than a fifth of France. ... August 8 is the 220th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (221st in leap years), with 145 days remaining. ... Le Mans is a city in France, located at the Sarthe River. ... Library of Alençon Alençon is a town in Normandy, France, préfecture (capital) of the Orne département. ... Mons or Montes are Latin words used by planetary geologists (reference the entire list here) to refer to mountains or extinct volcanoes on planets and moons. ... August 21 is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War. ...

The liberation of Paris followed shortly afterwards. The French Resistance in Paris rose against the Germans on 19 August; and the French 2nd Armoured Division under General Jacques Leclerc, along with the U.S. 4th Infantry Division pressing forward from Normandy, received the surrender of the German forces there and liberated Paris on August 25. Bold textItalic textLink title // Headline text Headline text Headline text == The cross of Lorraine used by the French Resistance as a symbolic reference to Joan of Arc. ... August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Arms of the , the Second Armoured Division commanded by Lerclerc. ... Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque (November 22, 1902 - November 28, 1947), was a famous French general. ... It has been suggested that U.S. 1st Brigade 4th Infantry Division be merged into this article or section. ... The Liberation of Paris in World War II took place in late August 1944 after the battle of Normandy. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ...

Chronology

• June 5/June 6: British 6th Airborne Division (Operation Tonga), U.S. 82nd Airborne Division (Operation Detroit) and 101st Airborne Division (Operation Chicago) were airlanded.
• June 6: Seaborne D-Day landings (Operation Neptune)
• June 7-17: 3rd Parachute Brigade of the British 6th Airborne Division repulse several German Attacks at Le Mesnil Crossroads.
• June 12: U.S. 101st Airborne Division captures Carentan
• June 13: U.S. 101st Airborne Division repel a German Counter Attack west of the city at a place called Hill 30, Elements of the U.S. 2nd Armored Division are ordered to help relieve the paratroopers. British armor engaged in the Battle of Villers-Bocage.
• June 25–June 29: Operation Epsom, an offensive to the west of Caen, was repulsed by the German defenders.
• July 7: Caen was liberated.
• July 17: Erwin Rommel was severely injured when his car was strafed by a Royal Canadian Air Force Spitfire.
• July 18–July 20: Operation Goodwood initiated.
• July 24: Operation Cobra begins a breakout near Saint-Lô.
• August 3–August 9: Operation Totalize, a trap to capture retreating German armour in the Falaise pocket starts.
• August 25: Paris is liberated.

June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... The British 6th Airborne Division was an airborne unit of the British Army during World War II. It is best known for its participation in the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944. ... Operation Tonga: Pathfinders synchronising their watches in front of an Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle. ... The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army was constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on August 5, 1917, and was organized on August 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. ... During World War II, Operation Detroit was the glider insertion of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division into Normandy on the night of 6 June 1944 as part of Operation Overlord. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) —nicknamed the Screaming Eagles— is an air assault division of the United States Army mainly trained for air assault operations. ... During World War II, Operation Chicago was carried out by the Allies in 1944. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... Operation Neptune refers to the landing phase of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy. ... The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne unit of the British Army during World War II. Formation The division was formed in the United Kingdom on 3 May 1943, during the Second World War. ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) —nicknamed the Screaming Eagles— is an air assault division of the United States Army mainly trained for air assault operations. ... Carentan is a commune of the Manche département in Normandy, France. ... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) —nicknamed the Screaming Eagles— is an air assault division of the United States Army mainly trained for air assault operations. ... Hill 30 was a battle fought by the 101st airbone division aganist counter-attacking troops southwest of Carentan. ... Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 2nd Armored Division, Hell on Wheels. ... The Battle of Villers-Bocage (June 13, 1944) was an unusual clash between the British and Germans in northern France during World War II. Michael Wittmann, an SS-Obersturmführer, led a unit of six PzKpfw VI Tiger tanks of the 501st Battalion to secure the N175 road near Villers... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... During World War II, Operation Epsom (Allies, 1944) was a British attack to seize Caen, France. ... Location within France Hôtel dEscoville, 16th century, Caen Anonymous pen-and-ink birds-eye view of the fortifications of Caen (Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris) South Wall of the Castle, a huge fortress in the center of the city Town Hall of Caen Caen train station. ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... Location within France Hôtel dEscoville, 16th century, Caen Anonymous pen-and-ink birds-eye view of the fortifications of Caen (Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris) South Wall of the Castle, a huge fortress in the center of the city Town Hall of Caen Caen train station. ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (November 15, 1891 – October 14, 1944) was one of the most distinguished German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname The Desert Fox (Wüstenfuchs,  ) for the skillful military campaigns he... The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was the air force of Canada from 1924 until 1968 when the three branches of the Canadian military were merged into the Canadian Armed Forces. ... The Supermarine Spitfire was a single-seat fighter used by the RAF and many Allied countries in World War II. Produced by Supermarine, the Spitfire was designed by R.J. Mitchell, who continued to refine it until his death in 1937. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... Operation Goodwood was an Allied military operation of World War II from July 18 to 20 July 1944 taking place in Normandy some weeks following D-Day. ... July 24 is the 205th day (206th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 160 days remaining. ... Operation Cobra was the codename for the World War II operation planned by United States Army General Omar Bradley to break out from the Normandy area after the previous months D-Day landings. ... Saint-Lô is a town and commune of France, the préfecture (capital) of the Manche département, in Normandy. ... August 3 is the 215th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (216th in leap years), with 150 days remaining. ... August 9 is the 221st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (222nd in leap years), with 144 days remaining. ... During World War II, Operation Totalize (Allies, 1944) was a ground attack on 7 August 1944 by British, Canadian and Polish forces to breakout from the Normandy beachhead along the Caen-Falaise road. ... During World War II, the Falaise pocket (also known as the Chambois pocket, Chambois-Montcormel pocket, Falaise-Chambois pocket and in French: Poche de Falaise) was the area between the four cities of Trun-Argentan-Vimoutiers-Chambois near Falaise, France, in which Allied forces tried to encircle and destroy the... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... The Liberation of Paris in World War II took place in late August 1944 after the battle of Normandy. ...

