Lesson 18 WW II Amphibious Warfare The Normandy

Lesson 18 WW II -- Amphibious Warfare: The Normandy Campaign

Lesson Objectives • Build a foundation for understanding the complexity and potential of the amphibious assault as a military maneuver. • Develop an appreciation for the magnitude and significance of the Normandy invasion (Operation Overlord). • Understand the importance of deception in Operation Overlord. • Analyze Operation Overlord as a logistics operation. • Understand the sequence of events from June 1944 that led to the downfall of Nazi Germany.

Nomenclature Define: Operational Level of War

Operation Overlord Directive “You will enter the continent of Europe and, in conjunction with the other United Nations, undertake operations aimed at the heart of Germany and the destruction of her armed forces. ” Order given to General Dwight D. Eisenhower by Combined Chiefs of Staff, February 12 1944

“Normandy Invasion” Operation Overlord: Directive Breakdown “ … enter the continent of Europe …” Establish a lodgment on the continent of Europe … “ … undertake operations aimed at the heart of Germany and the destruction of her armed forces. : … from which to attack and defeat Germany.

“Normandy Invasion” Nomenclature Operation Overlord: a. k. a. The Battle for Normandy The overall effort to establish Allied presence in Western Europe i. e. , “Move forces to the fight” or Operational Level of War! Overload referred to as “The Normandy Campaign”

“Normandy Invasion” Nomenclature Operation Overlord: a. k. a. The Battle for Normandy Overall effort to establish an Allied presence in Western Europe Operation Neptune: Actual landing operations Establish an initial presence in France Operation Cobra: Breakout from lodgment (24 July 1944) Considered as the end of the Normandy Campaign and beginning of the Northern France Campaign

World War II Allies driven from Continent (1940) • Would require forced entry • Significant effort needed to develop capability

The Shadow of Gallipoli 44, 000 dead, 97, 000 wounded in a lost cause 1915 -1916 worldwar 1. com

Dardanelles Campaign Gallipoli 1915 -1916 British Commonwealth Operation Amphibious landings Attempted to force the Dardanelles, open passage to reinforce Russia

Interwar Years US Marine Corps studied Gallipoli campaign Produced "Tentative Manual for Landing Operations” (1934) • Watershed document for amphibious warfare • Established first doctrine

Problem How do you support a modern, million-man army on a hostile shore? Proposed Solution: Capture a port Question: How difficult will it be to capture a port?

Dieppe Raid 19 August 1942 Attempt to prove capability to seize and hold a port Secondary: • Gather intelligence and capture material • Study German responses • Draw the Luftwaffe into open battle

Dieppe Raid 19 August 1942 Of 6, 090 participants, 1, 027 were killed and 2, 340 captured Lessons Learned: • need specialized armored vehicles, ships, landing craft • better communications • improved gunfire support Juno Beach

Dieppe Raid ( 0 – 2: 15 ) "The Circle of Modern War" and logo © Thomas D. Pilsch 2007 -2013

Dieppe Raid German After-Action Comments: From the large number of prisoners taken it may be thought that the fighting qualities of the British and Canadian troops are not too high; this is not the case. The enemy troops, nearly all Canadian soldiers, who took part in the battle fought well and bravely. The principal reasons for the large number of prisoners and the heavy losses are: (1) The lack of artillery support. The naval guns were obscured by the smoke. As soon as his tanks had been eliminated the enemy had no more heavy weapons at his disposal. (2) The British had under-estimated the forces of the defense and at all the landing points, but especially at Puits and at Dieppe, were in a desperate position from the very start. (3) The effect of the German defensive weapons was greater than the offensive weapons employed by the enemy. (4) The craft which had been relied on for the re-embarkation were nearly all hit and sunk. British Naval Staff History: Raid On Dieppe

Lessons from Dieppe Need: • Specialized landing craft • Specialized vehicles • Increased fire support • Alternative to capturing a port

