With the name "Battle of Normandy," it is intended the war campaign conducted
between D-Day, June 6, 1944 and the end of August in Normandy. Here is
described the evolution of the fighting parting from the first terrible and
confusing hours of the landing, when it was demonstrated that no good plan
holds up to the trial of events.
D-Day was programmed for June 4, but the adverse meteorological conditions
forced the High Allied Command to postpone the landing. The Allied units had
already boarded the multitude the ships and landing means of every type of
dimension, which constituted the largest invasion ever grouped together in
world history.
The landing could not be postponed for long. Soon the enemy would be able to
locate and perceive the destination of this enormous fleet, and the morale and
physical conditions of the Allied troops rapidly worsened.
The afternoon of June 5 the British meteorological service was able to single
out a window of good temporal conditions, which would allow the lead of an
attack on June 6. The German counterpart instead believed that the weather
could not improve, therefore, the German Command had faith in the improbability
of an attack.
The choice that Head Commander Eisenhower had to make was extremely difficult.
If he decided to launch the attack, beyond the risk that the good weather would
not last long enough there was the certainty that the conditions would not
allow Allied fighters to lead sorties of interdiction and to provide close air
support. If instead he decided not to risk and postpone the invasion,
acceptable meteorological and tidal conditions would present themselves only
after numerous weeks and the veil of secrecy over the plans would be lifted.
Eisenhower decided to launch the invasion to the relief of the commanders and
soldiers who with difficulty held back the tension after months of planning and
training. The army of invasion launched itself toward its objectives.
I have divided the story of the Battle of Normandy in several parts following
the chronological lines of the events:
The longest day, june 6th 1944
Cherbourg and Caen, june 7th - july
24th 1944
Operation "Cobra", july 24th - august 1944