Political considerations

The Normandy landings were long foreshadowed by a considerable amount of political maneuvering amongst the Allies. There was much disagreement about timing, appointments of command, and where exactly the landings were to take place. The opening of a second front had been long postponed and a particular source of strain between the Allies. Stalin had been pressing the Western Allies to launch a "second front" since 1942, but Churchill had argued for delay until victory could be assured, preferring to attack Italy and North Africa first. The appointment of Bernard Montgomery was questioned by some Americans, who would have preferred the urbane Harold Alexander to have commanded the land forces. Montgomery, in turn, had doubts about the appointment of Dwight D. Eisenhower. In the end, however, Montgomery and Eisenhower cooperated to excellent effect in Normandy: their well-known disagreements came much later. (Russian, in full: Ио́сиф Виссарио́нович Ста́лин [Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin]; December 18 [O.S. December 6] 1878[1] – March 5, 1953) was the leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s to his death in 1953 and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1922-1953... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC(Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman and author, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent. ... Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and... Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis, KG, GCB, GCMG, CSI, GCVO, DSO, MC, LL.D, PC, Legion of Honour (10 December 1891–16 June 1969) was a British military commander and Field Marshal, notably during the Second World War as the commander of the... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American soldier and politician. ...

Normandy presented serious logistical problems, not the least of which being that the only viable port in the area, Cherbourg, was heavily defended and many among the higher echelons of command argued that the Pas de Calais would make a more suitable landing area on these grounds alone. Location within France Cherbourg-Octeville is a city and commune in Normandy, north-west France. ... Pas-de-Calais is a département in northern France named after the strait which it borders. ...

Campaign Close

Normandy Campaign Streamer

The campaign in Normandy is considered by historians to end either at midnight on 24/25 July 1944 (the start of Operation Cobra on the American front) or 25 August 1944 (the advance to the Seine). The original Overlord plan anticipated a ninety day campaign in Normandy with the ultimate goal of reaching the Seine; this goal was met with time to spare. The Americans were able to end the campaign on their front early with the massive breakout of Operation Cobra. Image File history File links Normandy_Streamer. ... Image File history File links Normandy_Streamer. ... Operation Cobra was the codename for the World War II operation planned by United States Army General Omar Bradley to break out from the Normandy area after the previous months D-Day landings. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ...

The US official history describes the fighting beginning on 25 July as the "Northern France" campaign, and includes the fighting to close the Falaise Gap which the British/Canadians/Poles consider to be part of the Battle of Normandy. July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ...

SHAEF, back in England, and the governments were very nervous of stagnation, and there were reports of Eisenhower requesting Montgomery's replacement in July. Lack of forward progress is often attributed to the nature of the terrain in which much of the post-landing fighting in the US and parts of the British sectors took place, the bocage, as well as the usual difficulties of opposed landings. These were small farm fields separated by high earth banks covered in dense shrubbery, which were well suited for the defence. However, as at El Alamein, Montgomery kept to his original attritional strategy, reaching the objectives within his original ninety day target. Bocage is a French word referring to a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, with tortuous side-roads and lanes bounded on both sides by banks surmounted with high thick hedgerows limiting visibility. ... Combatants British Commonwealth Poland Free French Greece Germany Italy Commanders Bernard Montgomery Erwin Rommel Strength 200,000 men 1,030 tanks 900 guns 530 aircraft 100,000 men 500 tanks 500 guns 350 aircraft Casualties 23,500 dead or wounded 710 tanks 12,000 dead or wounded 25,000 captured...

