D-Day: As the landing in Normandy led to victory over Germany

D-Day: As the landing in Normandy led to victory over Germany

On Friday, the D-Day, also known as the day of landing in Normandy, marks the 81st time. This decisive day laid the foundation for the defeat of National Socialist Germany in World War II. The invasion, which was planned under the code name Operation overlord, included tens of thousands of soldiers from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, which landed on five beaches of the coast of Normandy, France, which are known as Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and SWord.

When did the D-Day take place?

The operation was originally planned for June 5, 1944, but due to bad weather conditions it had to be postponed by 24 hours. The Allies finally landed on the five beaches at 6:30 a.m. on June 6th.

What does the term d-day mean?

The term "D-Day" was in military coding for the beginning of an important operation, whereby the "D" stands for "Day" (day). So D-Day actually means "Day Day". According to the royal british legion Used in 1944. After this invasion, however, the expression became synonymous with the start of the operation overlord and is well known today.

Which Allies involved?

The D-Day marked an unprecedented cooperation between international armed forces, with more than 2 million soldiers being mobilized in the United Kingdom to prepare for the invasion, according to the Imperial War Museums (IWM). Most of these soldiers came from the United States, Great Britain and Canada, but also troops from Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Poland were involved in the operation overlord.

preparations for the D-Day

The invasion of the Allied troops was coordinated by air, land and sea, which can be described as amphibious landing. This was accompanied by an extensive bomb campaign that aimed to weaken the German defenses and from various deception tactics.

The Operation Bodyguard was the overarching term for the deception strategies that preceded the invasion of the Allies in Europe in June 1944. Under this term, the operation fortitude was a tactic that was specifically connected to Normandy invasion and aimed to make Nazi Germany believed that the first attacks on Normandy were only a distraction and that the true invasion would take place elsewhere.

The action on the D-Day

The US troops landed on the base of the Cotenin peninsula and on the Omaha Beach on the north coast of Normandy. The British then landed on the Gold Beach, followed by the Canadians on the Juno and finally the British on the Sword, the easternmost point of the invasion.

until midnight, the troops had secured their bridgeheads and moved further inland from Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword. However, not all landings were successful; The US armed forces suffered significant losses on the Omaha Beach, where strong currents drive many landing boats away from their intended positions and thereby made it difficult for the invasion strategy. Heavy fire of German positions on the steep cliffs, which had not been effectively destroyed by allied bombing before the invasion, also caused victims.

the German defense

According to the IWM, Germany's reaction to the operation overlord was "slow and confused." The weather conditions on June 6th were still bad, many high -ranking commander were not at their post, and the Operation Forttitude convinced Adolf Hitler that the invasion in Normandy was only a deception before a greater attack on Pas de Calais.

The Air Force in Germany was on other fronts to ward off American bombing on Germany. The navy ships were in the ports or had already been destroyed by the Allies. This left only the German army for defense against the operation overlorded.

number of victims on D-Day

AM D-Day itself were confirmed about 4,440 members of the Allies as dead, so the highest d-day losses per head in the USA .

What did the D-Day follow?

Although the Allies secured a strong position on the French coast on the D-Day, they were still in danger that German bombing could push them back into the sea. They had to build up the troop strength and equipment in Normandy faster than the Germans to enable the invasion to be continued to the European mainland. The Allies used their air power to slow down the German advance towards Normandy by destroying bridges, railways and streets in the region. This made it possible for the Allies to obtain total control over Normandy 77 days later and to move further towards Paris, which they freed in in August 1944

The effects of the operation on the war

The US Department of Defense describes the D-Day as the "successful start of the end of Hitler's tyrannical regime." The IWM describes him as "the most important victory of the western allies in the second world war. Due to the successful attempt to land in Normandy, the Allies were able to start their advance in northern Europe. Although the Second World War in Europe lasted almost another year, the success of the operation overlord led to the liberation of France and enabled the Allied to fight against the Germans in Europe occupied by the Nazis.

The National wwii museum think about what would have happened if the operation had failed. Another attempt at landing would have been possible a year later. During this time, Hitler would have strengthened the coastal protection measures in Nazi-occupied Europe, developing planes and weapons, and Britain could have bombarded even more intensively and continue his war of annihilation. The fight of the Allies on the western front and the Russian troops on the Eastern Front ultimately led to the defeat of the German Nazi forces.

On May 7, 1945, the German Third Reich signed the unconditional surrender in Reims, France. The day of liberation in Europe (V-E Day) is celebrated the following day, as the armistice came into force on this day.