4. ‘D’ Day and the liberation of France Flashcards
Background:
what was axis power facing by mid 1943?
defeat
Background:
why was axis power facing defeat?
Rommel driven out of North Africa, Allies had upper hand in the Battle of Atlantic
Background:
when and what was decided at Washington Conference?
May 1943
decision to invade France made
Background: who was appointed supreme Allied Commander of ‘Operation Overlord’?
US General Eisenhower
Background: why were Russians unsatisfied?
their loss ran into millions, Stalin questioned Western courage on numerous occasions and suspected Western powers wanted to see the Nazis and Communists destroy each other
Background: what happened at Tehran Conference and when?
September 1943
Churchill and Roosevelt promised Stalin that they would launch an invasion of France in 1944
Background: what commenced once Allied naval and air supremacy assured?
plans for Operation Overlord, the liberation of France and the advance into Germany commenced
Background: what did Britain become?
became staging post where plans were finalised and attempts were made to keep operation secret
Preparations for D-Day: what were Allied faced with?
‘Atlantic Wall’
Preparations for D-Day:
what is ‘Atlantic Wall’?
a series of defences stretching from Spain to Norway
Preparations for D-Day:
why did Atlantic Wall exist?
the Germans were expecting an attack but unsure as to where it would occur, so spread their defensive forces
Preparations for D-Day:
what did Allies do to counter the defensive wall?
leaked fall intelligence information that Germans could pick up; phoney armies and squadrons were gathered in places away from real embarkation points
Preparations for D-Day:
what did Allies do to ensure their success in taking out Germans?
- made harbours to carry troops, tanks and supplies
- flexible pipelines to provide Allied forces with oil
- tracking of German radar systems
D-Day: when?
6 June 1944
D-Day:
why was invasion delayed?
bad weather
D-Day:
how many Allied troops in France by July?
more than a million
D-Day:
Basil Hart on positive of their delay?
“…the very toughness of the resistance that so much delayed the allies’ breakout ensured them a clear path through France once they broke out”
D-Day:
Andrew Roberts on significance of delay?
“…the delay of ‘Overlord’ was arguably…Churchill’s most important single contribution to allied victory.”
D-Day:
landing areas?
Sword (British), Juno (Canadian and British), Gold (British), Omaha (US) and Utah (US)
D-Day:
what did the assault involve?
two million men (by liberation of Paris), 12 000 aircraft, 139 warships, 221 combat vessels, 4 000 landing craft, 805 merchant ships and smaller naval craft
D-Day:
what did British airborne divisions seize?
River Orne (in Normandy)
D-Day:
Aerial bombardment followed by…?
massive warship barrage against Germans
D-Day:
Landings at Sword, Juno, Gold and Utah achieved ?
achieved well with light casualties and German counter attacks being beaten
D-Day:
What was happening to Americans at landing at Omaha?
pinned down
3 000 casualties on first day