Victory in Normandy was followed by a pursuit to the French border in short order, and Germany was forced once again to reinforce the Western Front with manpower and resources from the Soviet and Italian fronts. During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing France, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark. ... The Eastern Front of World War II was the theatre of war covering the conflict in central and eastern European regions from June 1941 to May 1945. ...

Assessment of the battle

Normandy American Cemetery (at Omaha Beach)

The Normandy landings were the first successful opposed landings across the English Channel for nine centuries. They were costly in terms of men, but the defeat inflicted on the Germans was one of the largest of the war. Strategically, the campaign led to the loss of the German position in most of France and the secure establishment of a major new front. By September, Allied forces of seven field armies (two of which came through southern France in Operation Dragoon) were approaching the German frontier. An American military cemetery in Normandy Source: http://www. ... An American military cemetery in Normandy Source: http://www. ... A map of the operation. ...

The Allies were victorious in Normandy due to several factors. The Allies ensured material superiority at the critical point (concentration of force) and logistical innovations like the PLUTO pipelines and Mulberry harbors enhanced the flow of troops, equipment, and essentials such as fuel and ammunition. Movement of cargo over the open beaches exceeded Allied planners' expectations, even after the destruction of the US Mulberry in the channel storm in mid-June. By the end of July 1944, 1 million American, British, Canadian, French and Polish troops, hundreds of thousands of vehicles, and adequate supplies in most categories were ashore in Normandy. Although there was a shortage of artillery ammunition, at no time were the Allies critically short of any necessity. This was a remarkable achievement considering they did not hold a port until Cherbourg fell. Adjective Plutonian Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 0. ... Location within France Cherbourg-Octeville is a city and commune in Normandy, north-west France. ...

Allied Intelligence and counterintelligence efforts were successful beyond expectations. The Operation Fortitude deception plan before the invasion kept German attention focused on the Pas-de-Calais, and indeed high-quality German forces were kept in this area, away from Normandy, until July. Prior to the invasion, few German reconnaissance flights took place over Britain, and those that did saw only the dummy staging areas. Ultra decrypts of German communications had been helpful as well, exposing German dispositions and revealing their plans such as the Mortain counterattack. Operation Fortitude was the codename for the deception operations used by the Allied forces during World War II in connection with the Normandy landings. ... Ultra (sometimes capitalized ULTRA) was the name used by the British for intelligence resulting from decryption of German communications in World War II. The term eventually became the standard designation in both Britain and the United States for all intelligence from high-level cryptanalytic sources. ...

Allied air operations also contributed significantly to the invasion, via close tactical support, interdiction of German lines of communication (preventing movement of supplies and reinforcements- particularly the critical Panzer units), and rendering the Luftwaffe as practically useless in Normandy. German naval units were largely ineffective.

Despite initial heavy losses in the assault phase, Allied morale remained high. Casualty rates among all the armies were tremendous, and the Commonwealth forces had to create a new category - Double Intense - to be able to describe them. Manpower problems would plague the Allies for the remainder of the war. Britain disbanded an entire division (the 59th) in Normandy, and Canada would bring about conscription for overseas service in November 1944 due to the losses in Normandy and later operations in the Low Countries (like the Battle of the Scheldt). Combatants Canada, Britain, Poland Germany Commanders Guy Simonds (acting) (First Canadian Army) Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (German 15th Army) Strength ? ? Casualties 12,873 total; 6,367 Canadian ? The Battle of the Scheldt was a military operation which took place in northern Belgium and south-western Netherlands during the Second World...

German leadership

Faulty German dispositions and decisions also contributed to Allied victory. German commanders at all levels failed to react to the assault phase in a timely manner. Communications problems exacerbated the difficulties caused by Allied air and naval firepower; local commanders also seemed unequal to the task of fighting an aggressive defence on the beach, as Rommel envisioned. For example, the commander of the German 352nd Infantry Division failed to capitalize on American difficulty at Omaha, committing his reserves elsewhere when they might have been more profitably used against the American beachhead.

