61 Years ago today

[redguru]

You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely....The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory. Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

~General Dwight D. Eisenhower giving the D-Day order on June 6, 1944

 

[Scotsman]

What an amazing and dangerous undertaking that was. So much went wrong but they still managed to get the job done. They redefined the very scape of the world.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[HiDnGoD]

You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely....The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory. Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

~General Dwight D. Eisenhower giving the D-Day order on June 6, 1944

Thanks for reminding me. I usually remember, but this year I forgot. *Bows head in thankful rememberance*

 

[redguru]

What an amazing and dangerous undertaking that was. So much went wrong but they still managed to get the job done. They redefined the very scape of the world.

Cheers,
Scotsman

The sheer scale of it is mind-boggling, especially in what we would consider a low-tech battle today.

 

[Spartacus]

You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely....The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory. Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

~General Dwight D. Eisenhower giving the D-Day order on June 6, 1944

June 22,1944 the Soviets launched Operation bagration to coincide with the 3 year anniversary of Nazi germany's attack on the USSR
the German's would lose 40 divisions
granted Hitler had moved about a dozen of germany's elite and SS divisions to the west to meet/counter the expected amphibious assault from the western Allies,leaving them w/o a strong panzer reserve to counter the Soviet offensive
but the war was effectively already decided before D-day on the eastern front

 

[redguru]

June 22,1944 the Soviets launched Operation bagration to coincide with the 3 year anniversary of Nazi germany's attack on the USSR
the German's would lose 40 divisions
granted Hitler had moved about a dozen of germany's elite and SS divisions to the west to meet/counter the expected amphibious assault from the western Allies,leaving them w/o a strong panzer reserve to counter the Soviet offensive
but the war was effectively already decided before D-day on the eastern front

The soviet offensive occured two weeks after the D-Day invasion, the Germans removed those divisions to stop the invasion that had already occured. It was a huge military victory on the Eastern front, of that there is no doubt. Germny never recovered from the loss of manpower and material in that offensive.

 

[-SD-]

Thank you, Grandfather. RIP

 

[redguru]

Thank you, Grandfather. RIP

My grandfather on my father's side was there too, but in the Navy, and he survived the war. My condolences and respect to your family.

 

[Spartacus]

The soviet offensive occured two weeks after the D-Day invasion, the Germans removed those divisions to stop the invasion that had already occured. It was a huge military victory on the Eastern front, of that there is no doubt. Germny never recovered from the loss of manpower and material in that offensive.

I pretty much mentioned that
actually germany never recovered from losing the 6th army at stalingrad
when you're battling an opponent with near infinite manpower sources(the soviets suffered 12 million combat KIA to germany's 2 million)
you can't lose 250,000
even in the battle for stalingrad,the soviets lost better than 400,000

and no the german elite divisions were removed before D-Day
they were scattered around France as the germans weren't sure of the invasion site

on D-Day itself the allies faced one german infantry division with experience
the 352d which had been involved on the eastern front
it was this one division situated at omaha which gave the US hell
and this was just a typical depleted german infantry division

 

[dahamn]

Great thread......I can't imagine what things would be like today without the sacrifice of so many.......Thanks.


Dave

 

[Spartacus]

Great thread......I can't imagine what things would be like today without the sacrifice of so many.......Thanks.


Dave

what would have been dangerous and ambitious would have been to invade southern france in the summer of '43
instead of screwing around in italy(dumb)

then maybe the Allies would have captured Berlin and held a better bargaining position
as it turned out the Soviets won and all of eastern europe lost(including half of germany)
60 years later those people's and their economies are still suffering the effects on 50 years of soviet communism
Eisenhower gave stalin half of europe
clap,clap

and don't get me started on Eisenhower
self-absorbed eco-maniac

 

[Testosterone boy]

What an amazing and dangerous undertaking that was. So much went wrong but they still managed to get the job done. They redefined the very scape of the world.

Cheers,
Scotsman

The terrible weather was reportedly the reason that Rommel decided he could leave France and attend a family celebration in Germany.


Had the weather been nice, Rommel would have stayed in anticipation of the invasion. Some say that Rommel may have been able to organize pushing the Allies back.

At any rate, his presence in France would have had a negative impact on the effectiveness of the invasion.



Also.....they waited several hours to notify Hitler because he hated to be awakened very early.

So German troops in France had little direction until it was too late.




But if the weather was nice, our paratroopers would have been much more effective. Fewer casualities prior to the beach landings as well.


I think the poor weather proved to be a blessing for us. Simply because of the absence of Rommel.

 

[Testosterone boy]

what would have been dangerous and ambitious would have been to invade southern france in the summer of '43
instead of screwing around in italy(dumb)

then maybe the Allies would have captured Berlin and held a better bargaining position
as it turned out the Soviets won and all of eastern europe lost(including half of germany)
60 years later those people's and their economies are still suffering the effects on 50 years of soviet communism
Eisenhower gave stalin half of europe
clap,clap

and don't get me started on Eisenhower
self-absorbed eco-maniac

Whats wrong with screwing around in Italy?

 

[Testosterone boy]

Whats wrong with screwing around in Italy?

so?

 

[Spartacus]

Whats wrong with screwing around in Italy?

didn't accomplish much
attempting to advance up a penisular mountainous country cost many casualties
they called it "the soft underbelly of europe"
the soft underbelly was a southern france
we did eventually invade southern france
operation anvil/dragoon on august 15,1944
as a supporting action for the normandy invasion
imo this invasion should have occurred a year earlie and Italy by-passed
two amphib invasions against Italy
Anzio and at salerno almost met with disaterous results
both invasions were in jeopardy of being pushed back into the sea

 

[Testosterone boy]

didn't accomplish much
attempting to advance up a penisular mountainous country cost many casualties
they called it "the soft underbelly of europe"
the soft underbelly was a southern france
we did eventually invade southern france
operation anvil/dragoon on august 15,1944
as a supporting action for the normandy invasion
imo this invasion should have occurred a year earlie and Italy by-passed
two amphib invasions against Italy
Anzio and at salerno almost met with disaterous results
both invasions were in jeopardy of being pushed back into the sea

Prolly.


But I still say that screwing around in Italy sounds pretty good.

 

[Spartacus]

Prolly.


But I still say that screwing around in Italy sounds pretty good.

heh,liberating Rome must have been some great R&R