D-day was the beginning of the allied liberation in Europe. It took years to prepare for and, was codenamed operation overlord. The invasion was the largest amphibious assault in history. The Normandy landings were the beginning of the end of the war in Europe. They knew there would be an invasion in northwest Europe.
(History.com Staff "D-Day" 2009)
Preparation for the war took over two years. D-day was planned for June 5, 1944. The Germans knew there would be a massive invasion in Northwest Europe. It was planned to reduce pressure on the soviet union in the East. The decision to mount the invasion was cemented at the Teheran Conference. Germany was trapped between the soviets in the East, and the Americans and British in the West. Hitler fortified Northwest Europe in preparation for the invasion. The British, Canadians, and Americans were the allies. British General Frederick Morgan searched for the best point along the coast to strike and started drawing up assault plans. Seven men were chose …show more content…
By May 1944, 2,876,000 Allied troops were amassed in southern England. The amphibious invasions began at 6:30 a.m.The first men to see action were the troops from the air. Paratroopers and glider men were dropped to secure bridges and roads. 20,000 men landed by air in Normandy. Just before the first wave landed, the allied bombers and naval artillery launched an assault. Navy demolition teams and minesweepers clear the waters in preparation for the landing crafts that carried men, vehicles and supplies. Because of differences in tides, the American beaches, Utah and Omaha, were assaulted first. There were 32 amphibious tanks. The first wave landed 2,000 yards South of the planned spot. Half of the allied troops were American. Allied casualties have been estimated at 10,000. The battle of Normandy lasted from June 1944 to August 1944. They codenamed the beaches Gold, Juno, and