The German High Command remained fixed on the Calais area, and von Rundstedt was not permitted to commit the armored reserve. When it was finally released late in the day, success was immeasurably more difficult, and even the 21st Panzer Division, which was able to counterattack a bit earlier, was stymied by strong oppositon that had been allowed to build at the beaches. The Germans generally fought with their customary energy and skill, despite uneven performance by some units. The Panzer units faced withering air interdiction that reduced their effectiveness, yet they offered glimpses of what might have been possible in way of counterattack, had additional mobile forces like the 12th SS Panzer Division and the Panzer Lehr Division been committed earlier into the battle. Despite local Allied material superiority, the Germans kept the Allies bottled up for nearly two months.

Although there were several well-known disputes among the Allied commanders, their tactics and strategy were essentially determined on the battlefield, and by agreement between the main commanders. By contrast, the German leaders were constantly bullied and their decisions interfered with by Hitler, controlling the battle from a distance with little knowledge of local conditions. Field Marshals von Rundstedt and Rommel repeatedly asked Hitler for more discretion, but were refused. Von Rundstedt was sacked on June 29 after he bluntly told the Chief of Staff at Hitler's Armed Forces HQ (Field Marshal Keitel) to "Make peace, you idiots!" Rommel was severely injured by Allied aircraft on July 16. Field Marshal von Kluge, who took over the posts held by both von Rundstedt and Rommel, was compromised by his association with some of the military plotters against Hitler, and refused to disobey or argue with Hitler for fear of arrest. As a result, the German armies in Normandy were placed in deadly peril by Hitler's insistence on counter-attack rather than retreat after the American breakthrough. Kluge was relieved on August 15, and took his own life shortly afterwards. The more independent Field Marshal Model took over when the Germans in Normandy were already in the midst of defeat. June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel Wilhelm Bodewin Johann Gustav Keitel (September 22, 1882 – October 16, 1946) was a German Field Marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) and a senior military leader during World War II. // Early life and career The son of Carl Keitel, a middle-class landowner, he was born in Helmscherode, Brunswick, Germany. ... July 16 is the 197th day (198th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 168 days remaining. ... Günther von Kluge (Hans Günther von Kluge) (1882 - 1944), was a German military leader. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... Walther Model (pronounced modal) (January 24, 1891–April 21, 1945) was a German general, and later a Field Marshal, during World War II. He was noted for his defensive skills, and was nicknamed Hitlers fireman. Model served as an infantry officer in World War I. During the Polish...

Allied leadership

Much has been written about the Allied delay at taking Caen as the battle developed. Pre-invasion schedules were rarely fulfilled as planned. The Land Forces Commander, British General Bernard Montgomery, maintained mastery of the developing battle. His concept that Caen would be a "pivot", upon which the front would turn, was accurate, and as the battle of Normandy developed, the British and Canadian armies faced the bulk of German armor in the theatre. While US forces faced fewer German armored divisions, their own armor was severely limited by both the close-in terrain of the bocage and the large number and variety of German anti-tank weapons deployed all along the front. The open terrain on the British front on the eastern flank left the Germans little choice but to concentrate their armor there. Eventually this played into Allied hands when the breakout took place, not in the east as the Germans feared, but in the west in Operation Cobra. Location within France Hôtel dEscoville, 16th century, Caen Anonymous pen-and-ink birds-eye view of the fortifications of Caen (Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris) South Wall of the Castle, a huge fortress in the center of the city Town Hall of Caen Caen train station. ... Operation Cobra was the codename for the World War II operation planned by United States Army General Omar Bradley to break out from the Normandy area after the previous months D-Day landings. ...

Normandy and the Eastern front

The lodgement established at Normandy was vital for the Allies to bring pressure on German armies in western Europe. By this time the Soviet forces had the capacity to crush Germany in Europe on their own, and therefore a western invasion was not strictly required to defeat the German Reich. The military forces at the disposal of Nazi Germany, moreover, steadily declined from 1943 onwards. On D-Day, the Red Army was steadily advancing towards Germany and engaging four-fifths of all German land forces. In France, and Italy, the western Allies faced the remaining 20% of the German army. Motto: Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Russian: Workers of the world, unite!) Anthem: The Internationale (1922-1944) Hymn of the Soviet Union (1944-1991) Capital Moscow Largest city Moscow Official language(s) None; Russian de facto Government Federation of Soviet Republics Establishment October Revolution  - Declared 30 December 1922   - Recognized 1... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... The short forms Red Army and RKKA refer to the Workers and Peasants Red Army, (in Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия - Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya), the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918. ...

