World War II History: The Preparation for Operation Overlord

In regards to strategic and symbolic importance, the invasion of Normandy by the Allied forces also known as Operation Overlord was one of the most decisive battles of World War II. With Europe under Axis control, the Allies had been confined to Britain waiting for their chance to strike back at Hitler's Fortress Europe. By June of 1944, Germany had fortified the shores of Europe and had planned to fend off any Allied attack that was bound to ensue. On June 6, 1944, Allied forces crossed the channel and stormed the beaches of Normandy in the largest amphibious assault in all of history to liberate France out of Axis hands.

For the American, British, and Canadian troops involved, the objective of the operation was clear. They were to free occupied France. There were a clear path to victory for every soldier on the battlefield. They needed to occupy the beach and eliminate any German threat that would impede the reinforcement of that beach. The objective was to secure the beachhead so that the Allied forces would be able to secure a landing zone for men and equipment to infiltrate into the mainland. This feat would require a landing force that could clear the fortifications that the Germans had set up that ranged from pillboxes, mindfields, anti-tank obstacles, etc.

The Allied forces were quick to seize the offensive. They had spent years training in England for this assault, as it was the spearhead of the larger operation to invade and liberate France. The Allied forces had already committed to the assault and were unable to retreat. The night prior they had launched paratroopers to cut off reinforcements to the four beachheads. The invading infantrymen also retained the offensive as they had nowhere to retreat to with the sea to their backs. For this reason the Allies necessarily had to maintain the initiative. Fully outnumbering the Germans with men & equipment, the Allies assaulted heavily defended positions and pressed on the attack in light of staggering losses on some of the beachheads.