Free Essays on D-Day

Under Adolf Hitler the German empire extended from Russia to the west, to France on the east. Germany controlled much of Europe except for Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, and Sweden (Keegan 1). Hitler’s army’s gained control of much of Europe during the years of 1939 through 1941. It was not until December 11th 1941 that Hitler declared war on the United States. Soon afterward, Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed supreme commander in charge of planning the invasion of Europe. American invasion planners were in favor of an attack across the English Channel that would defeat the German army in the west and later, push into the German capital of Berlin. The allied plan would be a land attack, supported by air power and navy. The attack, if successful, would mark the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler referred to his western defenses as the â€Å"Atlantic Wall†(Jennys 1). The British under Prime Minister Winston Churchill, had an invasion plan before the United States got into the war. When the United States entered the war, a plan to attack the German forces from England was talked about again. The Germans knew that they would have to defend their Atlantic Wall, since they knew that an attack would probably come across the English Channel. Even though England was bombed day and night, Germany was unable to defeat them. One major problem in defending the ‘Atlantic Wall† was â€Å"no single supreme German commander in the west† was named to command the army (Badsey 25). Instead, Hitler had two commanders in Western Europe, Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt and Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Rundstedt and Rommel could not agree on how best to defend an invasion from England. Rommel believed that the strongest German forces should be positioned a long the Normandy coastline. While Rundstedt believed that the allies would best be defeated by holding back a large central army in an effective counter attack (Jennys 1). ... Free Essays on D-day Free Essays on D-day Under Adolf Hitler the German empire extended from Russia to the west, to France on the east. Germany controlled much of Europe except for Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, and Sweden (Keegan 1). Hitler’s army’s gained control of much of Europe during the years of 1939 through 1941. It was not until December 11th 1941 that Hitler declared war on the United States. Soon afterward, Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed supreme commander in charge of planning the invasion of Europe. American invasion planners were in favor of an attack across the English Channel that would defeat the German army in the west and later, push into the German capital of Berlin. The allied plan would be a land attack, supported by air power and navy. The attack, if successful, would mark the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler referred to his western defenses as the â€Å"Atlantic Wall†(Jennys 1). The British under Prime Minister Winston Churchill, had an invasion plan before the United States got into the war. When the United States entered the war, a plan to attack the German forces from England was talked about again. The Germans knew that they would have to defend their Atlantic Wall, since they knew that an attack would probably come across the English Channel. Even though England was bombed day and night, Germany was unable to defeat them. One major problem in defending the ‘Atlantic Wall† was â€Å"no single supreme German commander in the west† was named to command the army (Badsey 25). Instead, Hitler had two commanders in Western Europe, Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt and Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Rundstedt and Rommel could not agree on how best to defend an invasion from England. Rommel believed that the strongest German forces should be positioned a long the Normandy coastline. While Rundstedt believed that the allies would best be defeated by holding back a large central army in an effective counter attack (Jennys 1). ... Free Essays on D-day In the early hours of June 6, 1944, American, British, and Canadian troops landed on the coast of Normandy to begin Operation Overlord. There were five drop zones who’s code names were Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Americans troops invaded Utah and Omaha Beach. US troops quickly secured Utah Beach while at Omaha Beach things did not go so well. US troops suffered heavy casualties in just a few hours but by nightfall they had managed to clear the bluffs covering the beach. British and Canadian troops were to invade Gold, Juno, and Sword Beach and were met with much less resistance. The preparation for D-Day took a long time. Gathering and transporting tanks on shores and the movement of thousands of men and their weapons proved to be quite difficult. The plan called for almost 6,500 ships and landing crafts, which would land nearly 200,000 vehicles and 600,000 tons of supplies in the first three weeks of the operation. The invasion would also involve more than 13,000 fighters, bombers, and transport planes. D-Day was previously scheduled for May 1, but was postponed to June 5 to make more landing crafts available, but was again moved to June 6. This was because of the bad weather conditions that occurred on June 5. General Eisenhower was named Supreme Allied Commander with General Montgomery as land force commander of Operation Overlord. As the ships traveled across the dark English Channel, men lied crammed on their bunks reading, sleeping, playing poker, and some men dealing with sea-sickness. The German High Commander had no clue about the attack that was about to happen and left for his wife’s birthday. Also, many of his senior commanders were away as well. When the Allies began their invasion, the German response was bewildered and uncertain. They awoke to see the Allied armada coming toward them. More than 1,000 transports dropped paratroopers to secure the flanks and beach exits of the assault a... Free Essays on D-Day INTRODUCTION Imagine if you will. Go back in time to June 5th, 1944 to a place known as England. You’re a British citizen use to hearing the sounds of war. These sounds include heavy transport vehicles, marine vessels and airplanes. It is nighttime and you have suddenly been awakened by louder than normal sounds. You step out of your house for a moment and to your surprise you see in the air, more planes than you ever thought existed. You wipe your eyes and focus on the mass. Through the darkness, you notice U.S. and British planes flying together in formation. This great site of combined military might means only one thing. Invasion! Feelings of pride, hope and cohesion among you and your countrymen replace those of uncertainty, fear and failure. Overjoyed, you return to your house and try to get some sleep. The next morning, June 6th, 1944, you awake extra early, anticipating some kind of national announcement. Just after 9:00am you hear your anticipation. â€Å" Under the command of General Eisenhower, Allied naval forces supported by strong air forces began landing Allied armies this morning on the coast of France.† Moments later the rest of the world knew. Invasion! PLANNING THE INVASION The origination of D-Day planning is thought to have happened in Dunkirk in 1940. Winston Churchill had had a meeting with Lord Louis Mountbatten. There, Churchill requested Mountbatten to begin planning for a distant offensive. Russia and America joined forces with Britain, what was once a distant offensive wasn’t quite so distant after all. In January 1943, Churchill met with Roosevelt at Casablanca to appoint Gen. F.E. Morgan as joint staff of COSSAC, Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander. The choice of a Supreme Commander would come later. For six months COSSAC studied the coasts of Europe, Allied/German forces that might be joined in battle, and technical details of the project. From this intense...