Coordinates:4920N034W

InvasionofNormandy
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ThisarticleisaboutthefirstfewweeksoftheinvasionofNormandy.Thefirstdayofthelandings
(commonlyknownasDDay)iscoveredinmoredetailatNormandylandings.
ForearlierinvasionsofNormandyinotherwars,seeInvasionsofNormandy(disambiguation).
TheInvasionofNormandywastheinvasionby
andestablishmentofWesternAlliedforcesin
Normandy,duringOperationOverlordin1944
duringWorldWarIIthelargestamphibious
invasiontoevertakeplace.
DDay,thedayoftheinitialassaults,wasTuesday
6June1944.Alliedlandforcesthatsawcombatin
NormandyonthatdaycamefromCanada,theFree
Frenchforces,theUnitedKingdom,andtheUnited
States.Intheweeksfollowingtheinvasion,Polish
forcesalsoparticipated,aswellascontingentsfrom
Belgium,Czechoslovakia,Greece,andthe
Netherlands.[4]Mostoftheabovecountriesalso
providedairandnavalsupport,asdidtheRoyal
AustralianAirForce,theRoyalNewZealandAir
Force,[nb1]andtheRoyalNorwegianNavy.[1]
TheNormandyinvasionbeganwithovernight
parachuteandgliderlandings,massiveairattacks
andnavalbombardments.Intheearlymorning,
amphibiouslandingsonfivebeachescodenamed
Juno,Gold,Omaha,Utah,andSwordbeganand
duringtheeveningtheremainingelementsofthe
parachutedivisionslanded.LandforcesusedonD
Daydeployedfrombasesalongthesouthcoastof
England,themostimportantofthesebeing
Portsmouth.[5]

Contents
1PlanningoftheInvasion
2Codenames
3Alliedorderofbattle
3.1DDay
3.2Subsequentdays
3.3Navalparticipants
4Germanorderofbattle
4.1AtlanticWall
4.1.1Divisionalareas
4.1.2Adjacentdivisionalareas
4.2Armouredreserves
4.2.1ArmyGroupBreserve
4.2.2OKWreserve

InvasionofNormandy
PartofOperationOverlord(WorldWarII)

IntotheJawsofDeathbyRobertF.Sargent.Assault
craftlandoneofthefirstwavesatOmahaBeach.
TheU.S.CoastGuardcaptionidentifiestheunitas
CompanyE,16thInfantry,1stInfantryDivision.
Date

6June1944midJuly1944

Location

Normandy,France

Result

Alliedvictory

Belligerents
Allies

Axis

UnitedKingdom
UnitedStates
Canada
FreeFrance
Poland

Germany

Australia[nb1]
FreeBelgianForces
NewZealand
Netherlands
Norway[1]
FreeCzechoslovak
Forces
Greece

Commandersandleaders

4.2.2OKWreserve
5Landings
6AlliedestablishmentinFrance
7Assessmentofthebattle
7.1Germanleadership
8Warmemorialsandtourism
9Dramatisations
10Notes
11References
12Furtherreading
13Externallinks

PlanningoftheInvasion
AlliedforcesrehearsedtheirDDayrolesfor
monthsbeforetheinvasion.On28April1944,in
southDevonontheEnglishcoast,638U.S.soldiers
andsailorswerekilledwhenGermantorpedoboats
surprisedoneoftheselandingexercises,Exercise
Tiger.[6]
Inthemonthsleadinguptotheinvasion,theAllied
forcesconductedadeceptionoperation,Operation
Fortitude,aimedatmisleadingtheGermanswith
respecttothedateandplaceoftheinvasion.

DwightD.
Eisenhower
(SupremeAllied
Commander)
ArthurTedder
(DeputySupremeAllied
Commander)
Bernard
Montgomery(21stArmy
Group,GroundForces
CommanderinChief)
TraffordLeigh
Mallory(AirCommander
inChief)
BertramRamsay
(NavalCommanderin
Chief)

GerdvonRundstedt
(OberbefehlshaberWest)
ErwinRommel
(HeeresgruppeB)
FriedrichDollmann
(7Armeeoberkommando)
LeoGeyrvon
Schweppenburg(Panzer
GroupWest)

MilesDempsey
(British2ndArmy)
OmarBradley(U.S.
1stArmy)

Strength
1,332,000(by24July)[2] 380,000(by23July)[3]

Casualtiesandlosses
by24July:
120,000casualties[2]

by24July:
113,059casualties[2]

TherewereseveralleakspriortooronDDay.
ThroughtheCiceroaffair,theGermansobtained
documentscontainingreferencestoOverlord,but
thesedocumentslackedalldetail.[7]DoubleCross
agents,suchastheSpaniardJoanPujol(code
namedGarbo),playedanimportantroleinconvincingthe
GermanHighCommandthatNormandywasatbesta
diversionaryattack.U.S.MajorGeneralHenryMiller,chief
supplyofficeroftheUS9thAirForce,duringapartyat
Claridge'sHotelinLondoncomplainedtoguestsofthesupply
problemshewashavingbutthataftertheinvasion,whichhetold
themwouldbebefore15June,supplywouldbeeasier.After
beingtold,EisenhowerreducedMillertolieutenantcolonel
[AssociatedPress,June10,1944]andsenthimbacktotheU.S.
U.S.soldiersmarchthrough
[8]
Weymouth,Dorsetenroutetoboard
whereheretired. AnothersuchleakwasGeneralCharlesde
landingshipsfortheinvasionof
Gaulle'sradiomessageafterDDay.He,unlikealltheother
France.
leaders,statedthatthisinvasionwastherealinvasion.Thishad
thepotentialtoruintheAllieddeceptionsFortitudeNorthand
FortitudeSouth.Incontrast,Gen.Eisenhowerreferredtothelandingsastheinitialinvasion.
Onlytendayseachmonthweresuitableforlaunchingtheoperation:adaynearthefullmoonwas
neededbothforilluminationduringthehoursofdarknessandforthespringtide,theformerto
illuminatenavigationallandmarksforthecrewsofaircraft,glidersandlandingcraft,andthelatterto
exposedefensiveobstaclesplacedbytheGermanforcesinthesurfontheseawardapproachestothe

