"Many battles claim to be the main battle of the Second World War. Someone believes that this is the battle near Moscow, in which the fascist troops suffered their first defeat. Others believe that this should be considered Battle of Stalingrad, it seems to the third that the battle on the Kursk Bulge was the main one. In America (and recent times and in Western Europe) no one doubts that the main battle was the Norman landing operation and the battles that followed. It seems to me that Western historians are right, although not in everything.
Let's think about what would happen if the Western allies once again hesitated and did not land troops in 1944? It is clear that Germany would have been defeated anyway, only the Red Army would have ended the war not near Berlin and on the Oder, but in Paris and on the banks of the Loire. It is clear that it would not have been General de Gaulle, who arrived in the train of the Allies, who would have come to power in France, but one of the leaders of the Comintern. Similar figures could be found for Belgium, Holland, Denmark and all other large and small countries of Western Europe (as they were found for countries of Eastern Europe). Naturally, Germany would not have been divided into four occupation zones, therefore, a single German state would have been formed not in the 90s, but in the 40s, and it would not be called the FRG, but the GDR. In this hypothetical world, there would be no place for NATO (who would enter it except the USA and England?), but the Warsaw Pact would unite all of Europe. Ultimately cold war, if it had taken place at all, it would have had a completely different character, and would have had a completely different outcome. However, I am not at all going to prove that everything would have been exactly this way and not otherwise. But there is no doubt that the results of World War II would have been different. Well, the battle, which largely determined the course of post-war development, should rightfully be considered the main battle of the war. That's just a battle to call it a stretch.
atlantic wall
This was the name of the German defense system in the west. For films and computer games this shaft seems to be something very powerful - rows of anti-tank hedgehogs, followed by concrete pillboxes with machine guns and guns, bunkers for manpower, etc. However, remember, have you ever seen a photograph somewhere in which all this could be seen? The NDO's best-known and widely replicated photograph shows landing barges and American soldiers plodding waist-deep in water, taken from the shore. We were able to track down the photos of the landing sites you see here. Soldiers land on a completely empty shore, where, apart from a few anti-tank hedgehogs, there are no defensive structures. So what was the Atlantic Wall anyway?
For the first time this name sounded in the autumn of 1940, when four long-range batteries were built on the Pas de Calais coast in a short time. True, they were intended not to repulse the landing, but to disrupt navigation in the strait. Only in 1942, after the unsuccessful landing of the Canadian Rangers near Dieppe, the construction of defensive structures began, mainly all in the same place, on the English Channel coast (it was assumed that this was where the Allies would land), while for the rest of the sections, labor and materials were allocated according to the residual principle. There were not so many left, especially after the intensification of allied air raids on Germany (it was necessary to build bomb shelters for the population and industrial enterprises). As a result, the construction of the Atlantic Wall was completed in general by 50 percent, and even less directly in Normandy. The only sector more or less ready for defense was the one that later received the name of the Omaha bridgehead. However, he did not look at all like it is depicted in a game well known to you.
Think for yourself, what is the point of placing concrete fortifications on the very shore? Of course, the guns installed there can fire on landing craft, and machine-gun fire can hit enemy soldiers as they trudge waist-deep in water. But the bunkers standing right on the shore are perfectly visible to the enemy, so that he can easily suppress them with naval artillery. Therefore, only passive defensive structures are created directly at the water's edge (minefields, concrete gouges, anti-tank hedgehogs). Behind them, preferably along the crests of dunes or hills, trenches are torn off, and dugouts and other shelters are built on the reverse slopes of the hills, where the infantry can wait out the artillery attack or bombardment. Well, even further, sometimes a few kilometers from the coast, closed artillery positions are created (this is where you can see the powerful concrete casemates that we love to show in the movies).
Approximately according to this plan, the defense in Normandy was built, but, I repeat, its main part was created only on paper. For example, about three million mines were put up, but according to the most conservative estimates, at least sixty million were needed. The artillery positions were mostly ready, but the guns were far from being installed everywhere. I'll tell you this: long before the start of the invasion, the French Resistance movement reported that the Germans had installed four 155-mm naval guns on the Merville battery. The firing range of these guns could reach 22 km, so that there was a danger of shelling warships, so it was decided to destroy the battery at any cost. This task was assigned to the 9th battalion of the 6th parachute division who had been preparing for it for almost three months. A very accurate model of the battery was built, and the battalion fighters attacked it from all sides day after day. Finally, D-Day came, with great noise and din, the battalion captured the battery and found there ... four French 75-mm cannons on iron wheels (from the First World War). Positions were indeed made for 155-mm guns, but the Germans themselves did not have guns, so they put what was at hand.
It must be said that the arsenal of the Atlantic Wall generally consisted mainly of captured cannons. For four years, the Germans methodically dragged there everything that they got from the defeated armies. There were Czech, Polish, French and even Soviet guns, and many of them had a very limited supply of shells. The situation was approximately the same with small arms, either captured or decommissioned on the Eastern Front got into Normandy. In total, the 37th Army (namely, it had the brunt of the battle) used 252 types of ammunition, and 47 of them were long out of production.
Personnel
Now let's talk about who exactly had to repel the invasion of the Anglo-Americans. Let's start with commanders. Surely you remember the one-armed and one-eyed Colonel Staufenberg, who made an unsuccessful attempt on Hitler. Have you ever wondered why such a disabled person was not fired outright, but continued to serve, albeit in the reserve army? Yes, because by the 44th year, the requirements for fitness in Germany were significantly reduced, in particular, the loss of an eye, a hand, severe concussion, etc. were no longer grounds for dismissal from the service of senior and middle officers. Of course, there would be little use for such monsters on the Eastern Front, but it was possible to plug holes with them in the units stationed on the Atlantic Wall. So about 50% of the command staff there belonged to the category of "limited fit."
