The Normandy Landings
‘D-Day’ on 6th June, 1944, kicked off the Allied invasion of Europe and raised hopes of an end to the Second World War.
1944
King George VI 1936-1952
‘D-Day’ on 6th June, 1944, kicked off the Allied invasion of Europe and raised hopes of an end to the Second World War.
1944
King George VI 1936-1952
The Normandy Landings began with ‘D-Day’ set for 5th June, 1944, though unfavourable weather postponed it to the following day. The landings heralded the start of the Allied invasion of Europe and the end of the Second World War, though it was nearly a year before victory could be declared.
ON 6th June 1944, the Allies set in motion Operation Overlord.
It started with Operation Neptune, landing thousands of soldiers from Britain, the Commonwealth and the United States on five beaches in Normandy, codenamed Utah and Omaha for the Americans, and Gold, Juno and Sword for the British.
The Normandy landings were masterminded by Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, while the Anglo-American forces in France were commanded by General Bernard Montgomery.
Having secured Cherbourg, Montgomery worked methodically inland, liberating Paris late in August, and Brussels on September 3rd. The Germans had been expecting an attack near Calais, misdirected by a series of deceptions called Operation Bodyguard.
Within five days of ‘D-Day’, some 326,000 troops and 54,000 vehicles had landed on the beaches, supported by around 12,000 aircraft and 6,000 vessels, the largest sea-borne invasion ever.*
However, the Allies’ overall progress was frustrated at Arnhem in September, delaying outright victory until VE Day on 8th May, 1945.
D-Day is technical military terminology for the first day of any operation (compare H-Hour); there have been countless D-Days in history. However, ‘D-Day’ has become almost synonymous with the first day of the Normandy landings in 1944. Thanks are due to Portsmouth’s D-Day Museum for the figures; visit their site for the exact numbers.
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
What was the codename for the Normandy landings?
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
The Allied soldiers landed in Normandy on 6th June. They liberated Paris on 25th August. The French Resistance helped them.