beaches.Afullmoonoccurredon6June.AlliedExpeditionaryForceSupremeCommanderDwightD.
Eisenhowerhadtentativelyselected5Juneasthedatefortheassault.Theweatherwasfineduringmost
ofMay,butdeterioratedinearlyJune.On4June,conditionswereclearlyunsuitableforalandingwind
andhighseaswouldmakeitimpossibletolaunchlandingcraftfromlargershipsatsea,lowclouds
wouldpreventaircraftfindingtheirtargets.TheAlliedtroopconvoysalreadyatseawereforcedtotake
shelterinbaysandinletsonthesouthcoastofBritainforthenight.
Itseemedpossiblethateverythingwouldhavetobecancelledandthetroopsreturnedtotheir
embarkationcamps(whichwouldbealmostimpossible,astheenormousmovementoffollowup
formationsintothemwasalreadyproceeding).[9]Thenextfullmoonperiodwouldbenearlyamonth
away.Atavitalmeetingon5June,Eisenhower'schiefmeteorologist(GroupCaptainJ.M.Stagg)
forecastabriefimprovementfor6June.[10]CommanderofalllandforcesfortheinvasionGeneral
BernardMontgomeryandEisenhower'sChiefofStaffGeneralWalterBedellSmithwishedtoproceed
withtheinvasion.CommanderoftheAlliedAirForcesAirChiefMarshalLeighMallorywasdoubtful,
butAlliedNavalCommanderinChiefAdmiralBertramRamsaybelievedthatconditionswouldbe
marginallyfavorable.[9]OnthestrengthofStagg'sforecast,Eisenhowerorderedtheinvasionto
proceed.[11]Asaresult,prevailingovercastskieslimitedAlliedairsupport,andnoseriousdamage
wouldbedonetothebeachdefencesonOmahaandJuno.[12]
TheGermansmeanwhiletookcomfortfromtheexistingpoorconditions,whichwereworseover
NorthernFrancethanovertheEnglishChannelitself,andbelievednoinvasionwouldbepossiblefor
severaldays.Sometroopsstooddownandmanyseniorofficerswereawayfortheweekend.Field
MarshalErwinRommeltookafewdays'leavetocelebratehiswife'sbirthday,[13]whiledozensof
division,regimentalandbattalioncommanderswereawayfromtheirpostsconductingwargamesjust
priortotheinvasion.[14]

Codenames
TheAlliesassignedcodenamestothevariousoperationsinvolvedintheinvasion.Overlordwasthe
nameassignedtotheestablishmentofalargescalelodgementonthenorthernportionoftheContinent.
Thefirstphase,theestablishmentofasecurefoothold,wascodenamedNeptune.AccordingtotheDday
museum:
Thearmedforcesusecodenamestorefertotheplanningandexecutionofspecificmilitary
operations.OperationOverlordwasthecodenamefortheAlliedinvasionofnorthwestEurope.
TheassaultphaseofOperationOverlordwasknownasOperationNeptune.()Operation
NeptunebeganonDDay(6June1944)andendedon30June1944.Bythistime,theAllieshad
establishedafirmfootholdinNormandy.OperationOverlordalsobeganonDDay,andcontinued
untilAlliedforcescrossedtheRiverSeineon19August1944.[15]
OfficerswithknowledgeofDDaywerenottobesentwheretherewastheslightestdangerofbeing
captured.Theseofficersweregiventhecodenameof"Bigot",derivedfromthewords"ToGib"(To
Gibraltar)thatwasstampedonthepapersofofficerswhotookpartintheNorthAfricaninvasionin
1942.[16]Onthenightof27April,duringExerciseTiger,apreinvasionexerciseoffthecoastofSlapton
Sandsbeach,severalAmericanLSTswereattackedbyGermanEboatsandamongthe638Americans
killedintheattackandafurther308killedbyfriendlyfire,ten"Bigots"werelistedasmissing.Asthe
invasionwouldbecancelledifanywerecapturedorunaccountedfor,theirfatewasgiventhehighest
priorityandeventuallyalltenbodieswererecovered.

Alliedorderofbattle
DDay
ThefollowingmajorunitswerelandedonDDay(6June1944).
AmoredetailedorderofbattleforDDayitselfcanbefoundat
Normandylandings.
British6thAirborneDivision.[17]
BritishICorps,3rdBritishInfantryDivisionandthe
British27thArmouredBrigade.
3rdCanadianInfantryDivision,2ndCanadianArmoured
DdayassaultroutesintoNormandy.
Brigade
BritishXXXCorps,British50thInfantryDivisionand
British8thArmouredBrigade.[18]
British79thArmouredDivision
U.S.VCorps,U.S.1stInfantryDivisionandU.S.29thInfantryDivision.[17][19]
U.S.VIICorps,U.S.4thInfantryDivision.,[19]U.S.101stAirborneDivision.,[19]U.S.82nd
AirborneDivision.[19][20][21]
ThetotalnumberoftroopslandedonDDaywasaround130,000[22]156,000[23]roughlyhalfAmerican
andtheotherfromtheCommonwealthRealms.

Subsequentdays
Mainarticle:Mulberryharbour
Thetotaltroops,vehiclesandsupplieslandedovertheperiodof
theinvasionwere:
Bytheendof11June(D+5),326,547troops,54,186
vehiclesand104,428tonsofsupplies.[23]
By30June(D+24)over850,000men,148,000vehicles,
and570,000tonsofsupplies.[22]
By4Julyonemillionmenhadbeenlanded.[24]

Navalparticipants
Mainarticle:Normandylandings

OffOmahaBeach,AmericanLiberty
ships'CornCobs'werescuttledto
provideamakeshiftbreakwater
duringtheearlydaysoftheinvasion.

Theinvasionfleetwasdrawnfromeightdifferentnavies,
comprising6,939vessels:1,213warships,4,126transport
vessels(landingshipsandlandingcraft),and736ancillarycraftand864merchantvessels.[17]

TheoverallcommanderoftheAlliedNavalExpeditionaryForce,providingcloseprotectionand
bombardmentatthebeaches,wasAdmiralSirBertramRamsay.TheAlliedNavalExpeditionaryForce
wasdividedintotwoNavalTaskForces:Western(RearAdmiralAlanGKirk)andEastern(Rear
AdmiralSirPhilipVian).