The Fuhrer did not bypass his attention and the rank and file. Take, for example, the 70th Infantry Division, better known as the "White Bread Division". It consisted entirely of soldiers suffering from various kinds of stomach diseases, because of which they had to constantly be on a diet (naturally, with the start of the invasion, it became difficult to follow a diet, so this division disappeared by itself). In other units, there were entire battalions of soldiers suffering from flat feet, kidney disease, diabetes, and so on. In a relatively calm environment, they could carry out rear service, but their combat value was close to zero.
However, not all soldiers on the Atlantic Wall were sick or crippled, there were quite a few quite healthy ones there, only they were over 40 years old (and the fifty-year-olds served in the artillery at all).
Well, the last, most amazing fact - there were only about 50% of native Germans in infantry divisions, while the remaining half was all trash from all over Europe and Asia. It is a shame to admit this, but there were many of our compatriots there, for example, the 162nd Infantry Division consisted entirely of the so-called " eastern legions"(Turkmen, Uzbek, Azerbaijani, etc.). There were also Vlasovites on the Atlantic Wall, although the Germans themselves were not sure that they would be of any use. For example, the commander of the Cherbourg garrison, General Schlieben, said: "It is very doubtful that we will be able to persuade these Russians to fight for Germany in France against the Americans and the British. "He was right, most of the eastern troops surrendered to the Allies without a fight.
Bloody Omaha Beach
American troops landed on two sites, "Utah" and "Omaha". On the first of them, the battle did not work out - in this sector there were only two strong points, each of which was defended by a reinforced platoon. Naturally, they could not offer any resistance to the 4th American division, especially since both were practically destroyed by naval artillery fire even before the landing began.
By the way, there was an interesting incident that perfectly characterizes the fighting spirit of the allies. A few hours before the start of the invasion, airborne assault forces were landed in the depths of the German defenses. Due to pilot error, about three dozen paratroopers were dropped on the very shore near the W-5 bunker. The Germans destroyed some of them, while others were taken prisoner. And at 4.00 these prisoners began to beg the commander of the bunker to immediately send them to the rear. When the Germans asked what was so impatient for them, the brave warriors immediately reported that in an hour artillery preparation from the ships would begin, followed by a landing. It is a pity that history has not preserved the names of these "fighters for freedom and democracy" who gave the hour for the beginning of the invasion in order to save their own skins.
Let us return, however, to the Omaha bridgehead. There is only one landing area in this area, 6.5 km long (steep cliffs stretch for many kilometers to the east and west of it). Naturally, the Germans were able to prepare it well for defense; on the flanks of the site there were two powerful bunkers with guns and machine guns. However, the cannons from them could only fire at the beach and a small strip of water along it (from the sea side, the bunkers were covered with rocks and a six-meter layer of concrete). Behind a relatively narrow strip of the beach, hills began, up to 45 meters high, along the crest of which trenches were dug. This whole system of defense was well known to the Allies, but they hoped to suppress it before the landings began. Fire on the bridgehead was to be carried out by two battleships, three cruisers and six destroyers. In addition, landing craft were supposed to shoot field artillery, well, eight landing barges were converted into installations for launching rockets. In just thirty minutes, more than 15 thousand shells of various calibers (up to 355 mm) were to be fired. And they were released ... into the world like a pretty penny. Subsequently, the allies came up with many excuses for the low effectiveness of shooting, here there was heavy seas, and predawn fog, and something else, but one way or another, neither the bunkers, nor even the trenches were damaged by shelling.
Allied aviation acted even worse. An armada of Liberator bombers dropped several hundred tons of bombs, but none of them hit not only the enemy fortifications, but even the beach (and some bombs exploded five kilometers from the coast).
Thus, the infantry had to overcome a completely undamaged enemy defense line. However, the troubles for the ground units began even before they were on the shore. For example, out of 32 amphibious tanks (DD Sherman), 27 sank almost immediately after launching (two tanks reached the beach under their own power, three more were unloaded directly onto the shore). The commanders of some landing barges, not wanting to enter the sector shelled by German guns (the Americans in general have a much better sense of duty, and indeed all other feelings, have a much better instinct for self-preservation), threw back the ramps and proceeded to unload at depths of about two meters, where most of the paratroopers successfully drowned .
Finally, at the very least, the first wave of troops was landed. It included the 146th sapper battalion, whose fighters were supposed, first of all, to destroy concrete gouges so that they could start landing tanks. But it wasn’t there, behind every gouge lay two or three brave American infantrymen, who, to put it mildly, objected to the destruction of such a reliable shelter. The sappers had to lay explosives from the side facing the enemy (naturally, many of them died in the process, out of 272 sappers 111 were killed). To help the sappers in the first wave, 16 armored bulldozers were attached. Only three reached the shore, and only two of them were able to use the sappers - paratroopers hid behind the third and, threatening the driver, forced him to stay in place. It seems that there are quite enough examples of "mass heroism".
Well, then we begin solid riddles. In any source devoted to the events on the Omaha bridgehead, there are necessarily references to two "fire-breathing bunkers on the flanks", but none of them says who, when and how suppressed the fire of these bunkers. It seems that the Germans fired, fired, and then stopped (perhaps this was the case, remember what I wrote above about ammunition). Even more interesting is the situation with machine guns firing at the front. When the American sappers smoked out their comrades because of the concrete gouges, they had to seek refuge in the dead zone at the foot of the hills (in some ways this can be considered an offensive). One of the squads hiding there discovered a narrow path leading to the summit.
Cautiously advancing along this path, the foot soldiers reached the crest of the hill, and found completely empty trenches there! Where did the Germans defending them go? But they were not there, in this area the defense was occupied by one of the companies of the 1st battalion of the 726th grenadier regiment, which consisted mainly of Czechs, forcibly drafted into the Wehrmacht. Naturally, they dreamed of surrendering to the Americans as soon as possible, but you must admit, throwing out a white flag even before the enemy attacks you is somehow undignified even for the descendants of the good soldier Schweik. The Czechs lay in their trenches, from time to time firing a line or two towards the Americans. But after a while, they realized that even such formal resistance was holding back the enemy’s offensive, so they collected their belongings and retreated to the rear. There they were finally taken prisoner to the general pleasure.
