The Invasion of Europe

Invasion of Europe

You will enter the Continent of Europe and, in conjunction with the other United Nations, undertake operations aimed at the heart of Germany and the destruction of her armed forces.

Invasion of Europe

• The Allied Invasion of the Coast of Normandy in France

• Called D-Day– Code Name: Operation Overlord

• Was the greatest amphibious assault ever attempted

• Commanded by Dwight D. Eisenhower

Preparing for Invasion

• German commander in France, Marshall Gerd von Rundstedt, was tricked into expecting the invasion in the wrong place.– Was expecting them to cross the channel from

Dover to Calis

Preparing for Invasion

• Soldiers in Britain prepared very hard for the invasion

• Everything was kept top secret, even the soldiers were not aware of what they were training for

• Last ten days, forces were off-limits to the outside world.

Preparing for Invasion• Rommel builds the Atlantic Wall

Weather and the Invasion

• D-Day was dictated by weather– Tides had to be just right for boats to get ashore– Had to be a full moon for light paratroopers to

jump• June 5, 1944 chosen as the day

– Had to be postponed

The Invasion Begins

• Night of June 5, 1944 ships leave• Paratroopers jump behind German lines

using the light of the moon– Some fell in swamps and drowned with their

full gear– Some were shot down as they drifted down

The Invasion Begins

• British and Americans bomb the beaches• Allies invade Five Beaches

– Americans invade Utah and Omaha Beach– The British invade Gold and Sword Beach– Canadians and British invade Juno

The Invasion Begins

• Fighting was fierce on the beaches• Omaha beach- A German division was on

maneuvers on the bluff above Omaha at the time of the attack– Could fire on the Americans below them

The Invasion Begins

• Mass chaos ensues on Omaha• Large Companies and battalions were

broken up and the soldiers began rallying individually or in small units.

Omaha consisted of 8 concrete bunkers, 35 pillboxes, 4 artillery batteries, 18 anti-tank guns, 35 rocket launching sites, no less than 85 machine gun nests, and countless Germans with small arms.

Obstacles found on Omaha Beach

Allies take the beaches

• Allied invaders had their desired foothold• Once the Germans realized the true site of

the invasion, it was too late. • D-day was a great victory

Turning Point in the War

The D-Day invasion was successful and turned the course of WWII and world history. By landing in Normandy, the Allies made an opening where they could strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.