1. Disembarkment Day June 6, 1944 Invasion of Europe

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Invasion Route & Destination

6. Invasion Map

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. Bastogne Battle Map

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