D-Day Beaches

D-Day: The Sacrifice and Preparation That Paid Off

On June 6, 1944 the largest amphibious assault in history took place. On the morning of the Invasion of Normandy, beaches in the area of Cotentin, France, were bombarded with over 5,000 tons of bombs, destroying anti-invasion equipment and de-mining many areas. The official British history says: "Never has any coast suffered what a tortured strip of French coast suffered that morning." Following the bombardment over 100,000 soldiers swam ashore (Normandy), 11,700 paratroopers were dropped (D-Day) to secure Normandy Beach, and the casualties from the allied forces during the invasion were numbered in the tens of thousands. There was much preparation done and much sacrificed to lead up to the success of D-Day for the allied forces.

The casualties for the invasion were extensive. Five thousand, four hundred and thirty-six paratroopers were either killed or wounded (D-Day). Fifty-seven thousand prisoners were taken (Kemp), 57,200 soldiers were dead and 173,000 were wounded or missing (Battle of Normandy).

Deceiving the Germans was an important factor in the preparations for D-Day. German forces were misled into believing that the attack was to take place at Pas de Calais. First, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces, created a fictitious

1st Army Group, which would be based in Dover, just across the channel from Pas de Calais.

Inflatable tanks and vehicles were placed in Dover, and a harbor containing an armada of inflatable rafts were constructed in the area. Known enemy spies were informed of the supposed state of the forces. Naval maneuvers were performed off the area's coast by the allies, and radio trafficking was manipulated so that German intelligence would suspect a major military force was organizing. Before the invasion, more bombs were dropped on Pas de Calais than anywhere else off the coast of France. By the time the invasion took place, the German's were so

convinced that the invasion would take place at Pas de Calais that even after

a few hours of the Normandy invasion they still believed the main invasion

would be there. Because of these efforts, 19 enemy divisions did nothing on

the day of the attack. (Normandy)

The efforts of the French Resistance also helped make D-Day successful. They cut railroad tracks, sabotaged train engines, targeted supply trains (Normandy), cut phone lines, assassinated German officers, (Koeller 47), and bombed roads, bridges, and rail junctions. This work practically destroyed the French transportation system, disallowing the Germans the ability to send reinforcements for the attack (Normandy).

The night before D-Day, three airborne units, the 101st and 82nd American Airborne Divisions and the 6th British Airborne Division were meant to be deployed to areas south of the beach (Kemp). Their mission was to clear the way for the troops by eliminating various obstacles. However, due to weather, the mission was not fully successful. The 82nd, to be dropped near the town of Sainte-Mиre-Eglise, were scattered throughout the countryside. The 101st suffered equally badly. Their mission was to drop south of Utah Beach to secure roads and bridges at Carentan, a town near the center of the Peninsula. Unfortunately, many of the paratroopers were dropped into the water and drowned (Koeller 60).

If it were not for their utter determination, there would have been practically no purpose for the paratroopers. After the drops, small skirmishes erupted everywhere. However, the troops rallied and were able to regroup to complete most of their objectives, thanks to the efforts of the French Resistance. Because the resistance had cut phone lines, the German chain of command was disrupted, and they could not get a firm hold on the battle (Koeller 60).

At 0700 hours, the time appointed as H-Hour, the amphibious invasion began. The bombardment was to end and the invasions begin at the same time (Kemp). The bombers finished on time, but the landing equipment ran late, giving the Germans a little bit more time to recuperate. When the British I and XXX Corps arrived on the Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches at 0700, they encountered heavy fire. At Gold Beach, the British 50th division also encountered heavy fire, but they made their way off the beach within a matter of hours (Normandy).

At Juno Beach, offshore reefs caused many problems. These reefs were never above water, and they were covered with mine-tipped obstacles. The mines blew up many landing crafts before they ever reached the shore. Early bombardment did not fully eliminate German resistance at Juno Beach, as many Germans were holed up to pour bullets and artillery onto the allied soldiers. As more and more tanks and vehicles landed on shore, they had to weave in and out of destroyed landing crafts. Despite many obstacles, at sunset the Canadians had taken the town of Saint-Aubin and had established a bridgehead with the British XXX Corps at Gold Beach. (Koeller 75).

The British 3rd Infantry division with supporting units, including a group of French Commandos and the Scottish 1st Commando Brigade, assailed Sword Beach. The commandos were to secure a path through the town of Ouistreham, and then meet with the British 6th Airborne at the Orne Bridgehead. After the most extensive bombardment of the morning, the landing crafts were launched (Koeller 76).

However, there was an error in the launching of the landing craft: landing schedules collapsed and a large group of men were landed at the same time, causing a group of soldiers and vehicles to cluster at the water's edge (Normandy). In the town of Ouisterham, the Allies faced a line of German-occupied villas, including an occupied casino. The soldiers made quick work of the town, taking out buildings one by one and taking many prisoners (Koeller 76). After the elimination of resistance at Ouisterham, the Allies marched toward the bridges at the Orne and Bиnouville canals. There they were entangled in a skirmish between the British 6th Airborne and the 21st Panzer Division (Koeller 76).

The Utah Beach landing was successful and went completely as devised. Tanks came in first and began firing