The Speech That Inspired D-Day
D-day, the name brings a chill even if your birth occurred many years after the fateful date of June 6, 1944. The largest amphibious invasion in military history deployed over 156,000 troops from America, Britain, and Canada to break Hitler’s hold on Europe. The historic mission took literally years of planning between the Allied forces and served as a vital component in retaking Western Europe from the Nazis.
"The Eyes Of The World Are Upon You" Speech A Day Before D-Day, June 5th, 1944.
In November of 1943, Hitler learned the Allied forces would attempt a large-scale attack along France’s northern coast. He charged Erwin Rommel with building an “Atlantic Wall” to repel Allied forces. The Atlantic Wall was made up of landmines, fortified bunkers, and barbed wire fences that ran over 2,400 miles. The landing troops of the Allied forces faced heavily entrenched German soldiers along with crashing waves and swirling currents. These are the events of D-day.
Hellish Training
The troops were well prepared for the harrowing day ahead. (vicnews)
To thwart Hitler and storm the beaches of France, the Allied forces underwent accursed training exercises in preparation for D-day. As Lieutenant Colonel Trevor Hart Dyke recounted, “Like other units we had our toll of accidents, but to make the training more realistic, normal safety procedures had to be relaxed. This policy was well rewarded when we went into battle, as we were not then unduly perturbed by the noise and danger of war.” Corporal Chris Portway, of the 4th Dorsets of the 43rd Wessex Division, went as far as to say, “All those ghastly exercises that preceded Normandy were far more painful than the real thing.”
Numerous Training Casualties
Not all five sections of D-Day looked as bloody as Ohmaha. (vicnews)
Whether in the air or by sea, training casualties came fast and furious. Captain Charles R Cawthon of the 116th Infantry remembered, “A British glider troop’s training camp nearby appeared wasteful of human life to the point of disregard; few days passed, it seemed, that a caisson bearing a flag-draped coffin, escorted by troopers in red berets, did not rumble by on the way to the British Army cemetery.”
The Five Code-names Of Normandy
The large scale deception helped but the fighting remained fierce. (nationalgeographic)
While Hitler knew the Americans were planning a major assault on German-held France, he did not know where the Allied forces intended to land. A major deception campaign was launched in hopes of confusing German soldiers as to the location of the massive assault. Fraudulent radio transmissions, fake equipment, and even a phantom army commanded by George Patton were all employed to hoodwink the Germans.
Operation Overlord
The first troops who landed faced the worst of the German barrage. (nationalgeographic)
Known as Operation Overlord, five sections of Normandy beach were broken into five separate attack forces. From west to east they were called “Utah,” “Omaha,” “Gold,” “Juno” and “Sword.” Eisenhower originally selected June 5th, 1944 as his attack date but poor weather delayed Operation Overlord. Later that day, after his meteorologist predicted improved weather conditions, thousands of troops began their journey across the English Channel with Eisenhower’s words echoing in their heads. “You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you.”
Landing In Hell
A deadly obstacle course awaiting the landing troops. (phys.org)
Paratroopers began their invasion before dawn, hours before the ground troops hit the beaches of Normandy. These soldiers aimed to land inland to destroy bridges and cut off exits that Nazi reinforcements might use. Of the Canadian, British, and American paratroopers, the Americans suffered the most casualties at “Utah” beach. Some drowned in the flooded marshes, weighed down by their heavy equipment. Others became casualties of Nazi snipers.
Training Pays Off
The rough ocean, german artillery fire, and mine led to many casualties. (phys.org)
The 156,000 ground troops of the Allied forces faced 50,000 well-fortified German soldiers. The stormy seas made landing a near-impossible task. At Omaha beach, only two of the 29 amphibious tanks made it to the beach. Many regiments missed their landing marks by miles! The battle at Omaha saw the fiercest and bloodiest engagement.
American troops scrambled out of half-sunk tanks struggling with all their gear to stay afloat in the churning ocean. The waterlogged troops fought to gain purchase as machine-gun fire and mines stymied their progress. 2,400 troops lost their lives at Omaha beach alone but by nightfall, the Nazi artillery posts were owned by the Americans.
A Turning Point In The War
The day was won but at a high cost. (history)
Despite the carnage, Allied troops caught a break with German commander Rommel taking a leave of absence that day. It also helped that Hitler initially believed the offensive to be feint. Expecting another attack north of the Seine river, Hitler refused to release reinforcements from that area. Instead, German troops were called in from farther afield, which took longer to arrive and encountered delays from destroyed bridges.
D-Day Turns The Tide
The heavily fortified bunkers of the Germans made landing a nightmare. (History)
Even with these advantages, the Allied troops experienced brutal casualty rates. At Juno beach, nearly 50% of leading soldiers were cut down by heavy machine gunfire. Nevertheless, the troops persevered and won a momentous victory that day.
Within a week all of Normandy was held by the good guys and Hitler felt the noose tightening. By taking France, the Allied powers dealt a massive blow to Germany. The Nazis could no longer afford to send troops to combat the encroaching Soviets. Soon the pincer movement of the Americans pushing from the west and Soviets from the east spelled doom for Hitler. Less than a year later Hitler committed suicide and Germany unconditionally surrendered.
