The Allied forces included 150,000 troops of American, British, and Canadian soldiers. They deployed on the beaches of France, the Nazi-occupied land, and they were able to send the Nazi forces inland of Western Europe.
The big screen has adopted this historic day in the movies like “Saving Private Ryan” and a miniseries of “Band of Brothers.”
What was the plan and deception of D-Day?
The Hitler-led army was taking control of France to take over Europe. Allied forces were aware of it, and General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the supreme commander of Operation Overlord. all the places on the French coast, Normandy, were chosen because of its weak sections along the wall of the Atlantic, a line of fortifications built by Hitler.
During months of planning of Operation Overlord, the Allies had planned decoy missions to keep the Germans confused. This fake mission was called “Operation Fortitude.” It let the Germans think that the Allies were planning to attack Norway or Pas de Calais instead of Normandy. The united forces even designed a “dummy army” under the command of Lt. General George Patton.
What was the invasion of D-Day?
On June 6th, 1944, around 13,000 paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines taking darkness as the cover. Four thousand more soldiers were brought by gliders. The soldiers were left scattered, but they gave in everything to fight the German. According to their plans, Germans were confused and could not understand their objectives. Thousands of planes flew over the German army, dropping many bombs, and a substantial naval attack took place from the ocean.
The air and naval force were significant, but they were still only for support. The beach landings could have only won the actual battle.
The Allied forces landed on the coast at 6:30 in the morning. The Normandy coast was 50-mile long, and it was divided into five sections.
Utah: assigned to Americans
Omaha: assigned to Americans
Gold: assigned to British
Sword: assigned to British
Juno: assigned to Canadians
The boat ramp went up and down, and the soldiers had to jump, swim, run and crawl to the cliffs. The youngest (not even 20-year-old) were in the front, carrying more than 80 pounds of weapons. The beach was 200 yards long, where they were completely exposed. There was this terrifying artillery blanket, and the soldiers found themselves in what was described as “hell.”
Success at the Utah beach came at the cost of almost 200 casualties of 21,000 that beach landed on the very first day, and 2500 died of the 14,000 paratroopers.
The most heavily guarded Omaha beach, and the Americans were not aware. It became one of the bloodiest landings in history, with about 3000 casualties of 43,250 on the first day. Many of them were shot dead in the water and drowned, as recalled by Sgt. Bob Slaughter of the U.S. 29th Infantry Regiment. Many of the soldiers among their dead comrades in the water played dead and let the tide take them in.
In total, German casualties were estimated from 4000-to 9000. Allied forces’ casualties were 10,000, with more than 4000 confirmed dead.
What was the result of D-Day?
Hitler, on this day, had decided to sleep, and all his subordinates were under the order not to wake him up. When he finally woke up at noon, he still believed that the battle of Normandy was a plan of diversion.
The Allied troops had gotten back to Cherbourg Port by the end of June. Around 850,000 soldiers had landed on the beach of Normandy, and they were determined to push back farther in France.
By the end of August 1944, Allied troops had freed Paris and the northwestern part of France, and this helped the troops to enter the German land where the Russians were already closing in from the east.
Many historians believe that the battle of Normandy was a “psychological hit.” Nazi Germany could not defend France because the Soviets were fighting from the eastern part of the country.
By May 8th, 1945, the Allied troops accepted Nazi Germany’s surrender.
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