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D‐Day
D‐Day (1944). At 6:30 a.m. on 6 June 1944, after foul weather had postponed the operation for a day, forty‐seven Allied divisions invaded Normandy in the largest amphibious assault in history. Under Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the invasion armada constituted some 4,400 ships and landing craft, carrying 154,000 troops and 1,500 tanks, supported by some 11,000 aircraft. The invasion force included twenty‐one American divisions, plus British, Canadian, and Polish troops. Of sixty German divisions in France and the Low Countries, only six infantry divisions and one armored division defended Normandy, in part because Allied deception and disinformation pointed to Pas de Calais as the likely invasion site. Still, Germany's formidable coastal defenses included underwater obstacles and mines, concrete pillboxes, tank traps, artillery emplacements, and other hazards. To secure bridges and airfields, British and U.S. airborne divisions had dropped behind German lines in a predawn parachute‐glider assault.
The invasion targeted forty miles of coastline between the Orne River and the Cotentin peninsula, with British forces assigned the eastern sector and American troops the west. On Utah Beach, the American right, Major General J. Lawton Collins's VII Corps suffered only light casualties and quickly made contact with units of the Eighty‐second Airborne Division. At Omaha Beach, however, where the Germans had moved in a first‐rate division at the last minute, withering fire from machine gun emplacements on coastal cliffs cost more than two thousand casualties before General L.T. Gerow's troops dislodged the enemy. The British and Canadians suffered fewer casualties. The British Third Division repelled an armored counterattack northwest of Caen, throwing the Germans on the defensive. By the end of D‐Day, approximately 150,000 Allied troops and accompanying materiel had successfully landed. Within a week the build‐up had reached a half million men. The German failure to grasp that the invasion was really taking place proved decisive to the successful Allied invasion at a time of overwhelming German superiority in troops, guns, and tanks. The German High Command, viewing the Normandy attack as a feint, failed until too late to commit their armored reserves. The largest German army remained in the Pas de Calais area, poised to resist an invasion that never occurred. Allied air power and sabotage by the French resistance impeded German movements and enabled the Allies to outpace the Germans in replenishing their forces. The Allied capture of the port of Cherbourg at the end of June set the stage for the American break‐out at St. Lô on 25 July. Fierce fighting lay ahead, but victory in Normandy helped end World War II within a year. Bibliography Stephen E. Ambrose , D‐Day, June 6, 1944: The Climatic Battle of World War II, 1994. J. Garry Clifford |
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Paul S. Boyer. "D‐Day." The Oxford Companion to United States History. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. Paul S. Boyer. "D‐Day." The Oxford Companion to United States History. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O119-DDay.html Paul S. Boyer. "D‐Day." The Oxford Companion to United States History. 2001. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O119-DDay.html |
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D-Day
D-Day, 6 June 1944, and the following days, were decisive in the war on Germany. British and American troops, in roughly equal numbers, including Canadians in the British total, established themselves on the Normandy coast; Rommel, commanding the German side, could not concentrate sufficiently powerful forces to dislodge them. D-Day, though cloudy and windy, justified Eisenhower's decision, as supreme commander, to accept, at the last minute, a comparatively hopeful weather forecast. Montgomery, in command of ground forces, dispatched five infantry divisions, to five separate beaches, plus three airborne divisions, landing over 150,000 men on the first day. The landings were supported by more than 100 warships, with 4-inch or larger guns, bombarding coastal defences. On one American beach, Omaha, against a good-quality German division and well-prepared German defensive works, casualties were high. The British and American air forces virtually stopped German movement of troops or supplies by day and made impossible a co-ordinated German counter-attack. Allied air forces contributed decisively to the 1st US Army break-out which led to the liberation of France and Belgium in August and September 1944.
R. A. C. Parker |
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JOHN CANNON. "D-Day." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "D-Day." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-DDay.html JOHN CANNON. "D-Day." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-DDay.html |
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D-Day
D-Day (6 June 1944) A pivotal battle in World War II. Although German troops were already on the defensive against the Red Army in the East, Stalin had continually urged the Western Allies to open up a front in the West. D-Day breached the heavily fortified French coastline in Normandy. The Germans had expected such an invasion to take place further to the East. The date was also unexpected, since the German forecasts indicated bad weather for this day. An armada of over 2,500 ships crossed the Channel to transport 130,000 soldiers from the USA and the British Empire. The troops from the British Empire landed on the beaches to the West, and the US troops landed on three beaches to the East, encountering fierce resistance at Omaha Beach. Owing to overwhelming superiority in the air, the Allies managed to land an additional 20,000 troops behind enemy lines, which were crucial in blocking the German flow of reinforcements. Once the beachheads were established, supplies of soldiers and equipment could be sent from England. Although the initial advance towards Caen was slower than expected and took a month to complete, it was the beginning of the Normandy Campaign, the liberation of France, and the final phase of the War.
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JAN PALMOWSKI. "D-Day." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAN PALMOWSKI. "D-Day." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-DDay.html JAN PALMOWSKI. "D-Day." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-DDay.html |
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D‐Day
D‐Day, 6 June 1944, was decisive in the war on Germany. D‐Day, though cloudy and windy, justified Eisenhower's decision to accept a comparatively hopeful weather forecast. Montgomery, in command of ground forces, dispatched five infantry divisions, to five separate Normandy beaches, plus three airborne divisions, landing over 150,000 men on the first day. On one American beach, Omaha, against a good German division, casualties were high. The British and American air forces virtually stopped German movement of troops by day and made impossible a co‐ordinated German counter‐attack.
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "D‐Day." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "D‐Day." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-DDay.html JOHN CANNON. "D‐Day." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-DDay.html |
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D-Day
D-Day (June 6, 1944) Codename for the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. Commanded by General Eisenhower, Allied forces landed on the French coast between Cherbourg and Le Havre. It was the largest amphibious operation in history, involving c.5000 ships. Despite fierce resistance, bridgeheads were established by June 9. It was the first step in the liberation of Europe.
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"D-Day." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "D-Day." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-DDay.html "D-Day." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-DDay.html |
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D-Day
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "D-Day." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "D-Day." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-DDay.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "D-Day." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-DDay.html |
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D-Day
D-Day • n. the day (June 6, 1944) in World War II on which Allied forces invaded northern France by landing in Normandy. ∎ the day on which an important operation is to begin or a change to take effect. |
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"D-Day." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "D-Day." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-dday.html "D-Day." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-dday.html |
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D-Day
D-Day, Anglo-American staff term for day of any operation; particularly 6 June 1944, the date of the Allied landings in Normandy (see OVERLORD). D stands for day.
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I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. "D-Day." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. "D-Day." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O129-DDay.html I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. "D-Day." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O129-DDay.html |
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D-Day
D-Day
1. see D-Day Landing. 2. the day on which an important operation is to begin or a change to take effect. from D for 'day' + day. |
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"D-Day." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "D-Day." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-DDay.html "D-Day." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-DDay.html |
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D-day
D-day see Normandy campaign . |
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"D-day." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "D-day." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Dday.html "D-day." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Dday.html |
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D-Day
D-Day Day Day (the specified day, i.e. 6 June 1944, for the Allied invasion of Europe)
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FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "D-Day." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "D-Day." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O25-DDay.html FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "D-Day." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O25-DDay.html |
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