The third front in France diverted German resources and attention from the Eastern Front and thereby aided the Soviets substantially. The Germans had long expected an Allied invasion of France and had been required to garrison the country as well as divert manpower and materials to coastal fortifications along many hundreds of miles of shore. Hitler's thinking is documented in his Führer Directive 51, of November 1943, which stressed that the Western approaches to the Reich were to be strengthened even at the expense of those in the East. In addition, Hitler was anxious to hold on to the Belgian and northern French coasts as bases for the "V" weapons to be launched against England. In Nazi Germany during World War II, the V-1 flying bomb and the V-2 rocket were termed reprisal weapons or vengeance weapons (Vergeltungswaffen or V-Waffen for short) by Goebbels propaganda ministry. ...

Hitler maintained his "West first" focus after the landings in Normandy and all efforts were made to contain Allied forces within the lodgement area; in fact as the fighting in Normandy increased in tempo, Hitler accepted the annihilation of an entire German Army Group on the Russian front. Hitler would continue to redeploy desperately needed units from the East against the Western Allies, with this practice peaking in December 1944 in the Ardennes Offensive. Combatants United States United Kingdom Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower George Patton Bernard Montgomery Walther Model Gerd von Rundstedt Strength Dec 16 - start of the Battle: about 83,000 men; 242 Sherman tanks, 182 tank destroyers, and 394 pieces of corps and divisional artillery. ...

Given the Soviets' later domination of Eastern Europe, if the Normandy invasion had not occurred there might conceivably have been a complete occupation of northern and western Europe by communist forces. Alternately, Hitler might have deployed more forces to the Eastern Front, conveivably delaying or even preventing a Soviet advance beyond their prewar border. In practice though, German troops remained in the West even in the absence of an invasion. World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of Earth; the term continent here referring to a cultural and political distinction, rather than a physiographic one, thus leading to various perspectives about Europes precise borders. ...

War memorials and tourism

The visitor will find many reminders of June 6, 1944. Most noticeable are the beaches, which are still referred to on maps and signposts by their invasion codenames. Then come the vast cemeteries. The American cemetery, in Colleville-sur-Mer, contains row upon row of identical white crosses and Stars of David, immaculately kept, commemorating the American dead. Commonwealth graves, in many locations, use white headstones engraved with the person's religious symbol and their unit insignia. The largest cemetery in Normandy is the German one at La Cambe, which features granite stones almost flush with the ground and groups of low-set crosses. There is also a Polish cemetery. June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... Graves at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies are buried. ... Colleville-sur-Mer is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse_Normandie région, in France. ... The traditional form of the Western Christian cross, known as the Latin cross. ... The Star of David The Star of David is called the Shield of David in Hebrew, מָגֵן דָּוִד or מגן דוד, pronounced Magen David [] in Israeli Hebrew and Mogein Dovid [] or Mogen Dovid [] in Ashkenazi Hebrew and Yiddish. ... La Cambe is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région in France. ...

Streets near the beaches are still named after the units that fought there, and occasional markers commemorate notable incidents. At significant points, such as Pointe du Hoc and Pegasus Bridge, there are plaques, memorials or small museums. The Mulberry harbour still sits in the sea at Arromanches. In Sainte-Mère-Église, a dummy paratrooper hangs from the church spire. On Juno Beach, the Canadian government has built the Juno Beach Information Centre, commemorating one of the most significant events in Canadian military history. In Caen is a large Museum for Peace, which is dedicated to peace generally, rather than to the battle itself. The people of Normandy will continue to remember Operation Overlord long into the future. Pointe du Hocs location Preinvasion bombing of Pointe du Hoc by 9th Air Force bombers. ... Pegasus Bridge before its replacement Pegasus was the name given to a bridge over the Caen canal, near the town of Ouistreham. ... A Mulberry harbour was a type of temporary harbour developed in World War II to offload cargo on a beach during the Allied invasion of Normandy. ... Arromanches-les-Bains or simply Arromanches is a town in Normandy, France, located on the coast in the heart of the area where the Normandy landings took place on D_Day, on June 6, 1944. ... Sainte-Mère-Église is a small town and commune of the Manche département, in the Cotentin Peninsula near the coast of Normandy, France. ... An American Paratrooper using a MC1-B series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force. ... A church building (or simply church) is a building used in Christian worship. ... A modern spire on the Lancaster University Chaplaincy Centre A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. ... Combatants Canada Germany Commanders Major-General R.F.L. Keller, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Lieutenant-General H.D.G. Crerar, 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Strength 15,000 Unknown Casualties 574 dead, 340 wounded Unknown Juno Beach was one of the landing sites... The Juno Beach Centre or, in French, Centre Juno Beach, is a museum located in Courseulles-sur-Mer in the Calvados region of Normandy, France. ...

