D-Day: Operation Overlord

[Yakk]

In Europe, the 60th anniversary of D-Day has begun.

The Battle of Normandy

Deception plan

In order to persuade the Germans that the invasion would really be coming to the Pas de Calais, the Allies prepared a massive deception plan, called Operation Fortitude. An entirely fictitious First US Army Group was created, with fake buildings and equipment and sending false radio messages. General Patton was even mentioned as the unit's commander. The Germans were eager to find the real landing location for themselves, and had an extensive network of agents operating throughout Southern England. Unfortunately for them, every single one had been 'turned' by the Allies, and was dutifully sending back messages confirming the Pas de Calais as the likely attack point. To keep the pretence running for as long as possible, the deception was continued into the battle, with air attacks on radar and other installations in the area.

Almost 3 million troops crossed the English Channel. In the first 5 days, 1/3 of a million had made it accross. 200,000 Allied troops where injured or killed, as were 200,000 German troops.

The two hardest landings where at Omaha and Juno beach: attacked by Americans and Canadians respectively.

<Omaha Beach>

On Omaha beach the US 1st Infantry were undergoing the worst ordeals of the landings. Their swimming Sherman tanks had been mostly lost before reaching shore. Their opposition, the 352nd Division, were some of the best trained on the beaches, and occupied positions on steep cliffs overlooking 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". The division lost over 4000 casualties. Despite this the survivors regrouped and pressed inland.

The massive concrete clifftop gun emplacement at Pointe du Hoc was the target of the US 2nd Ranger battalion. Their task was to scale the 100 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. The emplacement was successfully reached, and the guns which had been moved out (probably during the preceding bombardment) were found and destroyed. The casualty rate for the landing troops was nearly fifty percent.

<Juno Beach>

The Canadian forces who landed on Juno beach faced 11 heavy batteries of 155mm guns and 9 medium batteries of 75mm 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 highest of any of the five D-Day beachheads except Omaha.

Despite the obstacles, within hours the Canadians were off the beach and beginning their advance inland. The 1st Hussars of 6th Canadian Armoured regiment were the only Allied unit to meet their June 6th objectives, when they crossed the Caen-Bayeux highway 15 km inland.

By the end of D-Day 14,000 Canadians had been successfully landed and the 3rd Canadian Division had penetrated further into France than any other Allied force, having faced stronger resistance than any beachhead save Omaha. The first counter-attack of D-Day was launched by the 21st Panzer division between Sword and Juno beaches, and the Canadians held against several stiff counter-attacks on June 7th & 8th by the 12th SS (Hitler Youth) Panzer division.

Never forget the cost of appeasement, the cost of war, and those who payed the piper.


An American military cemetery in Normandy

The visitor to Normandy today will find many reminders of June 6th, 1944. Most noticeable are the beaches, which are still referred to on maps and signposts by their invasion codenames. Then come the vast cemeteries, row on row of identical white crosses and Stars of David, immaculately kept, commemorating the Allied dead. 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 St Mere Eglise a dummy paratrooper hangs from the church spire. On Juno Beach the Canadian government plans to build a massive memorial and information centre, commemorating one of the most significant events in Canadian military history. The locals will continue to remember Operation Overlord long into the future.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

[KellyC]

Thanks for the information Yakk, WWII, in particular, Operation Overlord, has always been a favorite topic of mine in school.

[ARTelevision]

This is a good time for mending fences with our former and current allies.

...the world was saved here.
...it's good we remember.

[maleficent]

If you ever get the opportunity, go to Normandy - pictures absolutely do not do it justice at all... When you see it, you find your self saying how'd they do that? You don't quite get how big the cemetery until you see it in person.

Some of the Reagan footage today, was from Normandy - really touching stuff.

[Asuka{eve}]

Thanks for the info!