Thewarshipsprovidedcoverforthetransportsagainsttheenemywhetherintheformofsurface
warships,submarines,orasanaerialattackandgavesupporttothelandingsthroughshore
bombardment.TheseshipsincludedtheAlliedTaskForce"O".

Germanorderofbattle
ThenumberofmilitaryforcesatthedisposalofNaziGermanyreacheditspeakduring1944.Tankson
theeastfrontpeakedat5,202inNovember1944,whiletotalaircraftintheLuftwaffeinventorypeaked
at5,041inDecember1944.ByDDay157Germandivisions
werestationedintheSovietUnion,6inFinland,12inNorway,6
inDenmark,9inGermany,21intheBalkans,26inItalyand59
inFrance,BelgiumandtheNetherlands.[25]However,these
statisticsaresomewhatmisleadingsinceasignificantnumberof
thedivisionsintheeastweredepletedGermanrecordsindicate
thattheaveragepersonnelcomplementwasatabout50%inthe
springof1944.[26]
AmoredetailedorderofbattleforDDayitselfcanbefoundat
Normandylandings.

Largelandingcraftconvoycrosses
theEnglishChannelon6June1944.

AtlanticWall
Mainarticles:AtlanticWallandEnglishChannel
StandinginthewayoftheAllieswastheEnglishChannel,a
crossingwhichhadeludedtheSpanishArmadaandNapoleon
Bonaparte'sNavy.Compoundingtheinvasioneffortswasthe
extensiveAtlanticWall,orderedbyHitlerinhisDirective51.
Believingthatanyforthcominglandingswouldbetimedforhigh
tide(thiscausedthelandingstobetimedforlowtide),Hitlerhad
theentirewallfortifiedwithtanktopturretsandextensivebarbed
wire,andlaidamillionminestodeterlandingcraft.Thesector
whichwasattackedwasguardedbyfourdivisions.
Divisionalareas
Thefollowingunitsweredeployedinastaticdefensivemodein
theareasoftheactuallandings:
716thInfantryDivision(Static)consistedmainlyofthose
AmapoftheAtlanticWall.
'unfitforactiveduty'andreleasedprisoners.
352ndInfantryDivision,awelltrainedunitcontaining
combatveterans.
91stAirLandingDivision(Luftlandeairtransported),aregularinfantrydivision,trained,and
equippedtobetransportedbyair.
709thInfantryDivision(Static).Likethe716th,thisdivisionincludedanumberof"Ost"
battalionswhowereprovidedwithGermanleadershiptomanagethem.
Adjacentdivisionalareas
Otherdivisionsoccupiedtheareasaroundthelandingzones,including:

243rdInfantryDivision(Static)(GeneralleutnantHeinz
Hellmich),comprisingthe920thInfantryRegiment(two
battalions),921stInfantryRegiment,and922ndInfantry
Regiment.Thiscoastaldefensedivisionprotectedthe
westerncoastoftheCotentinPeninsula.
711thInfantryDivision(Static)(GeneralleutnantJosef
Reichert),comprisingthe731stInfantryRegiment,and
744thInfantryRegiment.Thisdivisiondefendedthe
westernpartofthePaysdeCaux.
30thMobileBrigade(OberstleutnantFreiherrvonundzu
Aufsess),comprisingthreebicyclebattalions.

Armouredreserves
Rommel'sdefensivemeasureswerealsofrustratedbyadispute
overarmoureddoctrine.Inadditiontohistwoarmygroups,von
RundstedtalsocommandedtheheadquartersofPanzerGroup
WestunderGeneralLeoGeyrvonSchweppenburg(usually
referredtoasvonGeyr).Thisformationwasnominallyan
administrativeHQforvonRundstedt'sarmouredandmobile
formations,butitwaslatertoberenamedFifthPanzerArmyand
broughtintothelineinNormandy.VonGeyrandRommel
disagreedoverthedeploymentanduseofthevitalPanzer
divisions.

GermanCrossChannelgunofthe
AtlanticWall.Oneofthree40.6cm
gunsatBatterie"Lindemann"

Germaninfantrymenscantheskies
forAlliedaircraftinNormandy,1944

RommelrecognisedthattheAllieswouldpossessairsuperiority
andwouldbeabletoharasshismovementsfromtheair.Hethereforeproposedthatthearmoured
formationsbedeployedclosetotheinvasionbeaches.Inhiswords,itwasbettertohaveonePanzer
divisionfacingtheinvadersonthefirstday,thanthreePanzerdivisionsthreedayslaterwhentheAllies
wouldalreadyhaveestablishedafirmbeachhead.VonGeyrarguedforthestandarddoctrinethatthe
PanzerformationsshouldbeconcentratedinacentralpositionaroundParisandRouen,anddeployeden
masseagainstthemainAlliedbeachheadwhenthishadbeenidentified.
TheargumentwaseventuallybroughtbeforeHitlerforarbitration.Hecharacteristicallyimposedan
unworkablecompromisesolution.OnlythreePanzerdivisionsweregiventoRommel,toofewtocover
allthethreatenedsectors.Theremainder,nominallyunderVonGeyr'scontrol,wereactuallydesignated
asbeingin"OKWReserve".Onlythreeoftheseweredeployedcloseenoughtointerveneimmediately
againstanyinvasionofNorthernFrancetheotherfourweredispersedinsouthernFranceandthe
Netherlands.HitlerreservedtohimselftheauthoritytomovethedivisionsinOKWReserve,orcommit
themtoaction.On6JunemanyPanzerdivisioncommanderswereunabletomovebecauseHitlerhad
notgiventhenecessaryauthorisation,andhisstaffrefusedtowakehimuponnewsoftheinvasion.
ArmyGroupBreserve
The21stPanzerDivision(GeneralmajorEdgarFeuchtinger)wasdeployednearCaenasamobile
strikingforceaspartoftheArmyGroupBreserve.However,Rommelplaceditsoclosetothe
coastaldefensesthat,understandingordersincaseofinvasion,severalofitsinfantryandanti
aircraftunitswouldcomeundertheordersofthefortressdivisionsonthecoast,reducingthe
effectivestrengthofthedivision.

