Operation Overlord DDay Background Allied forces launched a combined naval air and land assault on Nazioccupied France Ground troops first landed across five assault beaches Utah Omaha Gold Juno and Sword ID: 605447
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Slide1
By: Sreeja Stanam, Min Kim, Selena Ando, Trisha Prasant, Deeya Sharma
Operation Overlord (D-Day)Slide2
Background
Allied forces launched a combined naval, air and land assault on Nazi-occupied France.
Ground troops first landed across
five assault beaches
- Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. The Allies assembled 2 million troops of numerous nationalities, nearly 5,000 ships, and 11,000 aircrafts without the Germans knowing where or when the invasion would take place. First stage of liberation for Western Europe and was a major step in the defeat of Nazi GermanySlide3
THESIS:
After years of meticulous planning and seemingly endless training, the Allied Forces were able to bring Operation Overlord to life. In order to release Germany’s hold on France, the Allies utilized deceptive offensive strategies, ultimately executing the invasion on five beaches in Normandy. After succeeding in conquering the five beaches, the Allied forces suffered nearly 10,000 casualties; more than 4,000 being deaths. Due to the courage, loyalty, and sacrifices of the Allied Armies, the Nazi Fortress in Europe had been breached, signifying the beginning of the end for the Nazi Regime.Slide4
Timeline
June 6, 1944
D-Day
May 1940
Invasion of France StartsAugust 1944
Liberation of Northern France
May 8, 1945
Germany Surrenders
April 30, 1945
Hitler commits suicide
1943
Preparation for D-Day/
Operation BodyguardSlide5
Preparation
Germany had invaded Northwestern France (May 1940). America and Britain then considered the possibility of an Allied invasion of the English Channel (1941). This was successful.
Hitler was made aware of a possible invasion on November of 1943, and put Erwin Rommel in charge of spearheading defense operations in the region.
Germans did not know exactly where the Allies would strike.
Hitler charged Rommel with finishing the Atlantic Wall—a 2,400-mile fortification of bunkers, landmines and beach and water obstacles.Allied side: General Dwight Eisenhower was appointed commander of Operation Overlord. ( Eisenhower=presidency)Slide6Slide7
Operation BodyguardFalse sense of security + spreading out German troops Slide8
Operation Bodyguard
Allied Deception Tactics:
Carried out Operation Bodyguard because
the entire D-Day mission would be a failure if the Nazis gained even 48 hours of advanced notice on its location and timing. (Operation Overlord took a year to plan)
Made the Germans think the main invasion target was Pas-de-Calais (the narrowest point between Britain and France) rather than Normandy. Led the Germans to believe that Norway and other locations were also potential invasion targets. Phantom army commanded by George Patton, supposedly based in England across from Pas-de-Calais **Double agents**Fraudulent radio transmissions.**(FAKE NEWS) Slide9
Operation Bodyguard
Double Agents:
Dozen German spies in Britain who had been discovered, and were spoon-fed faulty information to the Nazi double agents to pass along to Berlin
ex:a pair of double agents nicknamed Mutt and Jeff relayed detailed reports about the fictitious British Fourth Army that was in Scotland with plans to join the Soviet Union in an invasion of Norway.
Fake News: Allies fabricated radio chatter about cold-weather issues: (ski bindings, operation of tank engines in subzero temperatures.)Ruse worked,Hitler sent one of his fighting divisions to Scandinavia just weeks before D-Day.Slide10
Operation Bodyguard
Phantom Army:
To give the appearance of a massive troop buildup in southeast England, the Allies created a fake fighting force, the First U.S. Army Group, headed by George Patton, whom the Nazi’s considered to be the Allies best commander.
Broadcasted hours of fictitious radio transmissions about troop and supply movements.
Deceived Nazi planes by fashioning dummy aircraft and decoy landing crafts, composed of painted canvases pulled over steel frames.Deployed inflatable tanks--moved to different locations under the cover of night, and used rollers to simulate tire tracks.Allies knew they were successful by listening to the intercepted messages from the German ArmyFun Fact! Patton was put in charge of this army because of slapping two soldiers who had been taken from the front lines to be treated for combat fatigueSlide11
Operation Bodyguard:
D-Day:
Allied aircraft flying toward Pas de Calais dropped clouds of aluminum strips
False radar readings that made it appear as if a large fleet was approaching.
Aircraft far from Normandy dropped hundreds of dummy paratroopers wired to simulate the sounds of rifle fire and grenades when they hit the ground. After D-Day:Allies sent Spanish businessman Juan Pujol Garcia (Britain’s Double Agent)
Fed information to Berlin that Normandy was a fluke, and that the most critical attack was at Pas de Calais.