In short, having shoveled through a pile of materials devoted to the NDO, I managed to find one single story about a military clash at the Omaha bridgehead, I quote it verbatim. "E Company, which landed in front of Colleville, after a two-hour battle, captured a German bunker on a hilltop and took 21 people prisoner." All!
Main battle World War II
In that summary I told only about the first hours of the Normandy landing operation. In the days that followed, the Anglo-Americans had to face many difficulties. There is also a storm that practically destroyed one of the two artificial ports; and supply confusion (field hairdressers were delivered to the beachhead very late); and the inconsistency of the actions of the allies (the British launched an offensive two weeks earlier than planned, obviously, they were less dependent on the presence of field hairdressers than the Americans). However, the opposition of the enemy among these difficulties is in the very last place. So should this be called a "battle"?"
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On June 6, 1944, the long-awaited landing of the troops of the anti-Hitler coalition on the northern coast of France began, which received the general name "Suzerin" ("Overlord"). The operation was prepared for a long time and carefully, it was preceded by difficult negotiations in Tehran. Millions of tons of military cargoes were delivered to. On the secret front, the Abwehr was misinformed by the intelligence services of Britain and the United States regarding the landing area and many other activities that ensured a successful offensive. AT different times both here and abroad, the scale of this military operation, depending on the political situation, was sometimes exaggerated, sometimes underestimated. The time has come to give an objective assessment of both it and its consequences in the Western European theater of the Second World War.
Stew, condensed milk and egg powder
As is known from the movies, Soviet soldiers, participants in the war of 1941-1945, called the "second front" American stew, condensed milk, and other food products that came to the USSR from the USA under the Lend-Lease program. This phrase was pronounced with a somewhat ironic intonation, expressing little hidden contempt for the "allies". The meaning was invested in it: while we are shedding blood here, they are delaying the start of the war against Hitler. They sit out, in general, wait to enter the war at the moment when both the Russians and the Germans weaken and exhaust their resources. That's when the Americans and the British will come to share the laurels of the winners. The opening of the Second Front in Europe was being postponed, the main burden of hostilities continued to be borne by the Red Army.
In a way, that's exactly what happened. Moreover, it would be unfair to reproach F.D. Roosevelt for not hurrying to send the American army into battle, but waiting for the most favorable moment for this. After all, as the President of the United States, he was obliged to think about the good of his country and act in its interests. As for Great Britain, it was technically unable to carry out a massive invasion of the mainland without American help. From 1939 to 1941, this country alone waged war with Hitler, she managed to survive, but there was not even a talk of the onset. So there is nothing particularly to reproach Churchill with. In a sense, the Second Front existed all war time and until the day "D" (day of landing), he held down significant forces of the Luftwaffe and the Kriegsmarine. Most (about three-quarters) of the German maritime and air fleet was engaged in operations against Britain.
Nevertheless, without detracting from the merits of the Allies, our participants in the Great Patriotic War it was always rightly believed that it was they who made a decisive contribution to the common victory over the enemy.
Was it necessary
A condescending and contemptuous attitude towards allied assistance was cultivated by the Soviet leadership throughout post-war decades. The main argument was the ratio of Soviet and German losses on the Eastern Front with similar numbers of dead Americans, British, Canadians and the same Germans, but already in the West. Nine out of ten killed Wehrmacht soldiers laid down their lives in battles with the Red Army. Near Moscow, on the Volga, in the region of Kharkov, in the mountains of the Caucasus, on thousands of nameless skyscrapers, near obscure villages, the backbone of the army that easily defeated almost all European armies and conquered countries in a matter of weeks, and sometimes even days, was broken. Maybe the Second Front in Europe was not needed at all and could have been dispensed with? By the summer of 1944, the outcome of the war as a whole was a foregone conclusion. The Germans suffered monstrous losses, human and material resources were catastrophically lacking, while Soviet military production reached unprecedented speed in world history. The endless "leveling of the front" (as Goebbels' propaganda explained the constant retreat) was essentially a flight. Nevertheless, I. V. Stalin persistently reminded the allies of their promise to strike at Germany from the other side. In 1943, American troops landed in Italy, but this was clearly not enough.
Where and when
The names of military operations are chosen in such a way as to put into one or two words the entire strategic essence of the upcoming action. At the same time, the enemy, even recognizing him, should not guess about the main elements of the plan. The direction of the main attack, the technical means involved, the timing, and similar details for the enemy necessarily remain a secret. The upcoming landing on the northern European coast was called "Overlord". The operation was divided into several stages, which also have their own code designations. It began on D-Day with the Neptune, and ended with the Cobra, which involves moving deep into the mainland.
The German General Staff had no doubts that the opening of the Second Front would take place. 1944 is the last date when this event could take place, moreover, knowing the main American technique, it was difficult to imagine that the allies of the USSR would launch an offensive in the unfavorable autumn or winter months. In the spring, an invasion was also considered unlikely due to the instability weather conditions. So, summer. The intelligence provided by the Abwehr confirmed the massive transportation of technical equipment. Disassembled B-17 and B-24 bombers were delivered to the islands by Liberty ships, like Sherman tanks, and in addition to these offensive weapons, other cargoes arrived from across the ocean: food, medicine, fuel and lubricants , ammunition, marine vehicles and much more. Hide such a massive move military equipment and personnel is almost impossible. The German command had only two questions: "When?" and where?".
