D-Day June 6, 1944

In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, three Allied airborne divisions parachuted behind enemy lines in NW France to cut vital communications and seize control of important roads, bridges, and airfields. Six hours later, a combined force of American, British, and Canadian troops under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower landed on the coast of France at Normandy.

The initial invasion force of 175,000 troops had been ferried across the English Channel overnight in more than 2,700 ships. Besides troops, the ships carried tons of supplies and thousands of vehicles. Several thousand planes also participated in the assault, either transporting paratroopers, towing gliders, or dropping bombs on enemy positions.

The Allied attack at Normandy was spread over five beaches, code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Only light resistance was encountered at several beaches, but German fire at Omaha Beach was particularly heavy. Germans firing from cliffs high above the beach inflicted heavy casualties on American troops that landed there. Even so, 250,000 Allied soldiers succeeded in going ashore in the first 24 hours of the invasion. From the beaches of Normandy, the Allies slowly fought their way inland. They liberated Paris on August 19, and by September they had cleared France of German troops. This was the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany.

TRAINING The Allies had been training vigorously for the invasion of France. For nearly three years, British, American and Canadian troops trained daily for the task ahead. Unlike the German troops occupying France, the Allied soldiers that would undertake the invasion were in the best physical condition of their lives.

Notes: Training: Allied soldiers trained for 2 years They were in the best shape of their lives

TECHNOLOGY The Allies developed weapons and vehicles especially for the amphibious assault of France. Boats such as these, called Higgins boats, could land a platoon of men on a beach within seconds. The Allies also modified tanks that could float and “swim” up to a beach. Without these advancements, the invasion may have been impossible.

Notes: Technology: Higgins boats Amphibious tanks Amphibious truck, the DUKW (“Duck”) Portable dock, the Mulberry Gliders

AIR SUPERIORITY The Allies had nearly complete control of the sky. By 1944, the German Luftwaffe was nearly kaput. The invasion forces would have surely faced annihilation if the German air force could have attacked the Allies from the air. There were only two German aircraft reported being seen over the Normandy beaches on D-Day.

Notes: Air Superiority: Allies had complete control of the skies Only 2 German aircraft were spotted.

SEA SUPERIORITY On D-Day, the English Channel was patrolled by the greatest Navy in history of the world. Hundreds of war ships from countries such as Norway, England, the U.S., Poland, and Canada controlled every nook and cranny of the waterway separating England from France. There was no chance for a German naval assault.

Notes: Sea Superiority: Huge allied naval force No German submarines could get through the English Channel!

WEAK “GERMAN” DEFENDERS The forces defending the beaches of Normandy were not the best German troops. Hitler had his best men fighting the Soviets in the East. A large number of the “German” troops in France were not even German. Often the allies would discover that the surrendering Germans were actually Polish or Russian men being forced to fight for Germany. Also, many of the German troops were young boys or old men in no condition to fight.

Notes: German “Defenders” Many “German” soldiers were Polish/Russian POWs (prisoners of war). Many German soldiers were over 60 years or under 16 years! The best German soldiers were on the Eastern Front.

CONCLUSION AND ASSIGNMENT The allies were successful in pushing the occupying German forces out of France. The allies had built up their momentum. Within one year, Berlin would fall and Germany would surrender, bringing an end to World War II in Europe. Your assignment is: Use your notes taken from the slide show to compose a stoplight paragraph explaining why the Allies were able to successfully storm the beaches of Normandy and win the battle of D-Day.