Every year on June 6, American cartoonist and World War II veteran Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000) reserved his Peanuts comic strip to memorialise his comrades who fell at Normandy. A cartoonist at work. ... Charles Monroe Schulz (November 26, 1922 – February 12, 2000) was a 20th-century American cartoonist best known worldwide for his Peanuts comic strip. ... Charlie Brown is the principal character of the Peanuts comic strip. ... This article is about the comic strip, the sequential art form as published in newspapers and on the Internet. ...

In 1994, for the 50th anniversary, the French issued a commemorative medal which depicted General Charles de Gaulle leading a heroic charge of French troops on an un-named beach. The medal was hastily withdrawn after it was pointed out that de Gaulle did not set foot upon French soil until the 14th June.^{[citation needed]}

Documentaries

• Morning: Normandy Invasion (June–August 1944), episode 17 of the famous 1974 ITV series The World at War features an extensive coverage of the Allied preparations and the actual events.
• D-Day: The Lost Evidence, 100 minute 2004 "History Channel" documentary that relies on Allied reconnaissance photos, computer graphics, reenactments, and the firsthand eye witness accounts of combatants, (Allies and Germans), who were there.
• Battlefield-The Battle for Normandy, 100 minute 2001 documentary that compares Allied and German commanders, personnel, equipment, and tactics before, during, and after the June-August battle.

The World at War was a 1974 television documentary series on the Second World War, the events that led up to it, and those that followed in its wake. ... Battlefield may refer to: the location of a battle, the Battlefield televised documentary series, shown on the Discovery Channel, which explores battles of World War 2, the Battlefield Vietnam televised documentary series, shown on the Military Channel, which gives detail explanations of Vietnam War, (1945-1975), battles. ...

Dramatizations

Films

• The Longest Day, a 1962 American film based on the book, starring Richard Burton, Sean Connery, John Wayne and a host of stars in small roles.
• Testa di sbarco per otto implacabili (Hell in Normandy), a 1967 Italian and French film directed by Alfonso Brescia.
• The Big Red One, a 1980 American film by Samuel Fuller, based on his own experiences in The First Infantry Division, or The Big Red One.
• Saving Private Ryan, a 1998 American film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks and Matt Damon.
• Zvezda (The Star), a 2002 Russian film directed by Nikolai Lebedev.
• Overlord, a 1975 British movie directed by Stuart Cooper. The film uses documentary footage of the landing, rather than a recreation.
• The Blockhouse, a 1973 movie starring Peter Sellers about French construction labourers trapped inside a German fortification on D-Day and for a further six years.
• D-Day, the Sixth of June, a 1956 love triangle involving Robert Taylor, Dana Wynter, and Richard Todd that allocates 10 minutes, (more or less), of the 106 minute movie to reenacting the invasion. Richard Todd, (D-Day combat veteran), would later co-star in The Longest Day.
• The Americanization of Emily, a 1964 anti-war satire/romance with Julie Andrews, James Garner, and James Coburn.

Music Videos

• "The Longest Day", by Iron Maiden
• "The Ghost of You", by My Chemical Romance

Music

• The British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, on their new album entitled "A Matter of Life and Death", wrote the song "The Longest Day" about the Battle of Normandy.

TV

• Band of Brothers, a 2001 American miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.
• Ike: Countdown to D-Day, a 2004 American movie aired on The History Channel starring Tom Selleck.

Video games

• Battlefield 1942, a 2002 Swedish video game.
• Call of Duty, a 2003 American computer and video game.
• Brothers In Arms: Road to Hill 30, a 2005 American computer and video game.
• Brothers In Arms: Earned in Blood, a 2005 American computer and video game.
• Call of Duty 2, a 2005 American computer and video game.
• Call of Duty 3, a 2006 American video game. The game is based on the Normandy Breakout.
• Commandos 3: Destination Berlin,a 2003 American computer and video game. The Omaha Beach invasion is dramatised in the Normandy campaign.
• Company of Heroes,a 2006 Canadian computer and video game.
• Medal of Honor, a 1999 American computer and video game series.
• Medal of Honor: Frontline, a 2002 American computer and video game.
• Unreal Tournament, a 1999 American computer and video game. An assault campaign loosely depicted the invasion.
• Soldiers: Heroes of WWII, a 2004 European computer and video game. The German campaign of the game, titled "Hunter", takes place after the invasion of D-Day and has the player in control of the legendary German tank commander, Michael Wittmann.
• Return To Castle Wolfenstein, An Axis vs Allied Multiplayer game.