Not where they are waiting
The English Channel is the narrowest stretch of water between the British Mainland and Europe. Right here German generals they would start a landing if they decided on it. This is logical and follows all the rules military science. But that's why General Eisenhower ruled out the English Channel entirely when planning Overlord. The operation was supposed to come as a complete surprise to the German command, otherwise there was a considerable risk of a military fiasco. In any case, defending the coast is much easier than storming it. The fortifications of the "Atlantic Wall" were created in advance throughout all previous war years, work began immediately after the occupation of the northern part of France and was carried out with the involvement of the population of the occupied countries. They acquired particular intensity after Hitler realized that the opening of the Second Front was inevitable. 1944 was marked by the arrival of General Field Marshal Rommel at the proposed landing site of the Allied troops, whom the Fuhrer respectfully called either the “desert fox” or his “African lion”. This military specialist spent a lot of energy on improving the fortifications, which, as time has shown, were almost not useful. This is a great merit of the American and British intelligence services and other soldiers of the "invisible front" of the allied forces.
Deceive Hitler
The success of any military operation depends to a greater extent on the surprise factor and timely troop concentration, than on the balance of forces of the opposing sides. The second front was to be opened on that part of the coast where the invasion was least expected. The possibilities of the Wehrmacht in France were limited. Most of the German armed forces fighting against the Red Army, trying to hold back its advance. The war was transferred from the territory of the USSR to the spaces of Eastern Europe, the oil supply system from Romania was under threat, and without gasoline, the whole Combat vehicles turned into a pile of useless metal. The situation was reminiscent of a chess zuntzwang, when almost any move led to irreparable consequences, and even more so wrong. It was impossible to make a mistake, but the German headquarters nevertheless drew the wrong conclusions. This was facilitated by many actions of allied intelligence, including the planned "leak" of disinformation, and various measures to mislead Abwehr agents and air intelligence. Models of transport ships were even made, located in ports far from places of real loading.
The ratio of military groupings
Not a single battle in the entire history of mankind has gone according to plan, there have always been unexpected circumstances that prevent this. "Overlord" - an operation that was planned for a long time and carefully, repeatedly postponed for various reasons, which was also no exception. However, the two main components that determined its overall success were still managed to be preserved: the landing site remained unknown to the enemy until D-Day itself, and the balance of forces developed in favor of the attackers. In the landing and subsequent hostilities on the continent, 1,600,000 soldiers of the Allied forces took part. Against 6 thousand 700 German guns, the Anglo-American units could use 15 thousand of their own. They had 6 thousand tanks, and the Germans only 2000. It was extremely difficult for one hundred and sixty Luftwaffe aircraft to intercept almost eleven thousand Allied aircraft, among which, in fairness, it should be noted that most of them were Douglas transports (but there were many " Flying Fortresses, and Liberators, and Mustangs, and Spitfires). An armada of 112 ships could only resist five German cruisers and destroyers. Only German submarines had a quantitative advantage, but by that time the Americans' means of combating them had reached a high level.
The beaches of Normandy
use french geographical concepts the US military did not, they seemed unpronounceable. Like the names of military operations, sections of the coast called beaches were coded. Four of them were singled out: Gold, Omaha, Juno and Sword. Many soldiers of the allied forces died on their sand, although the command did everything to minimize losses. On July 6, eighteen thousand paratroopers (two divisions of the Airborne Forces) were landed from DC-3 aircraft and by means of gliders. Previous wars, like the entire Second World War, did not know such a scale. The opening of the Second Front was accompanied by powerful artillery preparation and air bombardment of defensive structures, infrastructure and locations of German troops. The actions of the paratroopers in some cases were not very successful, during the landing there was a dispersion of forces, but this did not matter much. Ships were coming to the shore, by the end of the day there were already 156,000 soldiers and 20,000 military vehicles on the shore different type. The captured bridgehead measured 70 by 15 kilometers (on average). As of June 10, more than 100,000 tons of military cargo had already been unloaded onto this runway, and the concentration of troops had reached almost a third of a million people. Despite the huge losses (for the first day they amounted to about ten thousand), after three days the Second Front was opened. This has become an obvious and indisputable fact.
Development of success
In order to continue the liberation of the territories occupied by the Nazis, not only soldiers and equipment were required. War devours hundreds of tons of fuel, ammunition, food and medicine every day. It gives the warring countries hundreds and thousands of wounded who need to be treated. The expeditionary corps, deprived of supplies, is doomed.
After the Second Front was opened, the advantage of a developed American economy became obvious. The allied forces had no problems with the timely supply of everything they needed, but this required ports. They were captured very quickly, the first was the French Cherbourg, it was occupied on June 27th.
Having recovered from the first sudden blow, the Germans, however, were in no hurry to admit defeat. Already in the middle of the month, they first used the V-1 - the prototype of cruise missiles. For all the scarcity of the Reich's capabilities, Hitler found the resources to mass-produce ballistic V-2s. London was shelled (1100 missile strikes), as well as the ports of Antwerp and Liege located on the mainland and used by the allies to supply troops (almost 1700 FAAs of two types). Meanwhile, the Normandy bridgehead expanded (up to 100 km) and deepened (up to 40 km). It deployed 23 air bases capable of receiving all types of aircraft. The number of personnel increased to 875 thousand. Conditions were created for the development of the offensive already towards the German border, for which the Second Front was opened. The date of victory was approaching.
Allied failures
Anglo-American aviation carried out massive raids to the territory Nazi Germany, dropping tens of thousands of tons of bomb loads on cities, factories, railway junctions and other objects. The Luftwaffe pilots could no longer resist this avalanche in the second half of 1944. Over the entire period of the liberation of France, the Wehrmacht suffered half a million losses, and the Allied forces - only 40 thousand killed (plus more than 160 thousand wounded). The tank troops of the Nazis numbered only a hundred combat-ready tanks (the Americans and the British had 2,000). For every German aircraft, there were 25 Allied aircraft. And there were no more reserves. The 200,000th group of Nazis was blocked in the west of France. In the conditions of the overwhelming superiority of the invading army, the German units often hung out a white flag even before the start of the artillery preparation. But there were frequent cases of stubborn resistance, as a result of which dozens, even hundreds of allied tanks were destroyed.