TheothertwoarmoureddivisionsoverwhichRommelhadoperationalcontrol,the2ndPanzerDivision
and116thPanzerDivision,weredeployednearthePasdeCalaisinaccordancewithGermanviews
aboutthelikelyAlliedlandingsites.NeitherwasmovedfromthePasdeCalaisforatleastfourteendays
aftertheinvasion.
OKWreserve
TheothermechanizeddivisionscapableofinterveninginNormandywereretainedunderthedirect
controloftheGermanArmedForcesHQ(OKW)andwereinitiallydeniedtoRommel:
FourdivisionsweredeployedtoNormandywithinsevendaysoftheinvasion:
The12thSSPanzerDivisionHitlerjugend(BrigadefhrerFritzWitt)wasstationedtothe
southeast.ItsofficersandNCOs(thisdivisionhadaveryweakcoreofNCOsinNormandywith
onlyslightlymorethan50%ofitsauthorisedstrength[27])werelongservingveterans,butthe
juniorsoldiershadallbeenrecruiteddirectlyfromtheHitlerYouthmovementattheageof
seventeenin1943.Itwastoacquireareputationforferocityandwarcrimesinthecomingbattle.
FurthertothesouthwestwasthePanzerLehrDivision(GeneralmajorFritzBayerlein),anelite
unitoriginallyformedbyamalgamatingtheinstructingstaffatvarioustrainingestablishments.
Notonlywereitspersonnelofhighquality,butthedivisionalsohadunusuallyhighnumbersof
thelatestandmostcapablearmouredvehicles.
1stSSPanzerDivisionLeibstandarteSSAdolfHitlerwasrefittinginBelgiumontheNetherlands
borderafterbeingdecimatedontheEasternFront.
17thSSPanzergrenadierDivisionGtzvonBerlichingen(GeneralmajorWernerOstendorff)was
basedonThouars,southoftheLoireRiver,andalthoughequippedwithAssaultgunsinsteadof
tanksandlackinginothertransport(suchthatonebattalioneachfromthe37thand38th
PanzergrenadierRegimentsmovedbybicycle),itprovidedthefirstmajorcounterattackagainst
theAmericanadvanceatCarentanon13June.
Threeotherdivisions(the2ndSSPanzerDivisionDasReich,
whichhadbeenrefittingatMontaubaninSouthernFrance,and
the9thSSPanzerDivisionHohenstaufenand10thSSPanzer
DivisionFrundsbergwhichhadbeenintransitfromtheEastern
Fronton6June),werecommittedtobattleinNormandyaround
twentyonedaysafterthefirstlandings.
Onemorearmoureddivision(the9thPanzerDivision)saw
actiononlyaftertheAmericanbreakoutfromthebeachhead.
Twootherarmoureddivisionswhichhadbeenintheweston6
June(the11thPanzerDivisionand19thPanzerDivision)didnot
seeactioninNormandy.

LandingsuppliesatNormandy

Landings
Mainarticle:Normandylandings

AlliedestablishmentinFrance
TheAlliedinvasionplanshadcalledforthecaptureofSaintL,Caen,andBayeuxonthefirstday,with
allthebeacheslinkedexceptUtah,andSword(thelastlinkedwithparatroopers)andafrontline10to
16kilometres(610mi)fromthebeaches.However,practicallynoneoftheseobjectiveshadbeen

achieved.IttooktwomonthsforBritishandCanadiantroopstocaptureCaen,astheyfaced7heavy
Panzerdivisions,whiletheirAmericanallies,althoughadvancingmorerapidly,facedonly2ofthese
divisions.Overallthecasualtieshadnotbeenasheavyassomehadfeared(around10,000comparedto
the20,000Churchillhadestimated)andthebridgeheadshadwithstoodtheexpectedcounterattacks.
Oncethebeachheadwasestablished,twoartificialMulberryharboursweretowedacrosstheEnglish
ChannelinsegmentsandmadeoperationalaroundD+3(9June).
OnewasconstructedatArromanchesbyBritishforces,theother
atOmahaBeachbyAmericanforces.By19June,whensevere
stormsinterruptedthelandingofsuppliesforseveraldaysand
destroyedtheOmahaharbour,theBritishhadlanded314,547
men,54,000vehicles,and102,000tonsofsupplies,whilethe
Americansputashore314,504men,41,000vehicles,and
116,000tonsofsupplies.[28]Around9,000tonsofmaterielwere
landeddailyattheArromanchesharbouruntiltheendofAugust
1944,bywhichtimetheportofCherbourghadbeensecuredby
theAlliesandhadbeguntoreturntoservice.
ThebuildupofOmahaBeach:
Inaddition,withtheinstallationofPLUTOinAugust1944the
AllieshadfuelpipedoverdirectlyfromEnglandwithouthaving
torelyonvulnerabletankers.

reinforcementsofmenandequipment
movinginland

Assessmentofthebattle
TheNormandylandingswerethefirstsuccessfulopposed
landingsacrosstheEnglishChannelinovereightcenturies.They
werecostlyintermsofmen,butthedefeatinflictedonthe
Germanswasoneofthelargestofthewar.Strategically,the
campaignledtothelossoftheGermanpositioninmostof
Franceandthesecureestablishmentofanewmajorfront.In
largercontexttheNormandylandingshelpedtheSovietsonthe
EasternFront,whowerefacingthebulkoftheGermanforces
and,toacertainextent,contributedtotheshorteningofthe
conflictthere.

