Operation Overlord D-Day June 6, 1944

Teheran Conference  FDR, Churchill, and Stalin Discussed cross-channel invasion Operation Overlord Set to happen in 1944, (why so long?)

FDR appointed Eisenhower  Supreme Allied Commander  Stalin and Churchill surprised by pick General Marshall, to valuable  Why did FDR get to do this?

IKE  Kansas  Possessed ability to get along with both American and British Generals Patton and Montgomery

Normandy  Two important ports Cherbourg to west Le Havre to East  Cotentin Peninsula (Cherbourg) Protect beaches from westerly winds  Allies received info. that Germans thought that allies would land at Calais 20 miles from England

 Germans had stronger defenses at Calais  Normandy better suited to handle larger allied force

Invasion Force  2 American airborne divisions would land west of American beachhead  1 British airborne division would land to east of British/Canadian beaches  Six divisions, formed initial landing force 3 American 2 British 1 Canadian

June 6, D-Day  Ike decides to go on June 6, originally planned on June 5 th postponed because of weather  Paratroopers go, land in swamps, Germans flooded many fields  Constant bombardment starts early a.m. hours  Landings happen

Landings  160,000 troops land by the end of D-day  Solid foothold of beaches, by 10 days after D-Day, 500,000 ashore  July 1, 1 million troops on beaches