Military Geography

1. Military Geography

2. The Invasion of NormandyD-DayOperation Overlord • Goal: Drive the Germans out of France (it had been four years of German occupation) • Leadership: Dwight D. Eisenhower • Allied Forces: Canada, France, United Kingdom, United States • Question: • What are the important elements of a beach invasion? • What do you have to do prior to landing troops on the beach?

6. Normandy Beaches • Where? There are five beaches to be invaded (not including pointe du hoc) • Question: What elements of the beaches do you need intelligence on? As a leading analyst, you need to create a proposal asking your higher ranking officers for more intel on…… • Analyze not only the physical landing site but also the conditions needed for invasion.

7. Perhaps Some Answers… • Need a day near a full moon. Illumination during night and the spring tide. 10 days were suitable for an invasion each month. June 6th was the scheduled full moon date. Eisenhower chose the 5th for an invasion. • Need relatively low swells and slow winds. High swells will not be able to support the amphibious tanks or landing crafts • The sand composition is capable of withstanding the invasion • Location proximity to the English Channel is important for refueling aircrafts • Operation Fortitude- goal is to mislead Germans about place/date

8. Invasion • 12,000 planes for an airborne assault • 7,000 vessels • 160,000 troops • Plan a Proposal: • Which countries will take each beaches? • What is your plan for the overnight bombing campaigns? • What is your plan for the invasion itself? What landing crafts will you use? What types of equipment will you need during the invasion and how will you get it to the beach? Etc….

9. PROBLEM!!! • On June 4th the weather was unsuitable for an amphibious invasion. The weather continued to be unsuitable on your planned invasion date? • Add to your proposal…. Will you reschedule another month or take your chances on better weather approaching soon? Why?

13. Overall Updates • Meteorologists forecasted better weather improvements for June 6th • 3 divisions of paratroopers were sent in prior to the invasion • Air force provided important bombing campaign raids the night before. • Invasion began before dawn on June 6th

16. Utah Beach • Strong Current • Had to move 2 km south of original location of landing • 1,700 vehicles landed • 23,250 American soldiers • 197 died and 60 missing by the end of the day • Most successful invasion of all of the beaches

17. Omaha Beach • Night raids unsuccessful at bombing campaigns due to fog and clouds. 13,000 missed objectives • 1,450 soldiers transported by 36 landing crafts initial wave • Germans open fire as late as possible to hide their positions • One of the chiefs estimates that the swells are too high at this beach for the amphibious tanks. Sent them anyway. 3 of the 29 launched tanks reach the shore (devastating lack of support). These tanks sink in the English Channel • By afternoon the beach is under control BUT still in a weak position. • 30,000 landed and 3,000 killed.

20. Overall • Allies poured men and materials into France after this • Another landing in Southern France in August helped to finish the official liberation of France from German control • 3 million allied troops in France by the end of August

22. Battle of the BulgeBattle of Ardennes • Dec. 16th, 1944 • 200,000 German troops • 1,000 tanks • Launch Hitler’s last bid to change the tide of the war since D-Day • Surprise attack • Goal: Split the American and British allied forces in half • Struck the Ardennes Forest • 75 mile stretch of the front characterized by woods and few roads • 4 divisions of American troops were stationed there and it had been quiet in this region for months

25. Battle of the Bulge Cont… • Allied overconfidence • Preoccupation with allied offensive plans • Poor aerial reconnaissance • Germans attacked a weakly defended section of the Allied line • Took advantage of highly overcast weather conditions which grounded the Allies’ overwhelmingly superior air forces

27. Questions • What elements from our military geography sheet apply to this situation? • What other elements need to be considered? • What lines of communication do Americans need to make sure that they secure? Why?

28. Germans and Geography Germans Geography So cold that weapons had to be maintained Trucks had to be turned on every half hour to prevent their oil from congealing • After one day Germans broke through the front surrounding the infantry divisions • Seized key crossroads • Advanced towards the Meuse river

30. Proposal • Draft a proposal for withstanding the attack as well as a proposal for what to do once you secure the line. Incorporate your planned use of artillery, aviation, tanks, etc.

32. Update • After many days of fighting, the weather conditions started improving by December 23. What does this mean?? • Air force can now attach launching devastating bomb raids on German supply points in their rear. Drop much needed supplies to allied troops. • Germans outran their supply lines and shortages of ammunition and fuel were becoming critical • Disagreement and confusion at the Allied command prevented a strong cohesive response

33. Update Cont… • Eisenhower rushed reinforcements to hold the shoulders of the penetration • Am. Soldiers often isolated and unaware of the overall picture. Did their part to slow the Nazi advance • Delayed armored spearheads with defenses of vital crossroads • Moving/burning critical gasoline stocks to keep them from the Germans • Held off the junction of St. Vith and Bastogne

34. Update Cont… • By Jan 1st Allies went on a counter-offensive • Germans began to fall back and lost most of their heavy equipment • On January 7th Hitler agreed to withdraw all forces from the Ardennes • Winston Churchill- “This is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American victory.”