LaCambeGermanwarcemetery

Althoughtherewasashortageofartilleryammunition,atnotime
weretheAlliescriticallyshortofanynecessity.Thiswasaremarkableachievementconsideringtheydid
notholdaportuntilCherbourgfell.BythetimeofthebreakouttheAlliesalsoenjoyedaconsiderable
superiorityinnumbersoftroops(approximately7:2)andarmouredvehicles(approximately4:1)which
helpedovercomethenaturaladvantagestheterraingavetotheGermandefenders.
Alliedintelligenceandcounterintelligenceeffortsweresuccessfulbeyondexpectations.TheOperation
FortitudedeceptionbeforetheinvasionkeptGermanattentionfocusedonthePasdeCalais,andindeed
highqualityGermanforceswerekeptinthisarea,awayfromNormandy,untilJuly.Priortothe
invasion,fewGermanreconnaissanceflightstookplaceoverBritain,andthosethatdidsawonlythe
dummystagingareas.UltradecryptsofGermancommunicationshadbeenhelpfulaswell,exposing
GermandispositionsandrevealingtheirplanssuchastheMortaincounterattack.
Alliedairoperationsalsocontributedsignificantlytotheinvasion,viaclosetacticalsupport,interdiction
ofGermanlinesofcommunication(preventingtimelymovementofsuppliesandreinforcements
particularlythecriticalPanzerunits),andrenderingtheLuftwaffeineffectiveinNormandy.[nb2]

Althoughtheimpactuponarmouredvehicleswaslessthanexpected,airactivityintimidatedtheseunits
andcuttheirsupplies.
Despiteinitialheavylossesintheassaultphase,Alliedmorale
remainedhigh.Casualtyratesamongallthearmieswere
tremendous,andtheCommonwealthforceshadtousearecently
createdcategoryDoubleIntensetobeabletodescribethem.

Germanleadership
Germancommandersatalllevelsfailedtoreacttotheassault
phaseinatimelymanner.Communicationsproblems
exacerbatedthedifficultiescausedbyAlliedairandnaval
firepower.Localcommandersalsoseemedincapableofthetask
offightinganaggressivedefenseonthebeach,asRommelhad
envisioned.

GeneralBernardMontgomerywith
BritishtroopsinNormandy,July
1944

TheGermanHighCommandremainedfixatedontheCalais
area,andvonRundstedtwasnotpermittedtocommitthe
armouredreserve.Whenitwasfinallyreleasedlateintheday,
anychanceofsuccesswasmuchmoredifficult.Overall,despite
considerableAlliedmaterialsuperiority,theGermanskepttheAlliesbottledupinasmallbeachheadfor
nearlytwomonths,aidedimmeasurablybyterrainfactors.
AlthoughtherewereseveralknowndisputesamongtheAlliedcommanders,theirtacticsandstrategy
wereessentiallydeterminedbyagreementbetweenthemaincommanders.Bycontrast,theGerman
leaderswerebulliedandtheirdecisionsinterferedwithbyHitler,controllingthebattlefromadistance
withlittleknowledgeoflocalconditions.FieldMarshalsvonRundstedtandRommelrepeatedlyasked
Hitlerformorediscretionbutwererefused.VonRundstedtwasremovedfromhiscommandon29June
afterhebluntlytoldtheChiefofStaffatHitler'sArmedForcesHQ(FieldMarshalKeitel)to"Make
peace,youidiots!"RommelwasseverelyinjuredbyAlliedaircrafton17July.
TheGermancommandersalsosufferedinthequalityoftheavailabletroops.Sixtythousandofthe
850,000inRundstedt'scommandwereraisedfromthemanyprisonersofwarcapturedontheEastern
Front.[29]These"Ost"unitshadvolunteeredtofightagainstStalin,butwheninsteadunwiselyusedto
defendFranceagainsttheWesternAllies,endedupbeingunreliable.Manysurrenderedordesertedat
thefirstavailableopportunity.

Warmemorialsandtourism

TheBnysurMerCanadianWarCemetery

ThebeachesatNormandyarestillreferredtoonmapsandsignpostsbytheirinvasioncodenames.There
areseveralvastcemeteriesinthearea.TheAmericancemetery,inCollevillesurMer,containsrow
uponrowofidenticalwhitecrossesandStarsofDavid,immaculatelykept,commemoratingthe
Americandead.Commonwealthgraves,maintainedinmanylocationsbytheCommonwealthWar
GravesCommission,useswhiteheadstonesengravedwiththeperson'sreligiousormedal(Victoria
CrossorGeorgeCrossonly)symbolandtheirunitinsignia.TheBayeuxWarCemetery,with4,648
burials,isthelargestBritishcemeteryofthewar.[30]ThelargestcemeteryinNormandyistheLaCambe
Germanwarcemetery,with21,222burials,whichfeaturesgranitestonesalmostflushwiththeground
andgroupsoflowsetcrosses.ThereisalsoaPolishcemetery.
AttheBayeuxMemorial,amonumenterectedbyBritainhasaLatin
inscriptiononthememorialreads"Nosagulielmovictivictorispatriam
liberavimus"freelytranslated,thisreads"We,onceconqueredby
William,havenowsetfreetheConqueror'snativeland".[30]
Streetsnearthebeachesarestillnamedaftertheunitsthatfoughtthere,
andoccasionalmarkerscommemoratenotableincidents.Atsignificant
points,suchasPointeduHocandPegasusBridge,thereareplaques,
memorialsorsmallmuseums.TheMulberryharbourstillsitsinthesea
atArromanches.InSainteMreglise,adummyparatrooperhangs
fromthechurchspire.OnJunoBeach,theCanadiangovernmenthas
builttheJunoBeachInformationCentre,commemoratingoneofthe
mostsignificanteventsinCanadianmilitaryhistory.

Paratroopmemorialin
SainteMreglise

InEnglandthemostsignificantmemorialistheDDayMuseumin
Southsea,Hampshire.TheMuseumwasopenedin1984to
commemoratethe40thanniversaryofDDay.ItscentrepieceistheOverlordembroiderycommissioned
byLordDulvertonofBatsford(191592)asatributetothesacrificeandheroismofthosemenand
womenwhotookpartinOperationOverlord.
On5June1994adrumheadservicewasheldonSouthseaCommonadjacenttheDDayMuseum.This
servicewasattendedbyUSPresidentBillClinton,QueenElizabethIIandover100,000membersofthe
public.

