Amanda, Lindsay, Iman and Maya D-day Amanda, Lindsay, Iman and Maya

Events leading up to the battle The decision to undertake a cross-channel invasion in 1944 was taken at the Trident Conference in Washington in May 1943. Planning for the Second Front had been ongoing since 1942. By the spring of 1944, everything was finally in place for Operation Overlord, the invasion of France, and its assault phase, Operation Neptune.

Planning the attack The Allies carried out a massive deception operation intended to make the Germans think the main invasion target was Pas-de-Calais, the narrowest point between Britain and France, instead of Normandy, the actual invasion point. They also made the Germans believe that Norway and other locations were also possible invasion targets. Fake equipment, a ghost army under the command of George Patton, and false radio transmissions were some of the tactics used while carrying out this fake operation. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed commander of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), and General Bernard Montgomery was named as commander of the 21st Army Group, which comprised all the land forces involved in the invasion.

Components On June 5th the weather was stormy, Nearly causing invasion to be cancelled. However, there was a chance to attack on June 6th Due to the weather and the allies planning, the Germans believed an invasion was not going to happen. Ally paratroopers landed behind enemy lines with the purpose to capture key targets, and bridges. Dummies were also dropped to confuse the Germans Planes then dropped bombs, warships bombed the beaches, and underground French resistance cut telephone lines and destroyed railroads In the main attack 6,000 ships headed to the beaches of Normandy carrying troops, weapons, tanks, and equipment. Americans landed on omaha and utah beaches Easily taking Utah but having difficulties with Omaha 150,000 allied troops landed in Normandy and pushed inland. By June 17th over a half a million allies started to push Germans out of France

Canada’s role Establish bridgehead on Juno Part of Britain’s Second Army Under the command of British Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey Fought their way into the towns of Bernières, Courseulles and St. Aubin 109 vessels and 10,000 sailors 37 squadrons of the RCAF to the Allied divisions Suffered the most casualties of any division About 340 Canadians died, 574 were wounded “At the end of the day, [the Canadian’s] elements stood deeper into France than those of any other division. The opposition the Canadians faced was stronger than that of any other beach ... That was an accomplishment in which the whole nation could take considerable pride.”- John Keegan

Consequences This event is classified as the turning point of World War ll. It marked the start of the Allies’ invasion of Western Europe and paved the way for Allied victory. Marked the beginning of the end of Hitler’s reign. The outcome of this horrific battle is the allies got a foothold on the north of France. This was a huge psychological blow to the German Military. Start of Liberation of France. Germans removed from northwestern France effectively. Beaches were covered in blood. The number of casualties were lighter than allied commanders feared. Divided axis into three fronts- Italy, France, USSR. This enabled them to rapidly add a front in southern France which coalesced into a single western front with the forces in Normandy; opened road to victory

Consequences (Continued) Without D day, Hitler would have deployed many more divisions to resist the Red Army. He would have had more time to develop and deploy his modern weapon of terror, the V2. The war may have continued. After their defeat in Normandy, the German forces in western Europe were so reduced that the American, British, Canadian, Polish and Free French armies advanced to capture Paris. Event proved that the Nazis could be overthrown and that Hitler could be removed from power. Prevented Hitler from sending troops from France to build Eastern Front against the advancing Soviets. The U-boat ports, V-weapon sites and a large section of Germany’s economic air defence network were captured or rendered useless. It convinced the German High Command- other than a few Nazi Gernerals that total defeat was now inevitable.

The Tide Comes In By John Collins

Poem The crying skies pour rain here Causing our soldiers no fear The fate of war Dead bodies hitting floors The rain is blocked in the skies Watched by our narrowed eyes Warm and Wooden bodies The rain they now embody We fought for our lives on the beaches Never expecting these breeches Bombs and ships While our lives slowly slip From our control They achieved their goal These endless wars Weltschmerz (world pain) Velt-shmirts