On July 18-25, the English (8th) and Canadian (2nd) corps ran into well-fortified German positions, their attack bogged down, prompting Marshal Montgomery to further argue that the blow was a false and distracting one.
An unfortunate incidental consequence of the high firepower of the American troops was the losses from the so-called "friendly fire", when the troops suffered from their own shells and bombs.
In December, the Wehrmacht launched a serious counter-offensive in the Ardennes salient, which was crowned with partial success, but strategically there was little to solve.
The result of the operation and the war
After the Second began World War, participating countries changed from time to time. Some stopped armed actions, others started them. Some took the side of their former enemies (like Romania, for example), others simply capitulated. There were even states that formally supported Hitler, but never opposed the USSR (like Bulgaria or Turkey). Invariably remained opponents of the main participants in the war of 1941-1945, Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and Britain (they fought even longer, from 1939). France was also among the winners, although Field Marshal Keitel, signing the surrender, could not resist making an ironic remark about this.
There is no doubt that the Normandy landing of the allied troops and the subsequent actions of the armies of the United States, Britain, France and other countries contributed to the defeat of Nazism and the destruction of the criminal political regime, which did not hide its inhuman nature. However, it is very difficult to compare these efforts, which certainly deserve respect, with the battles of the Eastern Front. It was against the USSR that Hitlerism waged a total war, the purpose of which was the complete destruction of the population, which was also declared by the official documents of the Third Reich. All the more respect and blessed memory deserve our participants in the Great Patriotic War, who performed their duty in much more difficult conditions than their Anglo-American brothers in arms.
The Normandy operation, or Operation Overlord, is an Allied strategic landing operation in France, which began early in the morning of June 6, 1944 and ended on August 31, 1944, after which the Allies crossed the Seine River, liberated Paris and continued their offensive towards the French-German border.
The operation opened the Western (or so-called "second") front in Europe in World War II. It is still the largest amphibious operation in history - it involved more than 3 million people who crossed the English Channel from England to Normandy.
The Normandy operation was carried out in two stages:
- Operation Neptune - the code name for the initial phase of Operation Overlord - began on June 6, 1944 (also known as "D-Day") and ended on July 1, 1944. Its goal was to conquer a foothold on the continent, which lasted until July 25;
- Operation "Cobra" - a breakthrough and offensive through the territory of France was carried out by the Allies immediately after the completion of the first phase
British military with an inflatable model of the American M4 Sherman tank in the south of England.
A platoon of black American soldiers in the city of Vierville-sur-Mer (Vierville-sur-Mer) is preparing to search for a sniper who has settled nearby.
The sergeant and the soldier on the left are armed with M1 carbines, the soldier in the center is armed with the M1 Garand rifle.
Calculation of an anti-aircraft gun on a transport of the US Coast Guard during the landing in Normandy.
In the photo on the left - sailor 3rd class John R. Smith (John R. Smith), on the right - Daniel Kashorovski (Daniel J. Kaczorowski).
John Smith participated in the landings in Africa, Sicily and Italy.
Teachings-rehearsal of the Allied landings in Normandy. Held at Slapton Sands on the UK coast.
Border patrol ship US Coast Guard USCG-20 washed ashore by a storm during the Allied landings in Normandy. The ship received a hole in the bottom. It was later transported to the UK and repaired.
US Coast Guard border patrol ship USCG-21 during the Allied landings in Normandy
This ship belonged to the US Navy Rescue Flotilla and was involved in rescuing soldiers from sunken or damaged landing craft.
US Coast Guard Border Patrol Ship USCG-1 docks with Landing Craft #549 on the day of the Allied landings in Normandy near Omaha Beach.
American soldiers head to the landing craft before landing in Normandy in a British port.
An American soldier with his comrade, who was wounded during the landing on Omaha Beach.
View of Omaha Beach. Allied troops land on the captured bridgehead.
Soldiers of the 16th Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division of the United States are selected to the beach "Omaha" under fire.
Life magazine photojournalist Robert Capa went ashore on the Omaha along with the first paratroopers who landed here under the hurricane fire of the German coastal defenses. Caught under fire, Capa was forced to dive under the water with the camera, so as not to fall into the sight of German machine gunners. It's a miracle he didn't die. Of the 100-odd frames shot in the most difficult conditions, only eight were obtained - the rest were ruined by the magazine's laboratory assistant, who was in a hurry to develop the film for the new issue as soon as possible. But these eight blurry shots of paratroopers getting out of the water ashore under fire became famous all over the world. Fifty years later, director Steven Spielberg, making his film Saving Private Ryan, not only reproduced these frames on the screen, but also tried to convey the effect of image blur by shooting some scenes with a shaking camera and removing the protective film from the lenses from splashes.
Soldiers of the 16th Regiment, US 1st Infantry Division take cover behind anti-tank hedgehogs on Omaha Beach.
An American soldier in the water on Omaha Beach under fire.
Disabled by German artillery fire, the USS LCI(L)-93 landing craft is stranded on Omaha Beach. The ship was damaged by German artillery fire after the troops disembarked from it.
British tank "Cromwell" (Cromwell Mk IV) commander of the 1st Polish Panzer Division Stanislaw Maczek (Stanis? aw Maczek) in Scarborough, England. The division was landed in Normandy in July 1944 and incorporated into the 2nd Corps of the 1st Canadian Army.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe Dwight Eisenhower inspect the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division.
Gen. Dwight Eisenhower talks to members of E Company, 502nd, 101st Airborne Division before they are boarded on the eve of the airborne assault in Normandy. Airfield Greenham Room, Berkshire, England (Greenham Common Airfield, Berkshire, England).
General Dwight Eisenhower talks to the commander of the 502nd Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Cole. Behind Eisenhower is his naval assistant, Harry Butcher. The photo was taken before the paratroopers were loaded onto the planes on the eve of D-Day at the airfield Greenham Room (Berkshire, England) (Greenham Common Airfield, Berkshire, England).
