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d-day
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after watching s p ryan and band of brothers why did an attack on a flat beach take place
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The obvious place to launch an invasion was the shortest distance between England and France, and that is Calais.
But the Germans knew that, so that was the most heavily defenced part of France.
The allied forces studied the whole coast line and felt that Normandy was the best place to land, even thought it was a long distance to travel by boat.
You cannot land eveyone on one beach, there is just not enough room to get everyone ashore. Also the danger is if you are driven back the attack collapses.
So they chose 5 beaches, code named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
The Americans would land a Utah and Omaha, the British at Gold and word and the Canadians at Juno.
continued...
But the Germans knew that, so that was the most heavily defenced part of France.
The allied forces studied the whole coast line and felt that Normandy was the best place to land, even thought it was a long distance to travel by boat.
You cannot land eveyone on one beach, there is just not enough room to get everyone ashore. Also the danger is if you are driven back the attack collapses.
So they chose 5 beaches, code named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
The Americans would land a Utah and Omaha, the British at Gold and word and the Canadians at Juno.
continued...
The soldiers who landed found varying degrees of opposition. On some beaches they just walked ashore.
The beach featured in s p ryan is Omaha, and this was the worst of the lot. It was heavily defended and had loads of obsticles in the water to stop boats getting too close.
The beaches were supposed to be roughed up by planes and boats before the soldiers landed, but they could not do it too early as it may warn the Germans of the attack.
So some of the planes flew over very early in the morning to bomb the beach and cliffs, but because of mist could not see the shore, so rather than bomb their own men they overshot and bombed hald a mile in land.
Warships were also supposed to rough up the German positions but could not get their guns low enough to hit the cliff.
So the poor s0ds who landed at Omaha were like sitting ducks, Thousands were killed on the beach and at one time the US leaders even thought of pulling out of that beach.
It took all day to get off the beach and it delayed the march inland and almost ruined the whole attack.
Easy to follow site here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/new sid_3771000/3771223.stm
The beach featured in s p ryan is Omaha, and this was the worst of the lot. It was heavily defended and had loads of obsticles in the water to stop boats getting too close.
The beaches were supposed to be roughed up by planes and boats before the soldiers landed, but they could not do it too early as it may warn the Germans of the attack.
So some of the planes flew over very early in the morning to bomb the beach and cliffs, but because of mist could not see the shore, so rather than bomb their own men they overshot and bombed hald a mile in land.
Warships were also supposed to rough up the German positions but could not get their guns low enough to hit the cliff.
So the poor s0ds who landed at Omaha were like sitting ducks, Thousands were killed on the beach and at one time the US leaders even thought of pulling out of that beach.
It took all day to get off the beach and it delayed the march inland and almost ruined the whole attack.
Easy to follow site here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/new sid_3771000/3771223.stm
A bit more background, particularly about Band of Brothers.
As well as attacking the Normandy shore the allies also decided to land airborne toops inland, to take and hold important bridges, and to take important towns on cross roads to give the allies free movement by road.
It was all carefully planned and different regiments were given diferent areas to land and different towns and bridges to take.
As you see from Band of Brothers, it all went wrong.
Most pilots flying over France with the soldiers to drop had never flown over gunfire before.
As soon as the gunfire started from the ground they forgot all about the actual drop zone and just wanted to drop the soldiers anywhere and return home.
So different planes dropped different soldiers all over the place. When they landed they found they were all mived up and people just joined up with whoever was near them.
In a funny sort of way the confustion in the parachutists probably helped confuse the Germans on the ground.
It was not much fun for the parachutists who were dropped right in the middle of towns full of Germans. They were shot before they hit the ground.
As well as attacking the Normandy shore the allies also decided to land airborne toops inland, to take and hold important bridges, and to take important towns on cross roads to give the allies free movement by road.
It was all carefully planned and different regiments were given diferent areas to land and different towns and bridges to take.
As you see from Band of Brothers, it all went wrong.
Most pilots flying over France with the soldiers to drop had never flown over gunfire before.
As soon as the gunfire started from the ground they forgot all about the actual drop zone and just wanted to drop the soldiers anywhere and return home.
So different planes dropped different soldiers all over the place. When they landed they found they were all mived up and people just joined up with whoever was near them.
In a funny sort of way the confustion in the parachutists probably helped confuse the Germans on the ground.
It was not much fun for the parachutists who were dropped right in the middle of towns full of Germans. They were shot before they hit the ground.
If you fancy learning more about D Day.
A film made in 1962 is a pretty good overview of the whole first day. It is called the Longest Day and covers it from both the US side, English side and German side.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056197/
Also a book called Overlord (the code name for D Day) by Max Hastings.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overlord-D-Day-Battle- Normandy-Strategy/dp/0330390120/sr=8-1/qid=115 8360278/ref=pd_ka_1/202-3175254-7423004?ie=UTF 8&s=gateway
A film made in 1962 is a pretty good overview of the whole first day. It is called the Longest Day and covers it from both the US side, English side and German side.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056197/
Also a book called Overlord (the code name for D Day) by Max Hastings.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overlord-D-Day-Battle- Normandy-Strategy/dp/0330390120/sr=8-1/qid=115 8360278/ref=pd_ka_1/202-3175254-7423004?ie=UTF 8&s=gateway
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