June 6th, 1944: D-Day

By early 1942, the Axis Powers had conquered nearly all of Europe By early 1942, the Axis Powers had conquered nearly all of Europe. The only Allied Power left in Europe was Great Britain, which is located across the English Channel from mainland Europe. An amphibious invasion had to come against Hitler’s Atlantic Wall.

Erwin Rommel, Germany’s top General who led troops in North Africa, was put in charge by Hitler to oversee the strengthening of the Atlantic Wall.

Disguised .50 mm artillery gun

Disguised bunker in Normandy

German defenses on the beaches of Normandy.

German soldier inside a “pill box” looking for the impending invasion.

Another “pill box” or bunker. This one on Juno Beach Another “pill box” or bunker. This one on Juno Beach. Most of these German defensive positions were not taken out by the Allied air attack in the weeks prior to the invasion

Bombing of the Atlantic Wall by the Allies took place for months before the invasion and at varied locations so that the Germans did not know where the attack would be. These bombings were not effective, and the German defenses on the Atlantic Wall remained intact.

On the night of June 5th/6th, 1944, thousands of airborne troops were scattered behind enemy lines. Their objectives: To take important locations, destroy large guns, and then link up with the invasion forces landing on the beaches.

Allied artillery awaiting transport to the beach heads of Normandy.

Allied ships crossing the English Channel on June 5th, 1944. More than 8,000 ships were involved in the invasion.

Troops attacked across open beaches with little or no cover with machine gun and small arms fire raining down on them.

Many soldiers, unable to advance further up the beach, were pinned down. These Allied soldiers took cover behind these “hedgehogs.” Hedgehogs were actually German defenses put up to keep Allied ships from landing ashore. Instead, many of them were used as cover by the Allied soldiers.

Many beaches had very little defense Many beaches had very little defense. These soldiers wade ashore with little or no problems.

3,000 US troops died on D-Day. Another 8,000+ were wounded. Nearly 25,000 Allied troops were killed or wounded on D-Day Over 100,000 Allied troops were involved in the D-Day invasion force.

Eventually the Allied troops achieved their objectives, and the push to defeat the Germans began.