Subsequently, Lieutenant Colonel Cole was awarded the Medal of Honor for a bayonet attack on the Purple Heart Lane near Carentan, Normandy. He was unable to receive the award as he was killed during Operation Market Garden on September 18, 1944.
The photo is partially damaged by censorship (the stripes on the shoulders of the lieutenant colonel and the soldier to his right are smeared).
A rehearsal for the landing on the sandy beaches of a battalion of M10 tank destroyers and several companies of infantry in Slapton Sands (Slapton Sands) in England.
In the foreground on the sand are rolls of Sommerfeld Tracking, which were used to strengthen weak and viscous soils.
In the center of the frame is an American M10 tank destroyer named "Bessie", equipped with special boxes that protect the engine from water ingress. Behind the Bessie, a Caterpillar bulldozer is visible, which was used by the Allies during the landing to clear beaches and make passages for people and equipment.
The photograph shows two LCT-class landing craft, numbered 27 and 53. A little further on, a large landing craft LST-325 is landing, which subsequently participated in the delivery of troops to Omaha Beach. After the war, he was sold to Greece and served in the fleet of that country until 1999. In 2000, it was purchased by the United States and now serves as a memorial to ships of this class in Evansville, Indiana.
Medics from the US 4th Infantry Division treat the wounded on Utah Beach.
German paratroopers from the 6th Airborne Regiment on the ruins of the city of Sainte Mere Eglise in Normandy.
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, commander of the German Army Group B, inspects the fortifications of the Atlantic Wall near the French city of Sangatte at Cape Blanc Nez on the coast of the Pas de Calais. Obliquely dug logs are visible, designed to damage the bottoms of amphibious transports in the event of an amphibious landing at high tide.
American soldiers at the captured German bunker on Omaha Beach. In the foreground is a fighter with a Browning M1919 machine gun.
German prisoners of war who surrendered during the American landing in Normandy carry their wounded to the American field hospital. At the top right, the Dukwi amphibious truck. Saint Laurent-sur-Mer beach.
American Rangers on a landing ship in an English port awaiting a signal to sail for the coast of Normandy.
One fighter is armed with a Bazooka M1 rocket-propelled grenade launcher, the rest with M1 Garand self-loading rifles. A mortar can be seen on the left.
Far left - First Sergeant Sandy Martin (1sg Sandy Martin) (will be killed during the landing), in front of him is Private First Class Frank Lockwood (PFC Frank E. Lockwood), in the center is Joseph Markovich (Joseph J. Markowitz), far right - Corporal John Loshiavo (Cpl. John B. Loshiavo).
Defeated positions and a German bunker destroyed by the Allies during the landing in Normandy.
The capture of German soldiers by the Americans at Pointe du Hoc, about 6.5 km west of the Omaha coast. Some prisoners are dressed in civilian clothes.
American LCI(L) landing ships cross the English Channel on their way to Normandy, to the Utah sector. The nearest ones in the left column are LCI(L)-96 and LCI(L)-325, in the right column - LCI(L)-4. Each ship has a barrage balloon to protect against attacks by German aircraft.
German POWs on Omaha Beach waiting to be sent to England.
British Prime Minister Whiston Churchill aboard the destroyer HMS Kelvin heads for the coast of Normandy.
At first, Churchill intended to land in Normandy with the Allied forces on the day the second front opened on June 6, 1944. He told Allied commander Dwight Eisenhower that he was going to oversee the landings from a ship off the coast of Normandy. To all Eisenhower's objections, the prime minister replied that he could appoint himself a member of the ship's crew and the general would not stop him. Churchill was dissuaded from such a dangerous step only thanks to the intervention of King George VI: the king said that if the prime minister considers it necessary to go to the scene, then he, the king, also believes that it is his duty to take part in the war and stand at the head their troops. Nevertheless, the British Prime Minister still achieved his goal. On June 12, the sixth day after the so-called "D-Day", Churchill crossed the English Channel on the destroyer "Kelvin" and landed on the coast of Normandy in the town of Courcelles-sur-Mer at 11 o'clock in the afternoon.
Americans on the captured Pointe du Hoc in Normandy. In the background are German prisoners of war being escorted.
Medic from the 3rd Battalion, 16th infantry regiment, 1st Infantry Division of the US Army is on the surf and directs the care of wounded comrades, sheltered behind the rocks.
American reinforcements are moving towards Omaha Beach. From the landing craft, you can clearly see how people and equipment from the captured shore are already climbing the hill.
The photo was taken on June 6, 1944 at exactly noon.
Soldiers of the 16th Infantry Regiment (1st Infantry Division) next to their wounded comrades, one of whom is receiving a plasma transfusion. Omaha Beach.
American paratroopers in the landing craft LCVP on June 6, 1944, before landing in Normandy.
Medics from the American 4th Infantry Division treat the wounded of the 8th Infantry Regiment on Utah Beach. The arcs on the helmets (blue in the original) on the two fighters behind indicate that they belong to the 1st Special Engineer Brigade (Engineer Special Brigade). The fact that they are here probably means that the wounded are being prepared for evacuation to the ships.
On June 6, 1944, at 08:30, while en route to the landing site at Omaha Beach, the landing craft LCI(L)-85 hit a mine and was severely damaged. 15 people on board were killed and 30 people were injured, a fire broke out on the ship.
Around 12:00, an ARA-26 Samuel Chase transport approached him, which removed the wounded and survivors from the LCI (L) -85. The evacuation was completed at 13:30, and at 14:30 the boat sank (location unknown). The photo was taken around 14.00 after the completion of the evacuation of people.
According to other sources, the boat was damaged by German artillery and was able to approach the transport itself to transfer the surviving people.
The bodies of German paratroopers from the 6th Airborne Regiment, killed in combat with American paratroopers from the 82nd Division.
