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D-Day. June 6 th , 1944. Prior to D-Day. The Allies had been fighting in Italy in 1943 Germany had been constructing the Atlantic Wall since 1942 Atlantic Wall was a series of coastal fortifications Invasion plan called Operation Overlord (Eisenhower led). Dwight D. Eisenhower.
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D-Day June 6th, 1944
Prior to D-Day • The Allies had been fighting in Italy in 1943 • Germany had been constructing the Atlantic Wall since 1942 • Atlantic Wall was a series of coastal fortifications • Invasion plan called Operation Overlord (Eisenhower led)
Prior to the Invasion Began early June 6th, 1944 20,000 paratroopers landed behind enemy lines Consisted of 6,000 ships 150,000 men in first wave Germans think this is a decoy, think invasion will be at Calais
The Beaches • Landing zone was split into several different zones • Sword Beach • Juno Beach • Gold Beach • Omaha Beach (2,400 casualties) • Utah Beach
Results of the Invasion • Allies launch Operation Dragoon, invade France from south (August 15th, 1944) • Assassination attempt on Hitler’s life July 20th, 1944 • Allies liberate Paris August 25th
Aftermath of the Invasion • Germany is surrounded • Soviets on the east • Americans, British, French on the west • Germany is devastated by allied bombing • Germany continues to run low on oil • Hitler orders all men between 16-60 to join the army
Invasions of Italy Operation Shingle Operation Avalanche Back
Atlantic Wall During the Second World War, the Germans took four years to build the Atlantic Wall. On four beaches it held up the Allies for about an hour; at Omaha it held up the U.S. for less than one day. The Atlantic Wall must therefore be regarded as one of the greatest blunders in military history. – Stephen Ambrose Back
Overlord Back