Dramatisations

ThebattleofNormandyhasbeenthetopicofmanyfilms,televisionshows,songs,computergamesand
books.Manydramatisationsfocusontheinitiallandings,andthesearecoveredatNormandyLandings.
Someexamplesthatcoverthewiderbattleinclude:
Films
LeBataillonduciel(sky'sbattalion),a1947FrenchfilmdirectedbyAlexandreEswaybasedon
thebookofJosephKessel:FreeFrenchSASparatroopers(SpecialAirService)inBrittanyfrom5
JunetoAugust1944.
BandofBrothers,a2001AmericanminiseriesproducedbyStevenSpielbergandTomHanks
basedonthebookofthesamenamebyStephenAmbrose.
Ike:CountdowntoDDay,a2004AmericantelevisionfilmdirectedbyRobertHarmonand
writtenbyLionelChetwyndwhichemphasizesthedifficultdecisionsGeneralDwightD.
Eisenhowerhadtomake,whiledealingwiththevariedpersonalitiesofhisdirectsubordinates,in
ordertoleadOperationOverlord.
TheLongestDaya1962filmbasedonthebookofthesamenamebyCorneliusRyan
SavingPrivateRyan,a1998AcademyAwardwinningAmericanfilmdirectedbySteven
SpielbergandstarringTomHanksandMattDamon.
Unjouravantl'aube(Onedaybeforedawn),a1994FrenchTVfilmdirectedbyJacquesErtaud:
FreeFrenchSASinBrittany.
TheBigRedOne,a1980filmdirectedbySamuelFullerandstarringLeeMarvin.
TheAmericanizationofEmily,a1964filmwrittenbyPaddyChayefsky,directedbyArthurHiller
andstarringJamesGarnerandJulieAndrews.
MyWay,ajointSouthKoreanandUSwarfilmbyKangJegyu,starsJangDonggunalongwith
JapaneseactorJoeOdagiriandChineseactressFanBingbing.
Overlord,a1975blackandwhitefilmwrittenanddirectedbyStuartCooper,setaroundtheD
Dayinvasion.

Notes
Footnotes
1. DefenceagainstamassUboatattackreliedon"19Groupof[RAF]CoastalCommand[it]includedone
Czech,onePolish,oneNewZealander,twoAustralianandthreeCanadiansquadrons.EventheRAF'sown
224Squadronwasamixedbagofnationalitieswith137Britons,fortyfourCanadians,thirtythreeAnzacs,
twoAmericans,aSwiss,aChilean,aSouthAfricanandaBrazilian"[31]"TheDDayairoffensivewas
another[RAF]multinationaloperation.ItincludedfiveNewZealander,sevenAustralian,twentyeight
Canadian,oneRhodesian,sixFrench,fourteenPolish,threeCzech,twoBelgian,twoDutchandtwo
Norwegiansquadrons"[32]At05:37theNorwegiandestroyerSevenner,oneof37destroyersintheEastern
TaskForce,wassunkbyatorpedolaunchedfromaGermanEboat.[33]"InadditiontotheCruiserORP
Dragon,thePolishdestroyersORPKrakowiakandSlazaktookpartinbeachsupportoperations,whilethe
destroyersOKPBlyskewicaandPiorunwereemployedaspartofthecoveringforce"[34]
2. FollowingNormandy,ajokeregardingtheirlackofairsupportbecamecommonandwidelyspreadby
Wehrmachtsoldiers:"Iftheplaneintheskyissilver,it'sAmerican,ifit'sblue,it'sBritish,ifit'sinvisible,
it'sours!"

Citations
1. "Title:TheNorwegianNavyintheSecondWorldWar"(http://www.resdal.org/Archivo/d00000a5.htm).
Resdal.Retrieved24May2008.
2. Tamelander,M,Zetterling,N(2004),Avgrandesgonblick:InvasioneniNormandie.NorstedtsFrlag,p.
295
3. Zetterling2000,p.32.
4. Williams,Jeffery(1988).Thelongleftflank:thehardfoughtwaytotheReich,19441945.London:Cooper.
p..ISBN0850528801.

p..ISBN0850528801.
5. Keegan1989.
6. Small,KenRogerson,Mark(1988).TheForgottenDeadWhy946AmericanServicemenDiedOffThe
CoastOfDevonIn1944AndTheManWhoDiscoveredTheirTrueStory.London:BloomsburyPublishing.
ISBN0747503095.
7. Keegan1989,p.279.
8. FPogue,TheSupremeCommand,DepartmentoftheArmy,1954,pp.16364
9. Wilmot,p.225
10. Wilmot,p.224
11. Wilmot,p.226
12. JunoBeach(http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/junobeachfeature/)fromTheCanadian
Encyclopedia.
13. "DDay,People&Events:ErwinRommel(18911944)"
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dday/peopleevents/p_rommel.html).AmericanExperience,PBS.Retrieved
5June2009.
14. DavidWhiteandDanielP.Murphy,Ph.D."TheNormandyInvasion"(http://www.netplaces.com/worldwar
ii/europe/thenormandyinvasion.htm).netplaces.TheNewYorkTimesCompany.Retrieved6June2012.
15. "DDayandtheBattleofNormandy:YourQuestionsAnswered"(http://www.ddaymuseum.co.uk/faq.htm).
DDayMuseum.Retrieved24May2008.
16. UntoldStoriesofDDay(http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/06/DDay/allentext/3),National
Geographic,June2002.
17. Keegan,John."BritannicaguidetoDDay1944"(http://www.britannica.com/dday/article236192).
EncyclopdiaBritannica.Retrieved30October2007.
18. Keegan,John."BritannicaguidetoDDay1944"(http://www.britannica.com/dday/article9389939).
EncyclopdiaBritannica.Retrieved30October2007.
19. Map81,M.R.D.Foot,I.C.B.Dear,ed.(2005).TheOxfordCompaniontoWorldWarII.OxfordUniversity
Press.p.663.ISBN9780192806666.
20. Bradley,JohnH.(2002).TheSecondWorldWar:EuropeandtheMediterranean(http://books.google.com/?
id=HP39NNz71sC&pg=PA290&lpg=PA290).SquareOnePublishers.p.290.ISBN0757001629.
Retrieved16November2007.
21. PatrickElieNormandieFrance."DDay:Normandy1944UTAHBEACH:U.S.Troops"
(http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/utah/en_page.php?page=fo1_11).6juin1944.com.Retrieved20120825.
22. DDay6June1944(http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/dl/dday/ddaypage.html)Archived
(https://web.archive.org/web/20080509122049/http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/dl/dday/ddaypage.html)9
May2008attheWaybackMachine
23. "FrequentlyAskedQuestionsforDDayandtheBattleofNormandy"
(http://www.ddaymuseum.co.uk/faq.htm).Ddaymuseum.co.uk.Retrieved20120825.
24. "HyperWar:TheWarinWesternEurope:Part1(JunetoDecember,1944)[Chapter3]"
(http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USMA/WEurope1/WEurope13.html).Ibiblio.org.Retrieved20120825.
25. Wilmot1997.
26. Tippelskirch,Kurtvon,GechichtederZweitenWeltkrieg.1956
27. Zetterling2000,p.350.
28. Pogue,ForrestC.(1954)."TheSupremeCommand,"(http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USAE
Supreme/USAESupreme10.html).UnitedStatesArmyinWorldWarII:EuropeanTheaterofOperations.
WashingtonD.C.:CMHPublication71,Officeofthechiefofmilitaryhistory,DepartmentoftheArmy.
29. Keegan1994,p.61.
30. Reed,Paul."NormandyWarCemeteries:BayeuxMemorial"
(http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/bayeux_memorial.htm).BattlefieldsofWW2website.Retrieved
10October2008.
31. Beevor2009,p.76.
32. Beevor2009,p.77.
33. Beevor2009,p.82.
34. Beevor2009,p.82footnotes.

