D-DAYDAY OF DAYS

Largest Invasion in History

Rubber Tanks scattered across

British countryside to convince

Germans of an attack at Calais, far

from Normandy

Barrage Balloons, used to clip the

wings of low flying enemy aircrafts

The Beginnings• Allied leaders Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill meet

in Tehran, and agree that an invasion of German-held France was necessary

• Clear that a massive invasion force was necessary. significantly larger than Dieppe

• Soviets were bearing an overwhelming share of the fight. Average number of Soviets dying every day was 21,000.

Paratroopers• Specially trained soldiers

dropping by parachute

• Dropped behind enemy lines to cut off German supply routes

• With American support, it was a new phase of war with higher morale.

General Eisenhower

A Phantom Army• Greatest weapon was

intelligence

• French Resistance risked their lives to relay info, and destroyed German lines and supplies

• Codebreaking

• *Diversion using inflatables

The Departure

• Reach the French coast by the early morning half tide

• Battleships, cruisers, minesweepers, landing crafts, hospital ships, ammunition ships,

Beach Combat• Main fighting was along five

invasion beaches; Canada was on Juno,between Americans and British

• LCIs (Landing Craft Infantry)

• LSTs (Landing Ship Tank)

• LCVP (Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel)

After weeks of fighting

Saint-Lo, which blocked the Allied advance

Takeaways

- Allowed Allies to get a foothold, and ended German stronghold of mainland Europe

- Germans never fully recovered - Eased pressure on Eastern Front - Surrender would come just a year later