Name
D-Day
invasionof German-occupied
Twodaysafterthe liberationof Rome,the long-awaited
Europebegan.In the earlymorninghoursof June6, 1944,threeAlliedairbornedivisions
parachuted
Franceto cut vitalcommunications
behindenemylinesin northwestern
and
seizecontrolof importantroads,bridges,andairfields.Then,six hourslater,a combined
forceof American,British,and Canadiantroopsunderthe commandof GeneralDwight
D. Eisenhower
landedon thecoastof Franceat Normandy.
The initialinvasionforceof 175,000troopshad been ferriedacrossthe English
Channelovernightin morethan2,700ships. Besidestroops,the shipscarriedtonsof
suppliesand thousands
of vehicles.Severalthousandplanesalsoparticipated
in the
paratroopers,
assault,eithertransporting
towinggliders,or droppingbombson enemy
positions.
The Alliedattackat Normandywas spreadover five beaches,code-named
Utah,
was encountered
Omaha,Gold,Juno,and Sword. Only light resistance
at several
particularly
beaches,but Germanfire at OmahaBeachwas
heavy. Germansfiring
from cliffshigh abovethe beachinflictedheavycasualtieson Americantroopsthat
landedthere. Evenso, 250,000Alliedsoldierssucceeded
in goingashorein the first
twenty-four
hoursof the invasion.
Fromthe beachesof Normandy,
the Alliesslowlyfoughttheir way inland. They
liberatedParison August19, and by September
they had clearedFranceof German
troops.Thiswasthe beginning
of the endfor NaziGermany.
Solvethe followingwordproblemsto learnmore about the Normandylnvasion.
1. TheAllieslanded175,000troopsat Normandythe firstnight. About10,700were
killedor wounded.Whatpercentof theseAlliedsoldierswere killedor wounded?
2. The Allieshad assembled
nearlythreemillionmen in GreatBritainfor the invasion
of Europe. By the middleof September,
about73% of these had gone ashorein
France.Howmanysoldiershadgoneashore?
3. Duringthe firsttwenty-four
hoursof the invasion,
250,000Alliedtroopswentashore
in Normandy.Whatpercentof the threemillionsoldiersassembled
in GreatBritain
wentashorein Normandy
in the firsttwenty-four
hours?
4. Whatfactorsdo you thinkhelpedmakethe invasionat Normandyso successful?
O 1997McDONALDPUBLISHINGCO
19
WORLDWAR II
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25
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lF26(3 Wortd
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5-I-t
Continued from page 25.
Radiotransmissionsrevealedthat the main German
force was waitingin Calais.The Allies were also
able to intercepta messagerevealingthat Field
MarshalRommelwas not at his headquartersduring
the attack. Hitlerwas also unavailableuntil 1 1:00
R.m.,nearly 6 hours after the assaultbegan.Determining that this was only a deceptiveaction and the
main attack would come later, Hitler refusedto
order any reserveunits or tanks into the area until it
was too late. What tanks did arrive, were badly
damagedby Allied bombers.
Twenty-four hours before the invasion, the coast
was pounded by Allied bombers. Bombers also
targeted railroads and bridges that might carry
reinforcements. Gliders flew in men to hold six
critical bridges during the main landing. In addition,
thousands of men parachuted behind the coastal
defenses to begin occupying strategic locations.
Before the invasion took place, the Allies had
mounted a massive campaign of deception. Fake
planes, barracks, and other facilities were constructed to make the Germans think the invasion
was directed toward Calais. The Allies even parachuted an entire brigade of dummy paratroopers
equipped with firecrackers around Calais. Only the
generals knew that the real target was Normandy.
The Allies constructed"Mulberries"or temporary
docks for ships to unload the necessaryequipment to continue the attack in France.Over the
next three weeks,more than 800,000men joined
the initial invasion force. D-Day began the end of
Hitler'srule in Europe.The Allies sweptacross
western Europe to be joined by the Soviets,who
had recapturedEastern Europe. Less than a year
after D-Day,Hitler committed suicide and Germany
surrendered.The bloodiest battle of the war signaledthe end of the bloodiestwar in history.
Sotau,u. . .
.
why Hitler refused to commit his reserve units against the Allies in Normandy.
.
how the Allies tried to convince Hitler that the invasion was to take place at Calais.
.
how the Allies tried to knock out the big guns guarding the coasts.
.
whether the Allies would have accepted a peace treaty after D-Day if Hitler had offered it or
continued to fight until Germany was destroyed.
a7o46]r4lrilPh St4/r,
.
Researchwho the main generalswere during the Normandy invasion.
.
How did GeneralEisenhoweruse Ultra during D-Day?
.
Learn more about the specialships and equipmentused for D-Day.
.
Researchthe role of the Coast Cuard ships that rescuedsoldiersat sea.
Publishing
@McGrow-Hill
Children's
26
1F2663World Wor ll-Europe
Name
The Battle of the Bulge
O n e g r e a tb a t t l er e m a i n e dt o b e f o u g h ti n E u r o p eb e f o r eN a z i G e r m a n yw a s
defeated.Thatwasthe Battleof the Bulge.
By the endof 1944,AlliedarmieshadsweptthroughFranceand Belgiumandwere
at the bordersof Germany.Theywerereadyfor the finaldrivetheyhopedwouldend
frontin the
the war in Europe. But AdolfHitlerhad otherideas. Alongan BO-mile
ArdennesForestof Belgium,the Nazileaderhad amassedan armyof 250,000men
becauseintense
andtanks.Thishugebuildupof Germanpowerhadgoneundetected
planes
grounded.
fogandsnowhadkeptAllied
On December16, 1944,Hitler'stroopsattacked,takingAmericanforcesin the
Ardennescompletely
by surprise.The Germansdrovea 60-mile"bulge"throughthe
Americanlines,advancing
almostto the EnglishChannel.lf the Germanshad reached
the Channel,they mighthavecut the Alliedforcesin two and driventhemfrom France.
ButtheAmericans
heldandclosedthegapalongthe line.TheGermansweredrivenback
andoncemoreputin fullretreat.Bythethirdweekin January,1945,the battlewasover.
The Battleof the Bulgewas a gambleon Hitler'spart. Whenit failed,he no longer
had an army strongenoughto preventthe Alliesfrom crossingthe Germanborder.
Americanand Britishtroopsracedinto Germanyfromthe west whilethe Russians
movedin from the east. What was left of Germany'sfightingforceswas slowly
betweenthem.
squeezed
The Battleof the Bulgewas a costlyvictoryfor the Americanarmy. lt suffered
numbered
morethan100,000.
almost80,000casualties.
Germancasualties
Answereachof the questionsbelowaboutthe Battleof the Bulge.
1. Wherewasthe Battleof the Bulgefought?
2. Whydidn'ttheAlliesnoticethe buildupof Germantroopsin theArdennes?
3. Whywasthe Germandefeatat the Battleof the Bulgeso significant?
4. Whyis thisGermanoffensive
referred
to as the Battleof the Bulge?
5. Howmighthistoryhavechangedif the Germanforcesin the Battleof the Bulgehad
Channel?
beenableto reachthe English
@ 1997McDONALDPUBLISHINGCO.
20
WORLDWAR II