References
Beevor,Antony(2009).DDay:TheBattleforNormandy(Firsted.).London:VikinganimprintofPenguin

Books.ISBN9780670887033.
Keegan,John(1994)[1982].SixArmiesinNormandy:FromDDaytotheLiberationofParis.NewYork:
PenguinBooks.ISBN0140235426.
Keegan,John(1989).TheSecondWorldWar.London:Hutchinson.ISBN0091740118..
Wilmot,Chester(1997)[1952].TheStruggleForEurope.Ware,Hertfordshire:WordsworthEditions.
ISBN1853266779.
Zetterling,Niklas(2000).Normandy1944:GermanMilitaryOrganisation,CombatPowerand
OrganizationalEffectiveness.Winnipeg:J.J.FedorowiczPublishing.ISBN0921991568..

Furtherreading
Ambrose,Stephen.DDayJune6,1944:TheClimacticBattleofWorldWarII.Newyork:Simon&
Schuster,1995.ISBN0671884034.
Badsey,Stephen.Normandy1944:AlliedLandingsandBreakout.Botley,Oxford:OspreyPublishing,1990.
ISBN9780850459210.
D'Este,Carlo.DecisioninNormandy:TheUnwrittenStoryofMontgomeryandtheAlliedCampaign.
London:WilliamCollinsSons,1983.ISBN0002170566.
Foot,M.R.D.SOE:AnOutlineHistoryoftheSpecialOperationsExecutive194046..BBCPublications,
1984.ISBN0563201932.
Ford,Ken.DDay1944(3):SwordBeach&theBritishAirborneLandings.Botley,Oxford:Osprey
Publishing,2002.ISBN9781841763668.
Ford,Ken.DDay1944(4):Gold&JunoBeaches.Botley,Oxford:OspreyPublishing,2002.ISBN9781
841763682.
Herington,John.AirPowerOverEurope,19441945,1stedition(OfficialHistoryofAustraliaintheSecond
WorldWarVolumeIV).Canberra:AustralianWarMemorial1963.
Holderfield,RandalJ.,andMichaelJ.Varhola.DDay:TheInvasionofNormandy,June6,1944.Mason
City,Iowa:SavasPublishing,2001.ISBN1882810457,ISBN1882810465.
Kershaw,Alex.TheBedfordBoys:OneAmericanTown'sUltimateDDaySacrifice.Cambridge,Mass.:Da
CapoPress,2003.ISBN0306813556.
"Morning:NormandyInvasion(JuneAugust1944)".TheWorldatWarepisode17.BritishBroadcasting
Corporation.1974.
Neillands,Robin.TheBattleofNormandy,1944.London:Cassell,2002.ISBN0304358371.
Rozhnov,Konstantin.WhowonWorldWarII?(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4508901.stm).BBCNews,
5May2005.
Stacey,C.P.Canada'sBattleinNormandy:TheCanadianArmy'sShareintheOperations,6June1
September1944.Ottawa:King'sPrinter,1946.
Stacey,C.P.OfficialHistoryoftheCanadianArmyintheSecondWorldWar:VolumeIII.TheVictory
Campaign,TheOperationsinNorthWestEurope19441945.Ottawa:DepartmentofNationalDefence,
1960.
Tute,Warren,JohnCostello,TerryHughes.DDay.London:PanBooksLtd,1975.ISBN0330244183.
Whitlock,Flint.TheFightingFirst:TheUntoldStoryofTheBigRedOneonDDay.Boulder,Colo.:
WestviewPress,2004.ISBN081334218X.
Zaloga,StevenJ.DDay1944(1):OmahaBeach.Botley,Oxford:OspreyPublishing,2003.ISBN9781
841763675.
Zaloga,StevenJ.DDay1944(2):UtahBeach&theUSAirborneLandings.Botley,Oxford:Osprey
Publishing,2004.ISBN9781841763651.
Zaloga,StevenJ.OperationCobra1944:BreakoutfromNormandy.Botley,Oxford:OspreyPublishing,
2001.ISBN9781841762968.
NumerousvolumesintheU.S.ArmyinWorldWarIIseries,producedbytheUnitedStatesArmyCenterof
MilitaryHistory,GordonA.Harrison,CrossChannelAttack(http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/7
4/74_Contents.htm)(1951),remainsabasicsource,butseveralotherstudiesbearheavilyupontheoperation.
Theyinclude:
1. RobertW.CoakleyandRichardM.Leighton,GlobalLogisticsandStrategy(1968)
2. MartinBlumenson,BreakoutandPursuit(1961)
3. ForrestC.Pogue,TheSupremeCommand(1954)