Wargames

• The Longest Day, a 1980 American board wargame by Avalon Hill depicting the battle from the landings through to the breakout.
• D-Day: The Great Crusade, 2004 wargame covering the first 30 days of the Normandy Campaign.
• Memoir '44, a 2004 American wargame.
• Axis and Allies: D-Day, the fifth installment in the popular Axis & Allies series. It specifically deals with the D-Day landings.

The Longest Day is a 3-hour-long 1962 war film with a very large cast, based on the 1959 book The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about D-Day, the invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, during World War II. // Background The movie was adapted by Romain Gary... Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as—in metonymy—the field in general. ... Richard Burton in the movie Cleopatra (1963) Richard Burton CBE (November 10, 1925 – August 5, 1984) was a Welsh actor. ... Sir Thomas Sean Connery, KBE, (born August 25, 1930) is an Oscar-winning Scottish film actor who is best known as the original cinematic James Bond. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), popularly known as The Duke, [1] was an Academy Award winning, American film actor whose career began in silent movies in the 1920s. ... The Big Red One is a 1980 war film written and directed by Samuel Fuller. ... Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as—in metonymy—the field in general. ... Samuel Fuller Samuel Michael Fuller (August 12, 1911 – October 30, 1997) was an American film director. ... Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 Academy Award winning film, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat, set in World War II. This film is particularly notable for the intensity of the scenes in its first thirty minutes or so, which depict the Omaha beachhead assault of June... Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE (born December 18, 1946) is an Academy Award-winning American film director. ... Thomas Jeffrey Tom Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American actor, voice-over artist and movie producer who starred in family-friendly and screwball comedies before achieving notable success as a dramatic actor. ... Matt Damon at the Incirlik hospital, Incirlik Air Base, December 7, 2001 Matthew Paige Damon (born October 8, 1970) is an Academy Award-winning American screenwriter and actor. ... Zvezda (Звезда, or The Star) is a 2002 Russian film directed by Nikolai Lebedev. ... The Blockhouse was a 1973 film based on an apparent true story in book form written by Jean Paul Clebert, directed by Clive Rees and starring Peter Sellers. ... Richard Henry Peter Sellers, CBE (September 8, 1925 – July 24, 1980) was an English comedian, actor, and performer, who came to prominence on the BBC radio series The Goon Show. ... There are many people known as Robert Taylor, including: Robert Taylor (actor) Robert Taylor (aviation artist) Robert Taylor (composer) Robert Taylor (computer scientist) Sir Robert Taylor (architect) Robert Taylor (athlete) Robert Taylor (UK politician) Robert Love Taylor (US politician) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists... Dana Wynter (born June 8, 1931 in Berlin, Germany) was a popular actress in the 1950s. ... Richard Todd (born June 11, 1919) is a British actor. ... The Americanization of Emily is a 1964 American motion picture drama/comedy adapted for the screen by Paddy Chayefsky from the novel by William Bradford Huie. ... Julie Andrews as Maria, with the Von Trapp children in The Sound Of Music. ... James Garner (born Norman, Oklahoma, April 7, 1928) is an American film and television actor of partially Cherokee Indian descent. ... James Coburn in Sam Peckinpahs Cross of Iron (1977). ... The Longest Day has many meanings: The Longest Day (book) published in 1959 by Cornelius Ryan The Longest Day (movie) is a 1962 war film based on Ryans book The Longest Day (game) is a 1980 wargame by Avalon Hill This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which... Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from East London. ... The Ghost of You is a single by the rock band My Chemical Romance, from their second album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from East London. ... Band of Brothers is an acclaimed 10-part (600 minute runtime) television miniseries about World War II, co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. ... A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as... History Channel logo. ... Selleck at a formal affair, sans his trademark moustache. ... Battlefield 1942 is an expansive first-person shooter (FPS) set in World War II developed by Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows (2002) and Apple Macintosh (2004). ... Call of Duty (released on October 19, 2003) is a first-person shooter video game based on the Quake III engine. ... Brothers In Arms is a 2005 first_person shooter video game being developed by Gearbox Software for the PC (as Brothers In Arms: Road to Hill 30), PlayStation 2, and Xbox. ... Call of Duty 2 is a first-person shooter video game and sequel to the critically acclaimed game, Call of Duty. ... Call of Duty 3 is the name of the next installment in the Call of Duty video game series. ... Mont Saint Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ... Company of Heroes (CoH for short) is a Real Time Strategy game for the PC, first announced on April 25 2005. ... Medal of Honor (MOH) is the name of a series of first-person shooter games set in World War II. The first game was developed by DreamWorks Interactive (currently known as EA Los Angeles) and published by Electronic Arts in 1999 for the PlayStation game console. ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... This is a list of video game franchises organised alphabetically by name. ... Medal of Honor: Frontline is the first installment of Electronic Arts popular Medal of Honor series for the Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube video game systems. ... Unreal Tournament, UT, or UT99 is a popular first-person shooter video game. ... Return to Castle Wolfenstein is a first person shooter computer game published by Activision and released in 2001. ... The Longest Day is the name of a 1980 wargame by Avalon Hill which simulates the D-Day invasion and subsequent Normandy breakout. ... A board game is any game played on a board (that is, a premarked surface) with counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across the board. ... Wargaming is the play of simulated military operations in the form of games known as wargames. ... Avalon Hill was a game company that specialized in wargames and strategic board games. ... Memoir 44 is a light strategy board game, created by Richard Borg, for two to six players. ...

