Monday, June 6, 2011

D Day


On June 6th, 1944, as nations were mired in World War II, the decision when to send the largest land invasion in modern military history was decided only one day before it was carried out.
Allied leadership, including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin agreed an international, multilateral advance in Western Europe could turn the tide and help bring the war to a quicker end.
Originally, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, expected to carry out the D-Day invasion on May 6th, 1944.
However, as he watched military personnel and equipment move towards southern England, he realized he’d need to postpone the assault until enough landing crafts could be built to transport troops to the beaches. At the end of May 1944, 2,876,000 Allied troops, 4,000 American, British and Canadian ships and 1,200 planes were assembled and ready for the commencement.
Before dawn, on June 5th, 1944, Eisenhower decided to commence the following day’s mission, “Operation Overlord.” If successful, it would essentially liberate German-occupied France and push the Nazis back to the east.
The location on where to launch the attack was decided months before by Allied leadership. Two possible locations were designated: Normandy and Pas de Calais, France.
Both beaches had their strengths and weaknesses.
The closest location from southern England, the launching point of the mission, was Pas de Calais. The proximity would allow bombers to constantly bombard German forts while the invasion was under way. Unfortunately, German forces recognized this fact as well and heavily fortified the beach in case of an invasion.
Normandy, further away, was less-defended. If the invading forces captured Normandy, it could both surprise and confuse a German army, forcing them to recalculate their operations in Western Europe.
In the end, the element of surprise was too hard to resist. Normandy was chosen as the target.
Hours before U.S., British and Canadian members of the Allied Expeditionary Force stormed the beaches of Normandy; Eisenhower scribbled a note on a piece of paper. It read, “Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre [Normandy] area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops.”
While the general hoped for success, defeat was a distinct possibility. If the assault didn’t push the Germans back in France, it would be a resounding victory for the Axis powers.
He spoke to the soldiers before they embarked. “You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of liberty loving people everywhere march with you.”
Soon after, the largest assault in modern-day history swarmed the beaches, secured Normandy beach, southern France, and largely swayed the outcome of World War II.
The letter, on which Eisenhower scribbled his explanation of a D-Day defeat, was never delivered.

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