The War in the West: D-Day to Victory

Question 1

Erwin Rommel

Answer 1

Rommel was a German Commander who led the Afrika Corps in the North African Campaign. His nickname was the “Desert Fox,” and Montgomery defeated him at El Alamein. They would later be executed after being implicated in Operation Valkyrie.

Question 2

Fuhrer Directive 51

Answer 2

Hitler’s attempt to reinforce or strengthen the West in preparation for the Allied invasion. Essentially, nobody was coming to help.

Question 3

Dieppe Raid

Answer 3

An unsuccessful Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port in Dieppe. Occurred in August 1942. 60% were killed, wounded, or captured. A “feasibility test” was made mainly of Canadian troops. It was a test to see if D-Day would be possible.

Question 4

Tehran Conference

Answer 4

The meeting of FDR, Churchill, and Stalin in Nov 1943. Here is where they agreed to cross the English Channel and invade German-occupied France in the summer of 1944. Solidifies the plans of D-Day.

Question 5

Operation Overlord

Answer 5

The official operation name for the D-Day invasion. The fate of Europe hung in the balance, so the decision to land 150K men on 50 miles of beach in 24 hours was a massive and dangerous venture. It was executed on June 6, 1944, and comprised 10 American, English, and Canadian divisions alongside three airborne divisions.

Question 6

Dwight Eisenhower

Answer 6

Chosen leader of Operation Overlord. Was also the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force leader. Future President of the US from 1953-61.

Question 7

General Bernard Montgomery

Answer 7

21st Army Group hero of North Africa and El Alamein. British General who led the ground forces at D-Day and attempted to overtake Caen.

Question 8

Operation Bodyguard

Answer 8

This was a part of Operation Fortitude, a fake mission created to trick Germany. Allies built fake tanks and landing craft and broadcast fake transmissions onto a fake army commanded by Patton. It stated the invasion was to occur in Pas de Calais, France, and was a distraction to the real operation over in Normandy. Germans fell for it.

Question 9

Operation Cobra

Answer 9

US operation to break out of the beaches of Normandy on July 25, 1944. This was extremely difficult due to the bocage and allies suffering significant casualties. German troops were beaten down after Montgomery attempted to take Caen. The US bombs the fuck out of the German Panzer line and puts the US firepower on full display. This allowed the allied forces to break out of the Beachhead fully and started the Anglo-American advance on Europe.

Question 10

The July Bomb Plot

Answer 10

Conspiracy and attempt to kill Hitler that involved several German army officers. Six weeks after Normandy, they planted a bomb in his headquarters at the Wolf’s Layer in an attempt to kill him. The plan was to kill Hitler and other head Nazi officials and take over the government. The plot fails and Stauffenberg, Rommel and others are quickly implicated, tried, tortured and executed.

Question 11

Count Claus von Stauffenberg

Answer 11

Leader of the July Bomb Plot, also known as Operation Valkyrie. Stauffenberg was missing a hand and had been put through the wringer from the war. He was against killing Hitler at first, but after the failed battles of Stalingrad and the Allied invasion of Normandy, he changed his mind and agreed Hitler needed to be killed.

Question 12

Helmuth von Moltke

Answer 12

A part of an old Prussian military family. Count von Moltke held discussion groups about politics and current affairs at his home in Kreisau. Members of the July Bomb Plot had close ties to von Moltke.

Question 13

Kreisau Circle

Answer 13

Count Helmuth von Moltke’s house and location of political discussion group.

Question 14

Operation Luttich

Answer 14

Comes about after the failed Operation Valkyrie. Hitler, very paranoid after the failed assassination attempt, tested his army by directing them to attack Allied forces at Mortain Ridge on August 7, 1944. It was an epic failure as the Allied forces knew the Germans were coming.

Question 15

Falaise Pocket

Answer 15

The last major battle of the Normandy campaign was a disaster for the German Army. They lost 60,000 men and got caught in a pocket, but thousands were able to escape.

Question 16

Operation Market Garden

Answer 16

In September 1944, the very bold and risky plan was to drop Allied airborne troops behind enemy lines in the Netherlands, etc., to seize control of key bridges crossing the Rhein. This plan failed due to the distance of airborne troops from Allied lines. It caused more casualties, a longer road to victory, and gave Hitler a chance to act against the Allies one last time.

Question 17

Wacht am Rhein

Answer 17

Hitler’s Western gamble. This means that the watch/guard of the Rhine was used as a code name for the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler’s last-ditch effort to prevent the Allies from getting across the Rhine.

Question 18

Battle of the Bulge

Answer 18

December of 1944 is Hitler’s last-ditch effort to stop the Allies. The Germans nearly break the British/American lines. This was the largest battle the Americans participated in and fought in during the War in Europe.

Question 19

Bastogne

Answer 19

The location where American paratroopers from the 101st Airborne hold the line and refuse to surrender. They stopped Hitler’s last advance.

Question 20

Malmedy Massacre

Answer 20

On December 17, 1944, Waffen SS troops killed 84 American prisoners of war by gunning them down in the snow with machine guns. Those who escape are chased down and slaughtered.

Question 21

Joachim Peiper

Answer 21

Leader of the Waffen SS troops who killed US prisoners during the Malmedy Massacre. He dodged execution after the end of the war but was burnt to death in his home by a group of French Communists who discovered who he was.

Question 22

Anthony MacAuliffe

Answer 22

American acting Commander at Bastogne, who reviewed the German’s demand to surrender or face total annihilation on December 22, 1944, responded with, “NUTS!”

Question 23

Remagen Bridge

Answer 23

Location of the Ludendorff rail bridge where American troops stumble on to find that the Germans were trying to destroy. Getting the army of the Rhine was a massive geological feat, so saving this bridge was paramount. In March of 1945, American troops were shocked to find it standing and, on their initiative, ran across the bridge, slashing demo wire and throwing off charges WHILE the Germans were actively using explosives to topple it. Their efforts saved the bridge and established a perimeter so Germans couldn’t destroy it. Allowed temp bridges to be built and officially allowed the Allied troops to cross the Rhine and push into Berlin.

Question 24

Battle of Huertgen Forest

Answer 24

Tactical Allied failure prevented Germany from gaining back terrain they had been ordered to take back at all costs. It would threaten their entire defense line west of the Rhine if they lost.