D-Day presentation Flashcards
How is D-Day described in terms of importance?
What did it “save”
Most important day of 20th century maybe ever (saved democracy & Europe)
Most complex invasion ever
Equivalent on D-Day
Logistical equivalent of putting man on moon or Great Wall of China
How big was the invasion?
What was it called?
How many people?
Largest seaborne invasion ever
(3.5 million people needed for Operation Overlord)
How many actual allies invaded on DDay
D-day: 170,000 Allies
Who was the Nazi Commander in France
Erwin Rommel Nazi Commander in France.
Allies conference
Tehran Conference (1943) - Stalin, FDR, Churchill
Stalin convinced FDR to go earlier. Agreed they would invade in 1 year.
where did Hitler expected us to land
Where did Rommel expect us to land
Hitler expected us to land in Pas-de-Calais.
Rommel did expect us to land in Normandy
100’ high cliff jutting out at Normandy
Pointe du Hoc
unfindable Base on Dday
Grandcamp-Maisy: 1.5 mi inland. underground fortress (4 football fields big) took 2 days to find
How tall were beach cliffs
Beaches Protected by 130’ tall cliffs ?????? check this
Where were American troops on D-Day?
Where were the worst casualties
American troops at Omaha & Utah. Omaha had worst casualties (90% die)
Deception campaigns
False landings, crash dummies (ruperts), Patton + ghost army,
False landings
Aluminum and crash test dummies. looked liked planes on radar
Ruperts
Crash test dummies w/ voice recorders (looked & sounded like soldiers)
Deception campaign that created fake planes.
Patton’s Ghost Army: Nazis thought Patton would lead invasion
Used him as decoy + placed him in Dover so thought invasion would be Pas-de-Calais;
French school with sons of diplomats and military. Headmaster ___________
Strand School in France.
Leonard Dawe
Crossword hint that made people think Dawe is a spy
Aug. 1942 “Dieppe” (French port 6 letters) dress rehearsal of D-day. French think Dawe is Nazi spy.
FDR quote about planning/op. overlord
“I find plans to be useless but planning to be essential.”
How many times was DDday Postponed
twice (bad weather) –supposed to be June 4
DDday was almost postponed because of
“crossword conspiracy”
1944 - names of landing spots & operation in crossword; Dawe overheard names in hallway
GO codes:
hot in the Suez
dice are on the table
NO code:
the arrow will not pass
Phase 1 DDay
H-6 Paratroopers destroy roads/bridges. Weather blows ½ off course. Crickets to find each other
Phase 2 DDay
H-1: naval & air bombardment; H-hour: 6:30 am. All officers killed.
How manymen died stepping off “ducks”
1000 men died stepping off “ducks” (70 lbs of packs)
Initial invasion size
Was 370,000 Allies
Within 3 weeks
How many allies killed on D-Day
2500 Americans & 4400 Allies killed on D-Day
How many Germans die on DDay
4000-9000 Germans die
How many french civilians die on DDay
20,000 French civilians die (Allied bombing)
1600 miles (SF to Chicago) of german forces
Atlantic wall by Rommel
Names of anti ship defense
and # of mines
“Hedgehogs”, “asparagus” 5-6 million mines
How long and how many lives to gain control of Normandy
Takes weeks & 37,000 lives for Allies to gain control of Normandy
What do allies do after DDay
When does Germany surrender
March east & liberated Paris (1944)
Germany surrenders (1945)