4. RolandG.Ruppenthal,LogisticalSupportoftheArmies(1953)and
5. GrahamA.CosmasandAlbertE.Cowdrey,TheMedicalDepartment:MedicalServiceintheEuropean
TheaterofOperations(1992).
TheHistoricalDivisionoftheWarDepartmentproducedthreevolumesontheevent.Allhavebeenreprinted
bytheCenterofMilitaryHistory.ClassifiedastheAmericanForcesinActionseries,theyare:
1. OMAHABeachhead(http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/10011/10011.htm)(1989)
2. UTAHBeachtoCherbourg(http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/utah/utah.htm)(1990)and
3. St.Lo(1984).
TheBritishGovernmentfollowingthewaralsoissuedanofficialhistoryoftheBritishinvolvementinthe
wartoberesearchedandpublished,thefinalresultbeingthemassiveseriesknownasHistoryoftheSecond
WorldWar.ThefollowingcovertheNormandyCampaign:
1. L.F.Ellis,VictoryintheWest:TheBattleofNormandy,OfficialCampaignHistoryv.I(Historyofthe
SecondWorldWar:UnitedKingdomMilitary),Naval&MilitaryPressLtdNewEdedition(Sep2004).,1
845740580
2. MichaelHoward,BritishIntelligenceintheSecondWorldWar:Volume5,StrategicDeception,
CambridgeUniversityPress(26October1990).ISBN0521401453(SerieseditedbyF.H.Hinsley)
3. GrandStrategy,Volume5:August1943September1944,1956
Numerousabbreviatedhistorieshavebeenwritten.Amongthemostusefulare:
1. CharlesMacDonald,TheMightyEndeavor:AmericanArmedForcesintheEuropeanTheaterinWorldWar
II(1969)and
2. CharlesMacDonaldandMartinBlumenson,"RecoveryofFrance",inVincentJ.Esposito,ed.,AConcise
HistoryofWorldWarII(1965).
MemoirsbyAlliedcommanderscontainconsiderableinformation.Amongthebestare:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

OmarN.Bradley,ASoldier'sStory(1951)
OmarN.BradleyandClayBlair,AGeneral'sLife(1983)
DwightD.Eisenhower,CrusadeinEurope(1948)
SirBernardLawMontgomeryofAlamein,NormandytotheBaltic(1948)
SirBernardLawMontgomeryofAlamein,TheMemoirsofFieldMarshaltheViscountMontgomeryof
Alamein,K.G.,Collins(1958).and
6. SirFrederickEdgeworthMorgan,OverturetoOverlord(1950).
MemoirsbyAlliedandGermansoldiersofvariousranksalsogiveagoodinsightintothecampaign.
1. KurtMeyer,Grenadiers,StackpoleBooks,U.S.,NewEdedition(15May2005).,ISBN0811731979
2. StuartHills,ByTankIntoNormandy,CassellmilitaryNewEdedition(11September2003).,030436640
4
3. HansvonLuck,PanzerCommander:TheMemoirsofColonelHansvonLuck,CassellmilitaryNewEd
edition(9March2006).,ISBN0304364010
Almostasusefularebiographiesofleadingcommanders.Amongthemostprominentare:
1. StephenE.Ambrose,TheSupremeCommander:TheWarYearsofGeneralDwightD.Eisenhower(1970),
andEisenhower,Soldier,GeneraloftheArmy,PresidentElect,18901952(1983)
2. NigelHamilton,MasteroftheBattlefield:Monty'sWarYears,19421944(1983)
3. RichardLamb,MontgomeryinEurope,19431945:SuccessorFailure(1984)
4. Hamilton,Nigel."Montgomery,BernardLaw"inOxfordDictionaryofNationalBiography.OxfordNew
York:OxfordUniversityPress,2004.ISBN019861411X,ISBN0198613512.
5. RonaldLewin,RommelasMilitaryCommander(1968).
6. B.H.LiddellHart,TheRommelPapers(sectiononNormandywrittenbyLt.GenFritzBayerlein)
7. HansSpeidel,Invasion1944:RommelandtheNormandyCampaign.Chicago:HenryRegnery(1950)
(SpeidelwasRommel'schiefofstaff).

Numerousgeneralhistoriesalsoexist,manycenteringonthecontroversiesthatcontinuetosurroundthe
campaignanditscommanders.See,inparticular:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

JohnColby,WarFromtheGroundUp:The90thDivisioninWorldWarII(1989)
CarloD'Este,DecisioninNormandy:TheUnwrittenStoryofMontgomeryandtheAlliedCampaign(1983)
MaxHastings,Overlord,DDay,June6,1944(1984)
JohnKeegan,SixArmiesinNormandy:FromDDaytotheLiberationofParis(1982)
RobinNeillands,TheBattleofNormandy1944(2002)
StephenT.Powers,"BattleofNormandy:TheLingeringControversy",JournalofMilitaryHistory56
(1992):45571.
RussellF.Weigley,Eisenhower'sLieutenants:TheCampaignofFranceandGermany,194445(1981)
CorneliusRyan,TheLongestDay,(1959)
StephenAmbrose,DDay:June6,1944,TheBattlefortheNormandyBeaches,(1994)
MiltonShulman,DefeatintheWest,(NewEdedition2003)
RichardHolmes,TheDDayExperience:FromtheInvasiontotheLiberationofPariswithOtherandMap
andCD,(2004)
ChesterWilmot,TheStruggleforEurope,(NewEdedition1997),and
StephenAshleyHart,ColossalCracks:Montgomery's21stArmyGroupinNorthwestEurope,194445,
(2007)
Journalistswereamongtheforemostobserversoftheinvasion.Twostudiesoftheirworkthatstandoutare:

1. BarneyOldfield,NeveraShotinAnger(1956)and
2. RichardCollier,FightingWords:TheCorrespondentsofWorldWarII(1989).CMHPub7218

Externallinks
DDayOverlord:afightforfreedom(http://www.dday
WikimediaCommonshas
overlord.com/eng/)TheNormandycampaign:history,
mediarelatedtoBattleof
documents,testimonies,maps
Normandy.
U.S.Army'sofficialinteractiveDDaywebsite
(http://www.army.mil/dday/)
TheNormandyInvasion(http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/Normandy/normandy.html)
attheUnitedStatesArmyCenterofMilitaryHistory
U.S.NavyOnlineLibraryofSelectedImages:Normandyinvasion
(http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwiieur/normandy/normandy.htm)
OriginalDocument:DDayStatementfromDwightD.Eisenhower
(http://www.footnote.com/viewer.php?image=4346703)
DDayMuseumPortsmouth(http://www.ddaymuseum.co.uk/)
BBCArchiveofpersonalrecollectionsofDDay
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/categories/c54665/index.shtml)
IllustratedarticleaboutOmahaBeachat'BattlefieldsEurope'
(http://battlefieldseurope.co.uk/omaha.aspx)

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