Disembarkment Day June 6, 1944 Invasion of Europe

Fortress Europe (Invincible) Germany has had four years to prepare for this day French coast is heavily fortified pill boxes anti-tank barriers good internal supply lines

Operation Overlord Years in preparation Need to initally hit the beach with: 176,475 men 20,111 vehicles (trucks, jeeps, etc.) 1,500 tanks 12,000 plane providing air cover Germany has been reduced to 119 fighters

Why Normandy ? Least heavily protected stretch of coast because it is the most forbidding We can capture the port of Cherbourg Germans blew up the docks but Allies had anticipated that and had constructed docks they floated over and sank in the harbor

Invasion Route & Destination

Invasion Map

Germans Caught by surprise! Rommel had returned to Germany Allowed the allies to take the beaches before a Panzer tank division was sent in By June 27, one million men had been unloaded at the port of Cherbourg

Invasion of Germany Aachen is the first German city taken in Oct of 1944 (Only bridge standing crossing the Rhine River) Battle of the Bulge Germans want to take the port city of Antwerp(Belgium) German Panzer division and best infantry push a 60 to 90 mile bulge in allied lines City of Bastogne surrounded 101st airborne trapped, saved by Patton

Battle of Bulge Statistics Over 1 million men fight in battle 600,000 Americans involved in battle (more than Gettysburg) 500,000 German involved in battle 55,000 British involved in battle 100,000 German casualties, killed, wounded or captured. 81,000 American casualties, including 23,554 captured and 19,000 killed. 1,400 British casualties 200 killed. The Malmedy Massacre, where 86 American soldiers were murdered, was the worst atrocity committed against American troops during the course of the war in Europe. In it's entirety, the “Battle of the Bulge,” was the worst battles - in terms of losses - to the American Forces in WWII.

Bastogne Battle Map

Important Facts for End of WWII in Europe April 29, 1945- Hitler commits suicide May 7, 1945- General Alfred Jodl surrenders German army to Allies May 8, 1945- V-E Day (Victory in Europe)