Military Geography

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Military Geography
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The Invasion of NormandyD-DayOperation Overlord

• Goal Drive the Germans out of France (it had
  been four years of German occupation)
• Leadership Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Allied Forces Canada, France, United Kingdom,
  United States
• Question
• What are the important elements of a beach
  invasion?
• What do you have to do prior to landing troops on
  the beach?

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Normandy Beaches

• Where? There are five beaches to be invaded (not
  including pointe du hoc)
• Question What elements of the beaches do you
  need intelligence on? As a leading analyst, you
  need to create a proposal asking your higher
  ranking officers for more intel on
• Analyze not only the physical landing site but
  also the conditions needed for invasion.

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Perhaps Some Answers

• Need a day near a full moon. Illumination during
  night and the spring tide. 10 days were suitable
  for an invasion each month. June 6th was the
  scheduled full moon date. Eisenhower chose the
  5th for an invasion.
• Need relatively low swells and slow winds. High
  swells will not be able to support the amphibious
  tanks or landing crafts
• The sand composition is capable of withstanding
  the invasion
• Location proximity to the English Channel is
  important for refueling aircrafts
• Operation Fortitude- goal is to mislead Germans
  about place/date

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Invasion

• 12,000 planes for an airborne assault
• 7,000 vessels
• 160,000 troops
• Plan a Proposal
• Which countries will take each beaches?
• What is your plan for the overnight bombing
  campaigns?
• What is your plan for the invasion itself? What
  landing crafts will you use? What types of
  equipment will you need during the invasion and
  how will you get it to the beach? Etc.

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PROBLEM!!!

• On June 4th the weather was unsuitable for an
  amphibious invasion. The weather continued to be
  unsuitable on your planned invasion date?
• Add to your proposal. Will you reschedule
  another month or take your chances on better
  weather approaching soon? Why?

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Overall Updates

• Meteorologists forecasted better weather
  improvements for June 6th
• 3 divisions of paratroopers were sent in prior to
  the invasion
• Air force provided important bombing campaign
  raids the night before.
• Invasion began before dawn on June 6th

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Utah Beach

• Strong Current
• Had to move 2 km south of original location of
  landing
• 1,700 vehicles landed
• 23,250 American soldiers
• 197 died and 60 missing by the end of the day
• Most successful invasion of all of the beaches

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Omaha Beach

• Night raids unsuccessful at bombing campaigns due
  to fog and clouds. 13,000 missed objectives
• 1,450 soldiers transported by 36 landing crafts
  initial wave
• Germans open fire as late as possible to hide
  their positions
• One of the chiefs estimates that the swells are
  too high at this beach for the amphibious tanks.
  Sent them anyway. 3 of the 29 launched tanks
  reach the shore (devastating lack of support).
  These tanks sink in the English Channel
• By afternoon the beach is under control BUT still
  in a weak position.
• 30,000 landed and 3,000 killed.

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Overall

• Allies poured men and materials into France after
  this
• Another landing in Southern France in August
  helped to finish the official liberation of
  France from German control
• 3 million allied troops in France by the end of
  August

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Battle of the BulgeBattle of Ardennes

• Dec. 16th, 1944
• 200,000 German troops
• 1,000 tanks
• Launch Hitlers last bid to change the tide of
  the war since D-Day
• Surprise attack
• Goal Split the American and British allied
  forces in half
• Struck the Ardennes Forest
• 75 mile stretch of the front characterized by
  woods and few roads
• 4 divisions of American troops were stationed
  there and it had been quiet in this region for
  months

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Battle of the Bulge Cont

• Allied overconfidence
• Preoccupation with allied offensive plans
• Poor aerial reconnaissance
• Germans attacked a weakly defended section of the
  Allied line
• Took advantage of highly overcast weather
  conditions which grounded the Allies
  overwhelmingly superior air forces

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Questions

• What elements from our military geography sheet
  apply to this situation?
• What other elements need to be considered?
• What lines of communication do Americans need to
  make sure that they secure? Why?

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Germans and Geography

• Germans

• Geography

• After one day Germans broke through the front
  surrounding the infantry divisions
• Seized key crossroads
• Advanced towards the Meuse river

• So cold that weapons had to be maintained
• Trucks had to be turned on every half hour to
  prevent their oil from congealing

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Proposal

• Draft a proposal for withstanding the attack as
  well as a proposal for what to do once you secure
  the line. Incorporate your planned use of
  artillery, aviation, tanks, etc.

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Update

• After many days of fighting, the weather
  conditions started improving by December 23.
  What does this mean??
• Air force can now attach launching devastating
  bomb raids on German supply points in their rear.
  Drop much needed supplies to allied troops.
• Germans outran their supply lines and shortages
  of ammunition and fuel were becoming critical
• Disagreement and confusion at the Allied command
  prevented a strong cohesive response

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Update Cont

• Eisenhower rushed reinforcements to hold the
  shoulders of the penetration
• Am. Soldiers often isolated and unaware of the
  overall picture. Did their part to slow the
  Nazi advance
• Delayed armored spearheads with defenses of vital
  crossroads
• Moving/burning critical gasoline stocks to keep
  them from the Germans
• Held off the junction of St. Vith and Bastogne

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Update Cont

• By Jan 1st Allies went on a counter-offensive
• Germans began to fall back and lost most of their
  heavy equipment
• On January 7th Hitler agreed to withdraw all
  forces from the Ardennes
• Winston Churchill- This is undoubtedly the
  greatest American battle of the war and will, I
  believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American
  victory.