Battle for the city of Sainte Mere Eglise.
Tanks PzKpfw V "Panther" of the 130th regiment of the tank training division of the Wehrmacht in Normandy. In the foreground is the muzzle brake of the gun of one of the Panthers.
Soldiers of the 352nd Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht, who defended Omaha Beach in Normandy, train shortly before D-Day - the landing of Allied troops in Normandy on June 6, 1944. In the foreground is a machine gunner with an MG-42 light machine gun.
Canadian soldiers on Juno Beach in Normandy, the landing site for Canadian troops during the Normandy landing operation.
A Canadian soldier next to two German prisoners captured by Canadian troops on Juno Beach during the landings. The prisoners are sitting at the anti-tank wall.
Canadian soldiers on Juno Beach during the landings in Normandy.
Canadian paratroopers from the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment, part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, land in the Nan White sector of Juno Beach near the town of Bernier-sur- Mer. In the foreground is the large landing ship of His Majesty's fleet LCI (L) -299, transferred by the United States to Great Britain under Lend-Lease.
Preparing for Operation Overlord. In the foreground are three American soldiers in an M3A1 armored personnel carrier equipped with an M2 50-caliber machine gun. Early June 1944.
Young German soldier surrender to the Americans. Normandy, France.
Wounded American soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division. Fox Green area east of Colleville-sur-Mer, Omaha Beach sector.
Allied forces set up camp on the Normandy coast recaptured from the Germans.
English LCA (landing craft, assault) landing craft, including Nos. 521, 1377, deliver troops to the landing craft in preparation for the Normandy landings. South coast of England, near the port of Weymouth.
The boats are assigned to the military transport "Prince Baudouin" ("Prince Baudouin"). On board the boats are servicemen of the 5th Ranger Battalion of the 5th Corps of the 1st US Army, which will land in the Omaha sector, on the Dog Green site.
American Rangers aboard British LCA (landing craft, assault) landing craft in the port of Weymouth. Next are the LCI (L) (landing craft, infantry (large)) type infantry landing ships No. 497, 84 and the heavy landing craft LCH (landing craft, heavy) No. -87.
US Rangers pass through the Logistics Officers' Control Tent, where they receive hot coffee and donuts before being loaded onto ships. Port Weymouth (Weymouth), England.
The loading of the Rangers on the ships began five days before the start of Operation Overlord on June 01, 1944 for reasons of secrecy.
American paratroopers climb out of the water onto Omaha Beach.
An LCVP landing craft with a group of Vanguard soldiers from the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, US Army, approaches the Omaha landing zone.
Panoramic view of Omaha Beach. Allied troops are unloading equipment and cargo to the captured and already "equipped" bridgehead. American 2nd landing armored division- the first tank division landed in Normandy.
The dead paratroopers from the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment (82nd Airborne Division) next to the British-made Horsa glider that crashed during landing on the evening of July 6, 1944.
US paratroopers disembark from landing craft on Utah Beach in Normandy.
The landing of Allied troops from landing craft on the beach "Omaha" under fierce machine-gun fire from the Germans. The picture shows the beginning of the landing of elements of Company E, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, US Army. These paratroopers were disembarked from the transport vessel USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) via LCVP landing craft.Photo credit: The Jaws of Death.
Omaha Beach today
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The article briefly outlines the history of the Normandy landings, the largest amphibious operation carried out by the Allies during World War II. This operation led to the creation of a second front, which brought Germany closer to defeat.
Preparation and necessity of the operation
Negotiations between the USSR, Britain and the USA on joint military operations were conducted from the beginning of the German attack on the Soviet Union. The occupation of European territories, the acquired military experience, the devotion of the troops to their Fuhrer made the German war machine almost invincible. From the very beginning, the USSR suffered defeats, giving up territory to the enemy and incurring heavy human and material losses. A serious threat was created to the very existence of the state. In Stalin's correspondence with Churchill, the question of help constantly arises, which, however, hangs unanswered. England and the USA are limited to lend-lease assistance and statements of boundless faith in victory Soviet troops.
The situation changes somewhat after the conference in Tehran (1943), where cooperation agreements were worked out. However, a radical change in the plans of the allies takes place in 1944, when the Soviet Union, having won decisive victories, begins a steady offensive against the West. Churchill and Roosevelt understand that victory is only a matter of time. There is a danger of the spread of Soviet influence throughout Europe. The allies finally decide to open a second front.
Operation plans and balance of power
The landing in Normandy was preceded by a long preparation and careful development of all the details. The place for landing (the coast of the Bay of Senskaya) was chosen specifically taking into account the complexity of its implementation (indented coast and very high tides). The Anglo-American military command was not mistaken in its calculations. The Germans were preparing for an offensive in the area of the Pas de Calais, considering it ideal for the operation, and concentrated the main antiamphibious forces in this area. Normandy was very weakly defended. T. n. the "impregnable Atlantic wall" (a network of coastal fortifications) was a myth. In total, by the time of the landing, the Allied forces were confronted by 6 German divisions, staffed by 70-75%. The main and most combat-ready forces of the Germans were on the Eastern Front.
Before the start of the operation, the Anglo-American forces numbered about 3 million people, which also included Canadian, French, and Polish formations. Allied forces had a threefold superiority in equipment and weapons. Dominance in the air and at sea was overwhelming.
The landing in Normandy was named "Overlord". Its implementation was led by General Montgomery. The supreme command over all expeditionary forces belonged to the American General D. Eisenhower. The landing was to be carried out on a section 80 km wide and divided into western (American) and eastern (English) zones.
The operation was preceded by a lengthy training of troops through exercises and training in conditions as close to reality as possible. The interaction of various types of troops, the use of camouflage, and the organization of defense against counterattacks were practiced.
