The end of ww2 Flashcards
The aim of operation overlord
to capture and retake france
the preparation for operation overlord(equipment/men)
The preparation of operation overlord(Fortitude-what was its impacts?)
Hitler and his high command were tricked by operation fortitude confirmed as of late may 1944 in a telegram to the japanese, as a result hitler placed his stroge4st panzer units away from the Normandy coast + placed them in the pas de Calals region
Strength of the German defenses on French coast
it was 3900km along the french coast 6.5 million mines 1000s of concretecbunkers and pillboxes containing machine guns and fast firing artillery and tousandfs of antii tank and anti ship beach obstacles
The preparation of operation overlord(Fortitude-what was it?)
plan to decieve the germans intyo thinkiing the allies were to invade everywhere but normandy:
-they created a fake army group led by patten, with fake tanks fake barracks, etc
-fake landing equipment to make Germans think British were more powerful then they actually were
- Spread misinformation: used double agents to send the Germans false information, act5ors were paid to act like allied soldiers drunk and “leak” false information to the women, German spies, not only that but the allies also said misinformation i their communication channels because they knew the Germans were listening
Role of the paratroopers on D-DAY
to destroy German guns that threatened the landing beaches to the east as well as destroying bridges around caen where germans could move in troops + take of the most important town of Sante Mere eglise and securing causeways near UTAH beach that would be used by Us troops to advance inland
Aim of the beach landings on D-Day
`to breakthrough and establish beach heads were allied soldiers can move through and carry supplies over time expand
Problems with the Omaha Beach landings
Outcomes of operation overlord
After a 3 month battle the germans were left in utter defeat out of the 650000 german troops who fought in this battle OVER 400000 were casualties, as Hitler the dumb fuck that he was ordered his commanders not to give up land + forcing his most powerful troops into unnecessary battles which led to their deaths
in comparison the alllies had approximately 1.5 million men fighting in Normandy and only 230000 were casualties
by the end of august they had liberated Paris + by September they liberated Belgium
by early 1945 they had reached the German border and had made plans for their final destruction of Germany with 4.5 MILLION ALLIED TROOPS attacking their dwindling supply of manpower
Reasons for the ineffective German response
Significance of operation overlord
How did the USSR prepare for operation Bagtration
They created their “deep battle strategy” basically blitzkreig but more tank reliant, attacked their weakpoints around the fester plaitze and mobilised all of their troops russia had a ton of troops, to throw into battle
What actions did Germany make that contributed to their defeat during operation bagration
Hitler didnt allow his troops to retreat this led to 1000’s of men being sent to their deaths for no reason + they built fester platze which had no outer wall defence to stop their advance +they fell for the russians sneak attack believing that they would attack Ukraine
The battle of the buldge
Dec 1944, Germany launched a counter offensive on USA in hope that a US defeat would lead to US seeking peace terms, they managed to push the allies back to belgium where it would take another 2 months for allies to reclaim, The USSR and allies were surronding them and Allies chose not to take German, let the soviets take it
The battle of berlin
Jan 1945: Russia launched the offensive on east prussia taking their first german territory theiir advance was fast taking 24km a day by feb 1945 they were only 60km from berlin.
16th April:USSR had launched their offensive on berlin, German defencewas well organised + rrussians lost 30000 men trying to cross Oder river
30th April: hitler commits suicide in his bunker with the rest of his family and some of his high ranking generalsthis led to admural Donitz becoming his sucessor
2nd may German forces in berlin surrender
7th may they surrender unconditionally
impact of the war on german citizens
hitler widened the conscription range to include those 16-60 yrs of age and hitler youth as young as 13years old, this led to the deaths of 1000’s of males who weren’t trained or given weapons
Russians were infuriated nby the concentration camps mass graves atrocities committed by the Germans this led to their brutality against the Germans Germans were looted by Russians 1 package per day, damage and mass killings and rapings, up to 2 million German women were raped!, not only that but 2 million German citizens were killed, millions of Germans had become displaced or refugees fleeing Russians army advance
