"You are to prepare for the invasion of Europe. You must devise and design the appliances, the landing craft, and the technique...the hold of the South Coast of England is a bastion of defense against the invasion of Hitler; you've got to turn it into the springboard of our attack." -Churchill
The Normandy Campaign lasted from June 6 to approximately July 25, 1944.
America had been planning their attack on Northwestern Europe. D-Day initiated the campaign in France on June 6th, 1944.
The Allied troops on D-Day consisted of:
"A mighty endevor to preserve our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity." -President Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Normandy Campaign lasted from June 6 to approximately July 25, 1944.
America had been planning their attack on Northwestern Europe. D-Day initiated the campaign in France on June 6th, 1944.
The Allied troops on D-Day consisted of:
- 9 battleships
- 23 cruisers
- 104 destroyers
- 71 large landing crafts
- troop transports
- mine sweeps
- merchant men
"A mighty endevor to preserve our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity." -President Franklin D. Roosevelt
![Picture](/uploads/2/6/3/8/26381280/7745040.jpg?418)
American troops had great difficulty breaking through Normandy because it was somewhat of a "natural fortress." The terrain was covered in hedgerows, which were walls of interwoven vegetation that served as a blockade for the Germans. They were almost impossible to get over, especially for tanks. If a tank tried to go over a hedgerow it would expose its underside to possible attacks. Eventually Rhino Tanks were invented to get over the hedgerows, but the natural road blocks still caused a massive set back for American troops and slowed down their progress considerably.
![Picture](/uploads/2/6/3/8/26381280/8761010.jpg?412)
While the Americans were fighting in the hedgerows, the British had open terrain, but weren't making any more progress than the Americans were. Although they were able to get around the hedgerows, they were held back by German tanks and were locked in combat for a significant amount of time.
![Picture](/uploads/2/6/3/8/26381280/5455908.jpg?368)
Operation Cobra was an idea for how to break out of Normandy. With all of their troops at an impasse, the Allies needed a new plan. They would send planes over the battle field to try and bomb the enemy troops. Although there was a good deal of accidental friendly fire, it was the help that the Allies' ground troops needed to break out.
![Picture](/uploads/2/6/3/8/26381280/9954063.jpg?231)
The Allies liberated Cherbourg from German command June 27, 1944. The Allies wanted Cherbourg because it was a large-port city and it was a neccesary weapon against Hitler. After they broke out of Normandy, the end of the war was in sight.
Recources:
http://www.jodavidsmeyer.com/combat/military/hedgerow.html
http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/normandy/nor-pam.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/operation_cobra.htm
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-E-XChannel/img/USA-E-XChannel-44.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/NormandySupply_edit.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/7th_Royal_Tank_Regiment_supporting_8th_Royal_Scots_28-06-1944.jpg
http://thisiswarblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/b26.jpeg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Cherbourg1944-Combat_avParis.jpg
http://www.jodavidsmeyer.com/combat/military/hedgerow.html
http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/normandy/nor-pam.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/operation_cobra.htm
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-E-XChannel/img/USA-E-XChannel-44.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/NormandySupply_edit.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/7th_Royal_Tank_Regiment_supporting_8th_Royal_Scots_28-06-1944.jpg
http://thisiswarblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/b26.jpeg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Cherbourg1944-Combat_avParis.jpg