Photograph: June 6th, 1944 — known today as D-Day. (Photograph by Learn our History.)
June 6
Learn Our History Today: On June 6, 1944, one of the most famous events of World War II took place. It was the Allied invasion of Europe, codenamed Operation Overlord. The British and the French had been forced out of Western Europe by the Germans four years earlier, resulting in the disastrous evacuation at Dunkirk. Ever since then, the Allies, who in 1941 came to include the United States, had launched campaigns against the Germans in other locations such as Africa, Sicily, and Italy. All the while, they knew they desperately needed to get back to France and Western Europe, where they could liberate overtaken Allied nations and take the fight to Germany itself. In addition, the opening of another front in Western Europe would greatly assist the Soviet Union, who had been doing battle with the Germans in the East essentially alone since June 1941.
On June 6, referred to thereafter as D-Day, the invasion finally came, beginning in Normandy, France. In the early morning hours, the invasion started when three Allied airborne divisions, the American 82nd and 101st and the British 6th, were dropped into German held Normandy. The three divisions had varying objectives, but overall, the airborne troops’ main job was to create a major disruption behind German lines and pave the way for the coming beach landings. Unfortunately, these airborne men were scattered in a disorganized fashion all around Normandy by poorly marked drop zones and less than desirable weather. Despite the difficulties this caused when it came to getting units together and achieving assigned objectives, this scattering actually ended up working to the Allies’ advantage. Wherever the Germans turned they were running into American and British paratroopers, causing mass panic and confusion.
After the airborne landings, American, British, and Canadian troops landed on multiple beaches along the Normandy coast. The American beaches were codenamed Omaha and Utah, the British beaches Gold and Sword, and the Canadian beach Juno. By far, the fiercest fighting took place on Omaha beach. At Omaha, the defense was much stronger than expected, and the American troops landing there suffered heavy casualties. In addition, engineers had trouble clearing the beach’s obstacles as they were constantly under heavy fire. The few areas that were cleared by them quickly became clogged up by newly landing soldiers. These areas then suffered murderous fire from German machine guns.
Western Europe by the Germans four years earlier, resulting in the disastrous evacuation at Dunkirk. Ever since then, the Allies, who in 1941 came to include the United States, had launched campaigns against the Germans in other locations such as Africa, Sicily, and Italy. All the while, they knew they desperately needed to get back to France and Western Europe, where they could liberate overtaken Allied nations and take the fight to Germany itself. In addition, the opening of another front in Western Europe would greatly assist the Soviet Union, who had been doing battle with the Germans in the East essentially alone since June 1941.
On June 6, referred to thereafter as D-Day, the invasion finally came, beginning in Normandy, France. In the early morning hours, the invasion started when three Allied airborne divisions, the American 82nd and 101st and the British 6th, were dropped into German held Normandy. The three divisions had varying objectives, but overall, the airborne troops’ main job was to create a major disruption behind German lines and pave the way for the coming beach landings. Unfortunately, these airborne men were scattered in a disorganized fashion all around Normandy by poorly marked drop zones and less than desirable weather. Despite the difficulties this caused when it came to getting units together and achieving assigned objectives, this scattering actually ended up working to the Allies’ advantage. Wherever the Germans turned they were running into American and British paratroopers, causing mass panic and confusion.
After the airborne landings, American, British, and Canadian troops landed on multiple beaches along the Normandy coast. The American beaches were codenamed Omaha and Utah, the British beaches Gold and Sword, and the Canadian beach Juno. By far, the fiercest fighting took place on Omaha beach. At Omaha, the defense was much stronger than expected, and the American troops landing there suffered heavy casualties. In addition, engineers had trouble clearing the beach’s obstacles as they were constantly under heavy fire. The few areas that were cleared by them quickly became clogged up by newly landing soldiers. These areas then suffered murderous fire from German machine guns.
However, not everyone on the beach was pinned down by the German guns. Small groups of soldiers were able to launch penetrations, pouring through the gaps in between German positions. Overall, in spite of a spirited German defense, the Allies were able to establish a beachhead in Europe and by the end of June 6; nearly 160,000 Allied troops had arrived in France. The invasion of Normandy cost the Allies almost 12,000 casualties and the Germans more than 4,000.
Note: Information provided by Learn our History – This week in History
