D-Day

The Universe implodes from the sudden injection of magic.

To elaborate: D-Day failing does not win Germany the war, it merely extends the day of German defeat and ensures the Soviet Union makes more territorial gains. For all the planning, effort, and resource the Western Allies put into D-Day, the only realistic failure (IE: the assault waves get wiped out and a beach head is never established) does not change the fact that Germany is already losing the war. The Western Allies would still have total dominance over the air and sea and still have large numbers of ground forces available to them and even already fighting Germany on the land (the Italian Front).

On the other end of Europe, the Russians are no longer the inept bumblers they were in 1941 and early-42. Three years of war, lend-lease, and total industrial mobilization of the USSR's resources had turned the Red Army into a massive, well-armed, well-led, well-motivated, and experienced Juggernaut that out-and-out annihilated the German forces in its path during the Summer of 1944. Ultimately, they were halted by their own supply difficulties after huge and rapid advances more then German resistance.

The Germans, in the meanwhile, are still suffering from constant raw material and fuel shortages, regular strategic bombing raids, a manpower situation that is only a few hundred thousand casualties away from rock bottom, and (of course) the utter madness that Hitler has driven himself into by '44. With such disparity in strength, Germany's downfall even after successfully repelling D-Day is just a matter of time.

It had a very demoralizing effect on the German public. It put many of Germany's western divisions to flight.

The British and Canadian paratroopers succeeded most, gaining all their targets. The Americans were scattered by wind and many landed in swamp. They succeeded eventually.

They were routed and totally disorganised. Only small pockets of them held and fought.

The Normandy landings were to establish a beachhead in northern France and open a second European front to fight against Germany.

Lt. Dennis Brotheridge was the first Allied soldier to die on D-Day. He also killed the first German on D-Day. Brotheridge, of the Oxfordshire and Bucks. Light Infantry Regt. of the British 6th Airborne, landed with his 28 troops in a glider at 0016. At about 0020 they were challenged by a German sentry, 17 year old Private Helmut Rohmer. Brotheridge shot him with his Sten gun, and just a minute or two later was shot himself by a German machine gun. He died at 0023 on D-Day.

The Allied troops all landed on the north coast of Normandy between Cherbourg and Caen on about 30 miles of stony beaches. This was about 150 miles south west of Calais, where the Germans were expecting the landings.

There were airborne troops from America, Britain, and Canada. Approximately 24,000 Americans and around 18,000 British and Canadians flew.

The 2 sides, basically were Allied and Axis. The Axis defenders were Germany with some foreign troops, Indians and some Slavs. The Allies were British, American, Canadian, Australian , and many other Allied countries.

The British, Canadians, Americans and many other Allied countries invaded Nazi occupied France

The challenges were many -how to get tanks ashore from ships, how to get men across gunswept beaches, and how to beat the unexpected divisions of German troops.

It was the first time massive amounts of Allied troops were committed to Europe.

Almost a year of planning, building thousands of landing ships and preparing for the biggest sea landing ever.

Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches.

Many ships of all kinds were lost. Small landing craft were lost in dozens, others beached. As over 11,000 seacraft were involved from over 8 countries, exact figures are not available.

The Allies had deceived them into believing the attack would come later at the Pas de Calais.

11,000 aircraft and over 7,000 ships were involved. It took over 1,000 aircraft just to transport the Airborne and Glider Divisions.

Over a million Allied soldiers were part of Operation Overlord, with over 170,000 of them landing on D-Day, the first day.

The city of Caen was a critical point of the landings.

D-Day was the first day of "Operation overlord".

Fourteen men from Bedford, Virginia died on D-Day. Eleven of them remain in the Normandy American Cemetery along with 9.386 other Americans who died in Normandy.

Not very many, and most will be in their mid 80's by now.

Because it was very well planned and the troops were determined to fight and win.