…This is a do or die situation in which there can be no failure…

The German Army has taken France in its grasp. It is up to us to free the people of France and drive back the German Forces… …This is a do or die situation in which there can be no failure… Enter

Welcome Soldier In the next few hours you will be briefed on Operation Overlord Begin Briefing Desert

Notice! This is a mission of extreme importance and failure is not an option. You must memorize these plans to a tee. Following this briefing will be a quiz and you must score over an 80% in order to proceed in Operation Overlord. Desert Continue

Vocab Flank – The sides of a military formation Paratroopers – Military units trained to parachute in to battle behind enemy lines Previous Page Continue

Main menu Select a topic from the menu by clicking on one of the links Previous Page • Battle Plans • Leaders • Brief History • Events leading to Operation Overlord • Take the quiz

Brief History Main Menu On September 1,1939 Germany invaded Poland beginning World War II By the end of 1940 Germany had secured almost all of Europe On December 7, 1941 Japan bombed Pearl Harbor bringing the U.S. into the war. On June 22, 1941 Russia attacked Germany without warning making them and ally against the Axis In 1942 Winston Churchill brought Russian and American leaders together to discuss the Allied invasion of Europe…

Reflection Previous Page Back to Main Menu Continue Discuss and reflect on the similarities between 9/11 and the Pearl Harbor attacks.

Battle Plans Select an assault plan by clicking on one of the links Main Menu Aerial Assault Amphibious Assault

Reflection Continue to assault plans Previous Page Continue Remember our discussions on WWI and trench warfare. This plan of storming the beaches was similar to rushing the trenches in WWI. Heavy losses were expected.

Amphibious Assault Click on a beach label to be briefed on that beaches plan of attack Previous Page Main Menu

Omaha Beach Amphibious Assault Main Menu American troops will deploy at this beach. We expect it to be heavily guarded by German machine guns. We will deploy roughly 33,000 men and 300 tanks in our attempt to climb our way to the top of the beach. The scheduled landing time will be 0630 hours (or 6:30 am). Our mission at Omaha is to clear the beach defenses within 2 hours and allow exit from the beach in 3. By the end of the day our troops should have a foothold 5 miles inland.

Utah Beach Amphibious Assault Main Menu Utah beach will be hit by 4 American waves within 20 minutes of the initial wave at 0630 hours (or 6:30am). The 1st wave will consist of 600 men; 300 on the north and 300 on the south ends of the beach. Roughly 30 tanks are to be deployed at the same time as these teams The 2nd wave will deploy once the 1st wave hits the beach. This wave will dispatch of any underwater obstacles. Fifteen minutes after the 2nd wave reaches shore the 3rd wave shall deploy with more tanks Within 2 minutes the 4th wave shall deploy with the rest of the men to clear the beach of all resistances. This plan will include roughly 32,000 men.

Sword Beach Amphibious Assault Main Menu Sword Beach shall be invaded by British and Canadian troops at 0725 hours (or 7:25am) The resistance at this beach is not expected to be high but take all precautions necessary. Our mission here Is to capture the town of Caen, France. We shall deploy roughly 28,000 men and 200 tanks in our effort to overrun this beach.

Gold Beach Amphibious Assault Main Menu Gold beach shall be invaded at 0725 (or 7:25 am) by British forces The primary objectives for Gold beach is to establish a beachhead between Arromanches and Ver-sur-Mer, then head south towards Route Nationale 13 (RN 13), reaching Bayeux and cutting the road to Caen. We shall deploy roughly 25,000 men in our attempts to take this beach

Juno Beach Amphibious Assault Main Menu Juno beach shall be invaded at 0735 hours (or 7:35 am) by a combined British and Canadian force. 5 minutes prior to this landing tanks shall be deployed on the beach. After the tanks and initial infantry have cleared the beach the reserves shall advance inland. The main objective at Juno beach is to secure a beachhead, capture the 3 surrounding towns and advance a few miles inland. Roughly 20,000 men and 200 tanks will be involved in this mission

Aerial Assault To slow or eliminate the enemy's ability to organize and launch counter-attacks during this critical period, airborne operations will be used to seize key objectives, such as bridges, road crossings, and territories particularly on the eastern and western flanks of the landing areas. Battle Plans Main Menu British paratroopers American paratroopers

British Paratroops Aerial Assault Main Menu • The objective of the British Paratroopers will be as follows. • to capture the bridges of the Bénouville-Ranville crossing • to defend the crossing against the armored counter-attacks • to destroy German artillery at the Mervillebattery • to destroy five bridges over the Dives River • The troops will deploy at midnight

American Paratroops Aerial Assault Main Menu • The objective of the American Paratroopers are as follows: • Support in its mission of capturing Cherbourg as soon as possible • block approaches into the vicinity of the amphibious landing at Utah Beach • to capture causeway exits (Bridges) off the beaches • to establish crossings over the Douve River at Carentan • American paratroopers will deploy at midnight

Leaders Select a leader by clicking on one of the links Main Menu Winston Churchill FDR Dwight D Eisenhower Bernard Montgomery

Winston Churchill Main Menu Leaders • Winston Churchill has beenthe Prime Minister of Great Britain through the duration of World War II • He is a good friend of FDR • Winston Churchill gathered the leaders of the United States of America and Russia and announced the necessity of a second front in Europe. • This was the beginning of the plans for Operation Overlord.

FDR Main Menu Leaders FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) has been the President of The United States of America throughout most of World War II (until his death in April of 1945) He is a close friend to Winston Churchill FDR chose Dwight D Eisenhower as the general to lead the plans for the Allied invasion of Europe.

Dwight D Eisenhower • After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Eisenhower was assigned to the General Staff in Washington where he developed plans to defeat Japan • In May 1942 Dwight D Eisenhower was appointed Commanding General, European Theater of Operations • Then in February of 1944 he was named Supreme Allied Commander of the Expeditionary Allied Force • Dwight D Eisenhower is the overseer and commander for Operation Overlord Main Menu Leaders

Bernard Montgomery • Bernard Montgomery took command of the 8th army on the 13th of August 1942 in Egypt • In November of 1942 Montgomery was Knighted and made a general of the British army • During Operation Overlord Bernard Montgomery is in command of the 21st army group (which consists of all Allied ground forces) Main Menu Leaders

Warning! Main Menu Take the Quiz If you have not completed the briefing this is your last chance to return before taking the quiz. Make sure you have read through all material and you may proceed.

Question 1 FDR Winston Churchill Barney Rubble Who congregated national leaders and called for the development of a 2nd front in Europe?

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Question 2 Bridges bunkers churches What structures were the paratroopers mainly meant to capture?

Question 3 40 minutes 60 minutes 20 minutes Utah beach has a unique strategy and must be completed in under how long?

Question 4 Morning Afternoon Night The amphibious attacks on the beach of Normandy are supposed to occur at what time of day?

Question 5 Dwight D Eisenhower Bernard Montgomery Erwin Rommel Who will be Commanding the 21st army the Allied army in total during Operation Overlord?

You have completed your briefing and are dismissed soldier. May God watch over you in the weeks to come. End of Briefing End briefing

…This is a do or die situation in which there can be no failure…