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Nazis assumed a cross-channel invasion would take place at the closest spot--that being Calais. Therefore the Atlantic Wall was strongest there.  Allied leaders knew this and decided to exploit their assumption.

Normandy provided other options:
1. a weak Atlantic Wall
2. not a direct port, but access to one that was close-Cherbourg
3. the beaches in Normandy were sandy and would provide good landing. Also, they were similar to beaches in England meaning men could prepare and practice better.

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hedgehogs at high tide

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German artillery bunkers

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hedgehogs

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The Germans knew a land invasion would have to come, they just didn't know where. Therefore, all along the French coastline they built the Atlantic Wall-a series of bunkers and other fortifications put in place to halt an Allied assault

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D-Day: Allied Invasion at Normandy Video - D-Day - HISTORY.com

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View newsreel film footage detailing the D-day invasion of France on June 6, 1944.

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Overlord begins with the dropping of US Paratroopers on St. Mere-Eglise and UK paratroopers on Caen on the night of June 5. Paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne parachute in to destroy key military installations in preparation for the amphibious landings.

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More artillery shells fell in 1 hour on Omaha beach than in all Naval campaigns in WWI put together. 600 warships open up on German coastal defenses. Among these is the USS NEVADA, bombed at Pearl Harbor and a flagship in Normandy.

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Troops land on the beaches as reinforcements. By the end of June 11 (D+5)
326, 547 troops
54, 186 vehicles

104, 428 TONS of supplies land on the beaches

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amphibious water to land landing craft were created to aid in troop landing

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Operation Neptune- the amphibious assault part of Overlord which consisted of

1213 Naval combat ships

4126 landing ships and craft

736 anti-artillery craft

846 merchant vessles

over 6000 water craft and 195, 700 personnel assigned to Operation Neptune

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Once the beachhead is established at Gold Beach, the town of Arromanches is transformed into the hub of disembarking activity.

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(Casualty- killed wounded or MIA)

DDay casualties originally estimated 10,000 with 2500 dead. However new numbers from dday.org place #s of dead at 2500 for US, 1900 for all other Allied nations bringing dead to 4400. Germans lost an estimated 4000-9000.

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On June 6th at 4:15 am the floating army rendezvous at "Picadilly Circus" before heading to Normandy. Close to 6000 vessels take part. Soldiers left out of 9 English ports.

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Canadian Troops= 21,400 all on JUNO Beach

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British Troops= 61,715 24,970 on GOLD 28,845 on SWORD 7,900 Airborne

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US Troops= 73,000 23,250 on UTAH 34,250 on OMAHA 15,000 Airborne

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11,590 Aircraft supported the landings. 14,674 sorties flown

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Codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword

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The most significant D-Day film footage was shot on Juno Beach by Sergeant Bill Grant. The film shows Canadian troops of the North Shore Regiment landing on Juno Beach, on D-Day, June 6, 1944. http://www.junobeach.info

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June 3- troops board ships
June 6-
0020- 6th Airborne (UK) at Pegasus Bridge 0030-101st dropped over Sainet Mere-Eglise

230-82nd Airborne dropped over Cotentin penninsula
500-Bombers open up on speific targets along Normandy to soften beaches for landing

530- Naval guns open up

630-US lands at Utah and Omaha Beach

710-Rangers at foot of Pointe du Hoc

730- UK land at Gold and Sword

800- Canadians land at Juno

1330- US troops radio Gen Bradley that they are successfully advancing at Omaha

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The luftwaffe was completely broken by the Allies by Feb '44. By Dday they only had about 900 planes left. The Allies controlled the skies almost completely.

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Air Forces employed strategic bombing throughout Nazi held territories--canals, railroads, fuel depots, fuel reserves, munitions plants, in an effort to get those materials out of German hands before the landings. Breaking communication and transportation lines also aided in Allied Success.

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Due to the breaking of the Enigma Code, Allied leaders knew the Nazis were confused by Bodyguard. They could send false intelligence through the code thus reinforcing Bodyguard.

Overlord might not have been a success without the Enigma Code being broken.

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Operation Bodyguard- the most important plan of deception and counterintelligence in WWII

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Operation Bodyguard- the most important plan of deception and counterintelligence in WWII

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In order to fool the Nazis and keep them guessing as to where the Allied invasion would occur, the Allies instituted an enormous plan to deceive the Nazi High Command. Most importantly ,the Allies had to make these false invasions plausible to keep Nazis away from real landings.

1) Bombings--for every 1 bomb dropped in Normandy, 2 were dropped in Calais

2) Operation Fortitude North-fake army ready to attach Germans in Norway

3) Operation Fortitude South- US 1st army (ghost Army) led by General Patton whom the Germans feared most

4) Operation Zeppelin- an offensive in the Balkans to keep German troops occipied there

5) Soviet offensives on the Eastern Front

6) Operation Vendetta- invasion through southern France through the Mediterranean

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REQUIRED CONDITIONS:

1) High tide at landing
2) Dawn assault
3) Full moon at night for Airborne troops Small window June 5,6,7

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As supreme commander, Eisenhower puts US General Omar Bradley and UK General Bernard Montgomery in charge of land forces.

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Before his troops embark, Ike addresses them. It is June 5, 1944

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Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's D-Day Message

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AIRPLANES

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30,000 tanks...

The importance of industry in the preparation for Overlord can not be underestimated.

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GENERAL EISENHOWER'S MISSION- The Goal of Overlord

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GENERAL EISENHOWER'S MISSION- The Goal of Overlord

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You will enter the continent of Europe and, in conjunction with other united nations, undertake operations aimed at the heart of Germany and the destruction of her armed forces

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Prefabricated In the UK, floated over and sunk. Bridges are then assembled for the disembarkation of men, supplies, and equipment.

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Dec 1943 General Eisenhower is made Supreme Allied Commander

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gear up to produce 86,000 planes

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LESSONS LEARNED HELP WITH THE SUCCESS OF OPERATION OVERLORD

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LESSONS LEARNED HELP WITH THE SUCCESS OF OPERATION OVERLORD

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Other landings teach the Allies very important lessons...

1) Operation Jubilee (Failed Raid on Dieppe) Aug 19, 1942--don't attack a port directly and be sure to have the ability to bring in reinforcements

2) Op TORCH in N. Africa Nov 8, 1942
3) Op Husky in Sicily July 10, 1943
4) Anzio landings Jan 44

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in 1943, Us factories produce munitions

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Churchill had artificial harbors built to create a deep water port until the port of Cherbourg could be secured.

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Preparations:

Casablanca Conference Jan 24, 1943 created a joint command. Also decided on 3 methods to attack Germany:

1) Operation Starkey- (diversion op in 1943)
2) Operation Rankin (attack ready if Germany fell)

3) Operation Overlord (land on mainland Europe in Mary 1944)