Planning the D-Day Invasion Major David Gohlich, USA

The Creation of COSSAC (Chief of Staff Supreme Allied Commander) • Jan 1943 - British General Frederick Morgan, designated Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC) • Began planning for European Invasion (May 1944) – Coordination, planning & partnership – Detailed planning (3 operations) – Planning under uncertainty & rank issues • Conceptual plans for Operation Overlord set in July/Aug 1943

We Will Not Fail "This operation is not being planned with any alternatives. This operation is planned as a victory, and that's the way it's going to be. We're going down there, and we're throwing everything we have into it, and we're going to make it a success. ” --General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Jan 1943 – Feb 1944: Key Planning Time

The Joys of Coalition Warfare "In a war such as this, when high command invariably involves a president, a prime minister, six chiefs of staff, and a horde of lesser 'planners, ' there has got to be a lot of patience, no one person can be a Napoleon or a Caesar. " -General Dwight D. Eisenhower, diary entry, February 23, 1942

Pa Ca s-d la eis Directives Final from Site Initial Selection Combined Site Selections Chief of Staff: Analysis -Plan led for-Used entire to 2 locations range operation of Spitfire capable (San and Francisco of supporting Typhoon to Berlin) to 29 start Divisions –planning 100 divisions *only through -1 May 1944 use oftarget Mulberry date. Harbors for invasion -Conducted -landing craft detailed limitedterrain to 5 divisions analysis(3 with for photos, initial assault post cards, and 2 human follow-up) intel… -total of 29 -Pas-de-Calais: divisions available for initial build-up -Detailed +closer look at German and better defenses beachesalong the coast -better defended and hard to move inland ***used as a deception operation Normandy

Normandy Beach – Initial COSSAC Plan Port of Cherbourg Caen Airfields near Caen

The Establishment of SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force) • Dec 1943 – GEN Eisenhower selected as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and GEN Montgomery as ground forces commander • Changes to Overlord • Major components kept in place • GEN Montgomery – larger invasion force • Landing craft issue – changes dates "The Destinies of two great empires seemed to be tied up in some damned things called LSTs. “ -Winston Churchill

Operation Overlord Directive “You will enter the continent of Europe and, in conjunction with the other United Nations, undertake operations aimed at the heart of Germany and the destruction of her armed forces. ” Order given to General Dwight D. Eisenhower by Combined Chiefs of Staff, February 12 1944

The Challenge Land 150, 000+ troops (5 divisions) on a heavily defended beach in one day Build to 350, 000 troops in five days plus 55, 000 vehicles & 100, 000 tons of supplies across the beach

Atlantic Wall Encyclopedia Britannica

German Defenses Gun Casement – Normandy Beach US Signal Corps – National Archive

Beach Obstacles Encyclopedia Britannica

Beach Obstacles Imperial War Museum

Preparation

Lessons from Dieppe Need: • Specialized landing craft

Landing Craft Encyclopedia Britannica

LST - Landing Ship, Tank

LST - Landing Ship Tank

Higgins Boat LCVP • Speed: 9 knots • Capacity: 36 troops, 6, 000 lb vehicle or 8, 100 lb general cargo

Lessons from Dieppe Need: • Specialized landing craft • Specialized vehicles

DUKW is an Army model designation: D = designed in 1942 U = utility vehicle K = all-wheel drive W = two powered rear axles Wikipedia

DUKW Essentially a 2 -1/2 ton truck (“duce and a half”) with a boat hull and a propeller D-day Tanks. org

“Duce and a Half” & DUKW D-day Tanks. org

Amphibious Tanks Sherman DD Tank (Direct Drive) D-day Tanks

Innovations Flail Tank Mat Laying Tank Juno Beach

Lessons from Dieppe Need: • Specialized landing craft • Specialized vehicles • Increased fire support