Hitler delayed releasing his troops in Pas de Calais to Normandy for seven weeks after D-Day
gave time for the Allies to secure victory in Europe
Juan Pujol GarciaSlide12
Germany
May 1940, Invades and occupies Northwestern France
By June 1944, Germany in control of most of Europe
Thought that they were at an advantage
in reality, they were being fooledUnprepared False sense of security Little counter-attacksTheir secret code is crackedAllowed Allies to manipulate them Division and confusion within ranksHitler refuses to withdraw troops
As a result, Germany was destroyed by AlliesSlide13
Timeline of D-Day
June 6, 1944
D-DAY7:25amAttack on Sword
6:30am
Attack on Utah
7:00am
Attack on Omaha
7:35am
Attack on Gold
7:55am
Attack on Juno
May, 1943
The Trident Conference
August, 1943
The Quadrant Conference
Nov.-Dec. 1943
The Sextant and Eureka ConferencesSlide14
Map Slide15
Important facts about Operation Overlord
Primarily a combination of
American, British, and Canadian forces
Officially started on June 6th, 1944Originally supposed to take place on May 1st, 1944Delayed due to weather, tide, and moonlight conditions Also wanted to test the operation beforehand The Bocage landscape of Normandy, “small fields surrounded by thick hedges and narrow sunken lanes” *Hitler’s orders constrained the German troops Slide16
The Main SectorsSlide17
Omaha Beach
Operation Omaha
most brutal battle of all
American troops are dropped down by planes and ships
Goal: secure beach head of 5 miles (from Port-en-Bessin and the Vire River)Importance: links with the British troops on “Gold”
many died even before they could make it off the plane
Germany’s defense was strong
Allies victory
*** Allies were able to win because they were able to come off the coast by airplane or ship. The goal was to secure and link all of the beaches in Normandy. (successful)Slide18
Gold Beach
British troops vs. German troops
Goals:
secure the beach and link with Omaha
secure small port at Port-en-Bessin to link with Canadian forces at Juno 2,000 German men stationed After landing soldiers, British uses DD Tanks and guns Allies Victory Slide19
Utah Beach
US troops vs. Germany
At Utah Beach
Goal: secure a beachhead on the Cotentin PeninsulaCotentin Peninsula lead to many ports such as Cherbourg Allies victory Slide20
3rd Canadian Infantry Division is sent to establish a bridgehead on the beach codenamed “Juno” and
try to take Carpiquet airport
Lands on
June 6th, 1944
The Canadian assault troops faced opposition from German strongholds and mined beach obstacles. Through hand-to-hand combat and a heavy use of firearms, Canadian troops move their way into the towns of Bernières, Courseulles and St. Aubin and then advanced inland, securing a critical bridgehead for the allied invasion. #metgoalSuccessful (except the airport part)Juno BeachSlide21
Sword Beach
British troops
land on
June 6th, 1944
Before landing, there is an air raid and naval bombardmentAirborne British Troops immediately get a hold of Pegasus Bridge over the Caen Canal and nearby Horsa Bridge over River Orne. #metgoal1Destroyed bridges over Dives River. #metgoal2Neutralize German Artillery Source at Merville #metgoal3While troops met with some fire upon landing, managed to secure the shores of the beach and
move inland (where they met stronger resistance in villages and farmland)
Successful Slide22Slide23
The Effects of Operation Overlord
Successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe
A victory for the
Allies
Lots of Casualties 10,000 Allied Victims (4,000 Killed) 4,000-9,000 German Victims By the end of July: roughly 600,000 military victims and 20,000 civilian victims Opened the long-awaited second front
to Germany
Forced the Germans to fight
a two-front war
(like they did in WW1)
Many U-boat ports, V-weapon sites, and a large section of Germany’s air defiance networks were captured or rendered useless
Drained German resources
and
blocked their access to key military sitesSlide24
Effects Continued
On June 26th, 1944, the
Allies captured the French Port of Cherbourg
--after that day, Germans began to retreat
August 25th, 1944, the liberation of Paris Hitler commits suicide on April 30th, 1945 Nazi Germany is forced to surrender on May 8, 1945
Eisenhower for Presidency
(Operation proved his leadership)Slide25
Memorials
-National D-Day Memorial in Virginia
-Normandy American Cemetery in France
-9,387 burials
-1,557 Missing in Action National D-Day MemorialSlide26Slide27
Work Cited
“Allies Invade France.”
History.com
, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/allies-invade-france.
Accessed 26 Apr. 2017.Baxter, Colin F. “OPERATION OVERLORD: WORLD WAR II.” Worldatwar.abc-Clio. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.“D-Day Fast Facts.” CNN, Cable News Network, 2 June 2016, www.cnn.com/2013/06/03/world/europe/d-day-fast-facts/. Accessed 27 Apr. 2017.
“D-DAY: JUNE 6, 1944:”
The National WWII Museum New Orleans
,
www.nationalww2museum.org/learn/education/for-students/ww2-history/d-day-june-6-1944.html. Accessed 26 Apr.
2017.
“D-Day.”
Juno Beach Centre
, 13 Jan. 2016, www.junobeach.org/canada-in-wwii/articles/d-day/. Accessed 26 Apr. 2017.
“General Dwight D. Eisenhower Launches Operation Overlord.”
History.com
, A&E Television Networks,
www.history.com/this-day-in-history/general-dwight-d-eisenhower-launches-operation-overlord. Accessed 26 Apr.
2017.
Greenspan, Jesse. “Landing at Normandy.”
History.com
, A&E Television Networks, 6 June 2014,
www.history.com/news/landing-at-normandy-the-5-beaches-of-d-day. Accessed 26 Apr. 2017.
“Infobase Learning - Login.”
Infobase Learning - Login
,
online.infobase.com/Article/Details/398772?q=Operation%2BOverlord. Accessed 26 Apr. 2017.Slide28
Work Cited
Klein, Christopher. “Fooling Hitler: .”
History.com
, A&E Television Networks, 3 June 2014,
www.history.com/news/fooling-hitler-the-elaborate-ruse-behind-d-day. Accessed 26 Apr. 2017.Jalter. “What Happened After D-Day?” Imperial War Museums, 7 Apr. 2014, www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-happened-after-d-day. Accessed 26 Apr. 2017.Jalter. “Why D-Day Was So Important To Allied Victory.” Imperial War Museums, 27 Feb. 2014, www.iwm.org.uk/history/why-d-day-was-so-important-to-allied-victory. Accessed 26 Apr. 2017.
“Juno Beach.”
Juno Beach - The Canadians On D-Day
. Accessed 26 Apr. 2017.
“National D-Day Memorial.”
Home - National D-Day Memorial
, www.dday.org/. Accessed 27 Apr. 2017.