See also

Break Out From the Hedgerows: A Lesson in Ingenuity

• D-Day Fact Sheet with rare photograph of Eisenhower on D-Day plus one

References

Stephen Ambrose, at the 2001 premiere of Band of Brothers. ...

External links

• Overlord44 French website which deals with the landings, all the Battle of Normandy, and which have a lot of other data in relation (biographies, readings, external links, museums, and so on).
• Canada and Normandy Canadians in Normandy, 1944. Battle info, video, audio and many photos of Canadians in Normandy.
• Cross-Channel Attack CMH Pub 7-4: Official U.S. Military History.
• The D-Day Museum in England
• WW2DB: The Normandy Campaign
• The National D-Day Museum in the United States
• BBC WW2 history
• Utah Beach to Cherbourg CMH Pub 100-12: Official U.S. Military History.
• Juno Beach Centre
• U.S. Navy Online Library of Selected Images: Normandy invasion
• Second World War Newspaper Archives — D-Day Invasion and the Normandy Campaign
• The original plan document for Operation Neptune
• The original plan document for Operation Overlord
• Royal Engineers Museum Royal Engineers and Second World War
• Royal Engineers Museum Royal Engineers and Operation Overlord
• General Dwight D. Eisenhower's final order for D-day, from the National Archives.

• Announcement of imminent invasion to the crew of the flagship, USS Augusta (CA-31)
• Personal accounts of members of the 6th Airborne Division in Normandy (Pegasus Bridge)
• Encyclopædia Britannica's Guide to Normandy 1944
• D-Day : Etat des Lieux - 6 June 1944 and Battle of Normandy
• D-Day Links
• Normandie44.net
• D-Day 60th anniversary D-Day and the Battle of Normandy
• The decoy paratrooper history ("Rupert") The Known Factual History Of Military Decoy Paratrooper Dummies.
• Comanche Code Talkers The story of the code talkers is one of the little-known heroic chapters of D-Day during World War II.
• Last WWII Comanche Code Talker Visits Pentagon, Arlington Cemetery Charles Chibitty, the last surviving World War II (D-Day) Comanche code talker, donned his feathered Indian chief's headdress and offered a prayer in the Pentagon Chapel.
• Aerial movie of Omaha beach and the Normandy American Cemetery View from a low flying private plane
• D-Day and the US Paratroopers
• Juno Beach - The Canadians On D-Day
• The National D-Day Memorial Foundation
• 30 Commando Assault Unit - Ian Flemings 'Red Indians'
• Pegasus Bridge Museum

Sources

The Longest Day is a book by Cornelius Ryan published in 1959, telling the story of D-Day, the first day of the World War II invasion of Normandy. ... Cornelius Ryan (5 June 1920 – 23 November 1974) was an Irish-American journalist and author mainly known for his writings on popular military history, especially World War II. His two best-known books are The Longest Day (1959), which tells the story of the D-Day (day one of the... Michael J. Varhola is an author of numerous books, games, and articles, as well as the founder of game development company and manufacturer Skirmisher Publishing LLC [1]. Non-fiction books Varhola has authored or co-authored include The Writers Complete Fantasy Reference (Writers Digest Books, 2000) with Terry Brooks... The World at War was a 1974 television documentary series on the Second World War, the events that led up to it, and those that followed in its wake. ... The Dictionary of National Biography (or DNB) is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history. ...

Bibliography

Colonel Charles Perry Stacey OC, OBE, CD, BA, AM, PhD, LLD, DLitt, D.c Mil, FRSC, was the official historian of the Canadian Army in the Second World War and has been published extensively on matters both military and political. ... Sir John Keegan (born 1934) is an English military historian. ... Sir John Keegan (born 1934) is an English military historian. ... Stephen Ambrose, at the 2001 premiere of Band of Brothers. ... Michael Richard Daniell Foot (born 1919) is a British historian. ...

Further reading