Fire Support Ships Battleships & Cruisers USS Nevada - Utah Beach - 6 June 1944 (had been sunk at Pearl Harbor) 7 Battleships (4 British, 3 US) 5 Heavy Cruisers (2 British, 3 US) 19 Light Cruisers (17 British, 1 Polish, 1 Free French) Detailed ship list

Fire Support Ships LCT-R Landing Craft, Tank - Rocket Excellent area suppression Manpower-intensive for reload

Fighter Direction Ships HMS Boxer (convert LST) More

Lessons from Dieppe Need: • Specialized landing craft • Specialized vehicles • Increased fire support • Alternative to capturing a port

Alternative to Capturing A Port … Build One! Alternative to capturing a port

Mulberry Harbor Nando Times

Mulberry Harbor Encyclopedia Britannica

Mulberry Harbor Phoenix Caissons Under Construction Imperial War Museum

Mulberry Harbor Imperial War Museum

Mulberry Harbor

Mulberry Harbor Mulberry Details (video) 4: 26 – 15: 00 Encyclopedia Britannica

Problem: How do you provide huge quantities of liquid fuels for the invasion force through inadequate ports already overburdened with other supplies and equipment? Answer: PLUTO

PLUTO Pipeline Under the Ocean Maximum Capacity: 1. 3 million gallons per day Source

PLUTO Pipeline Under the Ocean Video – 4: 14

Deception Plan Operation Fortitude Decoys

Invasion Stripes Lesson Learned From Sicily

Execution

General Dwight Eisenhower Supreme Allied Commander, Europe US Military Academy, Class of 1915 During WW I, served at Fort Oglethorpe, GA Served w/ Generals Pershing, Mac. Arthur, Marshall Assigned to General Staff after Pearl Harbor as BG Built major war plans against Germany, Japan June 42: CG, European Theater of Operations 1890 -1969 Nov 42: CG: North African TO Feb 44: Supreme Commander, Allied Exp Force 34 th POTUS: 1953 -1961

Eisenhower’s D-Day Message

Eisenhower’s D-Day Message Source

Allied Forces

Allied Forces Juno Beach

Moving to the Fight Juno Beach

General Dwight Eisenhower Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

Role of Airborne Forces Protect the flanks of the seaborne invasion Capture and hold bridges, key road junctions

Gliders Assemble BBC News

Gliders CG-4 A Waco glider Horsa glider

Airborne Operations

Airborne Operations Video Clip Band of Brothers excerpt

Crossing the Channel Juno Beach

National Archives

Weather Robert Capa – National Archives Weather was Eisenhower’s biggest concern on D-Day Operation already had been postponed from June 5 th • Forces had been briefed, loaded, deployments begun

Saving Private Ryan ( video excerpt) Source

D-Day: Landing on the Beach ( 6: 05 ) "The Circle of Modern War"

Situation, D-Day Click for Animated Map

“Lafayette, we are here … again” AP –BBC News

GIs & Vehicles BBC News

The Beachhead Normandy Beaches D+2

The Beachhead Mulberry Harbor Deployments Mulberry harbors began operations on D+3 (June 9, 1944)

The Beachhead

Moving Out US Army via Wikipedia

Storm -- June 19 -20, 1944 D + 13 Weather still was Eisenhower’s greatest concern Video excerpt

Battle in the Bocage ( Bocage = Hedgerows ) Source

The Cost Normandy American Cemetery Skylighters. org

The Cost Operation Overlord Encyclopedia Britannica

Next: Breakout Operation Cobra – 25 -31 July 1944 Source

Lesson 19 WW II -- End of the War in Europe Go to

Lesson Objectives • Describe and analyze the logistics issues that defined the Allied thrust through France and into Germany. • Describe and analyze the political issues that defined the Allied thrust through France and into Germany. • Describe the differences in the operational strategies of Patton and Montgomery. • Analyze Operation Market Garden, comparing its objectives with its outcomes. • Describe the major events leading to the end of the war in Europe.

End