A Combat History of American Airborne Forces - Essay Example

On the night of June 5 and June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched the greatest armada ever formed to begin the liberation of Europe in World War II. The operation would eventually involve more than 4000 ships, 3000 warplanes, and over 4 million troops (Miller 726). Though D-Day is generally thought of as June 6, the events that it set in motion would take weeks to resolve. D-Day would spark the fierce fighting in the Battle of Normandy and would become one of the greatest battles in history. The invasion, dubbed operation Overlord, was led by General Dwight Eisenhower and would change the face of World War II, Europe, and the world.

The training and planning for D-Day had begun months earlier as the plan came more in focus. The Airbase at Alliance Nebraska had become the center of training and by January 1944, there were 14,000 paratroopers training for the eventual invasion of German-occupied France (Flanagan 24). By the evening of June 5, these paratroopers along with glider and C47 cargo aircraft had assembled in airfields in England. When General Eisenhower gave the signal, the aircraft and gliders made the initial advance on France. The 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions would be the first allied troops to land in France (Miller 733). The air operation also included one British division and this initial assault by the paratroopers has been credited with the success of the operation (O'Neill 16). From the moment they touched the ground, they would be confronted by German troops.

The Naval armada, one-third American, was moving toward the shore while being protected by an impenetrable air cover. The operation would deliver a naval assault on 5 beaches in Normandy France. The beaches were dubbed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword, the code names given for the purposes of the operation ("World War II" D-Day"). As they hit the shores, they moved massive amounts of men and armament ashore. The initial assault involved 133,000 men that would increase to 850,000 by the end of June ("World War II" D-Day"). The landing was aided by the recently produced temporary "seagoing harbors" that had been built in British shipyards in total secrecy (Miller 735). These structures allowed the Allies to transform the beaches into serviceable harbors that could resupply the operation pending the capture of a major port at Le Havre (Miller 735).

Fierce fighting would rage for days on the beaches of Normandy. Allied troops were faced with terrain that favored the defenders and was met with trained troops from the German Wehrmacht (Zapotoczny 1). Allied planes kept up a constant screen of curtain bombing as the German shore batteries offered fierce resistance. By the end of the fourth day, the German's were wearing down and the once-secret French Underground was emerging to join the fight. American Rangers and British Commandos were lunging deep into German-held territory at night and destroying the enemy's supply of weapons and communications systems (Miller 738).

As the battle continued during the coming days, the German resistance concentrated and became more fierce. Cherbourg was heavily defended by the Germans who had been given an order to fight until they die (Miller 743). On June 22, the allies waged an all-out assault on Cherbourg, which began by cutting the German lines of communications (Miller 743). Behind the lines, French Partisans fighting underground paralyzed the German supply lines and blocked the arrival of reinforcements. Fighting would continue in the coming weeks to secure France from the occupation of the German army. 

The effect of D-Day was to divert German attention and resources away from their battle with the Russians for control of Europe. The invasion of Normandy not only gave the Allied forces a strong foothold in France, but it also aided the Russian effort. Though the Germans has anticipated a major invasion for some time, the decoy efforts and the massive scope of the invasion were able to scatter and destroy the backbone of the German army in Europe. Normandy was the turning point in the path to Allied victory.