Page 342 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

340 AMPHIBIOUS INVASION

1914–1945 THE NORMANDY

ARS LANDINGS

The Allied landings on Normandy beaches on D-day,

ORLD W June 6, 1944, comprised the largest amphibious operation
ever. With around 160,000 soldiers put ashore in a single
day despite heavy resistance, the invasion was a masterpiece
of planning and organization on a vast scale.
THE W The outcome of the Normandy other warships and troop transports,

while airborne troops landed by
landings depended upon experience
accumulated by the Allies since the
behind the beaches. At dawn Allied
beginning of World War II—on Sicily parachute and glider to seize objectives
and the Italian mainland, in the warships, including six battleships,
Dieppe Raid of 1942, and by US opened fire on the German Atlantic
Marines in the Pacific. The most Wall coastal defenses. This was the
important lesson learned had been first warning the German defenders
never to underestimate the difficulty had of the impending invasion.
of such an enterprise.
Successful landings required THE FINAL APPROACH
command of the air and sea, and the Allied soldiers transferred into more
Allies achieved this on D-day. With than 4,000 landing craft for the final
most of the German Luftwaffe assigned approach. The craft were a mixture of
to the Eastern front, or to homeland flat-bottomed plywood Landing Craft,
defense, Allied aerial dominance over Vehicle, Personnels (LCVPs), Landing
the beaches was assured. Meanwhile, Craft Assaults (LCAs), and others,
Allied navies deployed more than with ramps in the bow that lowered
1,200 warships for the invasion which, for the men to exit. Other specialized
in combination with mines and air landing craft transported tanks or
patrols, deterred attacks by German provided supporting fire.
surface ships and submarines. Conditions were difficult. Tanks
A second necessity for the landings with floats designed to “swim” sank in
was tactical surprise. The enemy the rough waters. Seasickness was rife,
knew an invasion was being prepared, and on leaving the boats troops had
but not where or when it would to wade through deep water straight
come, and deception operations into enemy fire. Some soldiers who
made them expect an attack on the exited their crafts too far from shore
more obvious Pas-de-Calais. Poor drowned, dragged under by the
weather in early June delayed this weight of their equipment.
invasion by a day, but also put the Despite losses of around 10,000
defenders off their guard, since casualties, the landings succeeded,
they believed landings would not giving the Allies a foothold in occupied
be attempted in such conditions. Europe. Only at Omaha beach were
The five target beaches were soldiers nearly driven back into the
codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, sea; many US tanks and engineers
and Sword. Utah and Omaha were were lost before reaching shore, and
assigned to American troops, Gold defenses were strong after inaccurate
and Sword to the British, and Juno Allied bombing. Even there, with the
to the Canadians. The invasion fleet help of well-directed naval gunfire,
set off from ports across the south American troops established a secure
of England on the night of June 5–6, beachhead by nightfall, and floating
assembling south of the Isle of Wight. Mulberry harbors were towed into
Minesweepers led the way across the position to enable the troops ashore
English Channel, clearing a passage for to receive supplies.