Landing and fighting in June 1944
According to the original plans, the landing in Normandy was to take place on June 5, but due to bad weather it was postponed the next day. On June 6, intensified artillery shelling of the German defense line began, reinforced by actions air force who met virtually no resistance. The fire was then moved inland, and the Allies began to land. Despite stubborn resistance, numerical superiority allowed the expeditionary forces to capture three large bridgeheads. During June 7-8, an increased transfer of troops and weapons was carried out to these areas. On June 9, an offensive began to unite the occupied territories into a single bridgehead, which was carried out on June 10. The expeditionary force already consisted of 16 divisions.
The German command carried out the transfer of forces to eliminate the offensive, but in insufficient numbers, since the main struggle was still unfolding on the Eastern Front. As a result, by the beginning of July, the Allied bridgehead was increased along the front to 100 km., In depth - up to 40 km. An important moment was the capture of the strategic port of Cherbourg, which later became the main channel for the transfer of troops and weapons across the English Channel.
Building on success in July 1945
The Germans continued to consider the landing in Normandy a distraction and waited for the landing of the main forces in the Pas de Calais area. Action intensified partisan detachments in the rear german army, mainly from the members of the French Resistance. The main factor that did not allow the German command to transfer significant forces for defense was the powerful offensive of the Soviet troops in Belarus.
Under these conditions, the Anglo-American troops gradually moved further and further. On July 20, Saint-Lo was taken, on the 23rd - Caen. July 24 is considered the end of Operation Overlord. The Allied bridgehead included an area measuring 100 by 50 km. A serious base was created for conducting further military operations against fascist Germany in the west.
Significance of the Normandy landings
The irretrievable losses of the Allied troops in Operation Overlord amount to about 120 thousand people, the Germans lost about 110 thousand. Of course, these figures cannot be compared with the losses on the Eastern Front. However, albeit belatedly, the opening of the second front nevertheless took place. The new combat area pinned down German troops that could be deployed as a last hope against the advancing Soviet army. Thus, the final victory was won earlier and with fewer losses. The second front was great importance as a symbol of the unity of the allied forces. The contradictions between the West and the USSR receded into the background.
On the Western front in 1944 the Allied landings in Normandy were decisive. By this time, they had won the battle for the Atlantic, which had lasted since 1939. The Anglo-American air offensive against Germany had achieved significant success.
The Normandy strategic landing operation (6 June - 24 July 1944) codenamed "Overlord" was carried out armed forces The United States and Great Britain, with the participation of Canadian, French, Czechoslovak and Polish troops, with the aim of seizing a bridgehead on the coast of Northwestern France (Normandy) and then approaching the borders of Germany.
Allied troops land in Normandy. June 1944
By June 6, the troops of the German command "West" were in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, led by Field Marshal K. Rundstedt, and from July 2 - Field Marshal H. G. Kluge. To counter the expected Allied invasion, Army Group B (commanded by Field Marshal E. Rommel) and other forces were allocated - a total of 49 divisions, numbering 528 thousand people, 2 thousand tanks and assault guns, 6.7 thousand guns and mortars and 160 aircraft, as well as 250 ships and boats based on the northern coast of France. However, the defensive positions of the German troops, the so-called Atlantic Wall, were poorly equipped and under-equipped here, since the main forces of the Wehrmacht were on the Soviet-German front.
Allied Expeditionary Forces (Supreme Commander-in-Chief, American General Dwight Eisenhower) were concentrated in Great Britain to carry out the Normandy landing operation. Land, air force and naval forces commanded by British commanders: General B. Montgomery, Air Chief Marshal T. Lee Mallory and Admiral B. Ramsey. In total, the allied forces numbered about 2.9 million people, more than 13 thousand aircraft, 2.6 thousand gliders, about 7.3 thousand warships, boats, transport and other vessels. All types of landing craft were used - from landing barges to small boats. The troops outnumbered the opposing German grouping in personnel and tanks 3 times, artillery - more than 2 times, aircraft - 60 times and completely dominated the sea.
The landing area was divided into two zones: western - American and eastern - English. Skillfully carried out measures of operational camouflage and disorientation managed to mislead the enemy about the landing area. The German command concentrated its main forces (15th Army) in the Pas de Calais region - more than 200 km east of the coast of Normandy. Anglo-American air strikes on German military targets in the period preceding the Normandy landings significantly reduced the combat effectiveness of German troops.
On the night of June 6, two American and one British divisions were deployed by planes and gliders to the area of the upcoming landing, which provided significant assistance to the landing of the main amphibious assault. Unexpected for the enemy was the transition of the Allied landing forces across the English Channel into a storm. By the end of the day, the Allied forces, with little (except for one sector) German resistance, captured five bridgeheads with a depth of 2 to 9 km. Having concentrated up to 12 divisions on the captured bridgeheads in three days, the Allies occupied the coast with a length of 80 km along the front and up to 18 km in depth. The enemy's attempt to dissect this grouping failed. Constant allied air raids and the actions of French partisans limited the possibility of transferring German troops from other areas. But most of all, the forces of the Nazis were undermined due to the Soviet offensive in Belarus. On July 24, Overlord, the largest amphibious operation of World War II, was completed. By this time, conditions had been created on the bridgehead of 100 x 60 km for an attack on Germany by a three-million-strong allied army. The operation marked the beginning of the opening of a second front in Europe, which became the most important factor in the successful conduct of hostilities by the combined forces of the anti-Hitler coalition at the final stage of the war.
In the battles for France, the Americans first encountered military machine Third Reich. American soldiers wounded in Normandy. 1944
The losses of the Nazi troops in Normandy amounted to 113 thousand people killed, wounded and captured, more than 2 thousand tanks, 7 submarines, 57 surface ships and combat boats, more than 900 aircraft (including those transferred from other sectors of the front). Allied troops lost 122 thousand people, about 2400 tanks, 67 surface ships and ships, more than 1.5 thousand aircraft. About 800 ships during the landing during the storm were washed ashore and damaged.
