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Operation Cobra was the codename for the World War II operation planned by United States Army General Omar Bradley to break out from the Normandy area after the previous month's D-Day landings. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Omar Nelson Bradley KCB ( February 12, 1893 &ndash April 8, 1981) was one of the main U Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. D-Day may also refer to Decimal Day in the United Kingdom. D-Day is a term often used in Military parlance to denote Cobra was a great success that transformed the high-intensity infantry combat of Normandy into the highly mechanized race across France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. It led directly to the creation of the Falaise pocket and the loss of the German position in northwestern France. During August 1944 the Falaise pocket was the area between the four towns of Trun, Argentan, Vimoutiers and Chambois near Falaise
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Background
The original planning for the Normandy campaign, once the initial D-Day invasion was successful, envisioned a rapid Allied build-up of forces in a steadily-expanding beachhead. The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. Beachhead is a Military term used to describe the line created when a unit (by sea reaches a beach and begins to defend that area of beach while other reinforcements (it Specific objectives such as towns, ports and airfields served as guidelines to operations. Eventually the Allies sought a mobile battle in which their advantages in numbers, tactical air power, armor, mechanized infantry and logistics would be brought to bear. Tactical bombing uses Aircraft to attack troops and military equipment in the battle zone Armour (or armor) is protective covering most commonly manufactured from metals to prevent damage from being inflicted to an individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact Mechanized infantry (or "mech infantry" are Infantry equipped with Armored personnel carriers (APCs or Infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs They wished to avoid a slow, World War I-style stalemate or near-stalemate, though it was recognized that the battle would be at least partly attritional, and the original planned length of the battle was ninety days. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All
A critical success factor for the Allies, once a beachhead had been established, was building up their highly mechanized forces in the battle area faster than the Germans. The Allies had to build up forces quickly, at the same time that they prevented the Germans from doing the same.
To prevent additional German forces from entering the battle area, Allied tactical air forces attempted to isolate the rail and road network of northern France. This effort was highly successful; German units in Normandy suffered from severe personnel and supply shortages, and new units could be fed into the battle only very slowly. Road usage during the day became suicidal for the Germans.
Building up Allied forces on the continent was also succeeding. Allied forces were growing faster than their opponents, but by July this growth was constrained by the Allied failure to "peg out claims well inland" in General Montgomery's words. Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC, (məntˈgʌmərɪ əv ˈæləmeɪn The beachhead was crowded; the number of airfields in Allied hands was far fewer than planned; Caen (a D-Day objective) had not been taken; no major operating port was yet in Allied hands. Caen (kɑ̃ is a commune in northwestern France. It is the Prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the In general, progress was being measured in yards rather than miles. The battle for Normandy had devolved into a series of small-unit actions in which Allied infantry units, supported with barrages of artillery fire, slowly ground into the German defenses. For example, between July 2 and July 14, the U.S. VIII Corps took over 10,000 casualties while advancing only 12,000 yards. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. US VIII Corps was an Army corps of the United States Army that saw service during various times over a fifty-year period during the twentieth century By July 25 (D+49, the start date of Cobra) the Allies had only reached the D+5 phase line; that is, they held positions they expected to have had by June 11, 5 days after D-Day. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes.
This led to frustration at the top Allied command levels. Allied infantry losses were high, major mechanized units were not in the battle, and close air support was difficult because the fighting was at such close range. The Allied commanders could not bring their advantages to bear on the battle, and the fear of another stalemate seemed to be close to reality.
This highlighted a failure of Allied pre-invasion planning. The Allies were so focused on the immense problems of the invasion that they failed to adequately plan for the campaign in the beachhead. Particularly on the U. S. First Army front in the west, the tactical problems of the bocage country had not been anticipated. Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages
On the German side, the buildup rate was the critical factor that could not be mastered. Time was not on their side.
On the tactical level, German defensive efforts were generally successful; they gave ground slowly and inflicted heavy casualties doing so. The bocage terrain in the west aided them. In the more open terrain in the east, the line had to be held by high quality mechanized units such as the 9th, 10th and 12th Waffen-SS Divisions, all their heavy tank battalions and other Panzer and Panzergrenadier units. The Waffen-SS ( German for "Armed SS" literally "Weapons SS" was the Combat arm of the Schutzstaffel ("Protective Squadron" A panzer, pronunced, is a German Tank, especially in the context of World War II. (abbreviated PzGren or Pzg) (Literally armored grenadeer is a German term for motorised or Mechanized infantry, as introduced during
In the west, facing the U.S. First Army, the Germans had only a few mechanized units; the elite Panzer Lehr, 2nd SS Panzer and 17th SS Panzergrenadier divisions, with elements of the 2nd Panzer Division. The First United States Army was a field army of the United States Army. The Panzerlehrdivision (also called Panzer-Lehr-Division commonly known as Panzer Lehr, was a German armored division during World The SS Division Das Reich (germ 2SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich) was one of the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS during The 17 SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen was a German Waffen-SS Mechanised infantry The 2nd Panzer Division ( 2 Panzer-Division) was created in 1935 and stationed in Austria after the Anschluss. Most of the line was held by virtually immobile infantry. Only two complete infantry divisions (one of them a parachute division) were in the line facing the Americans. Most of the German infantry were in battlegroups formed from the remnants of divisions almost destroyed by the previous seven weeks' fighting, or detached regiments pushed into the line to plug gaps.
On the strategic level, the Germans were playing a game they knew they would lose. By 1944 the doctrine of virtually all combatants dictated that defensive lines be held by infantry divisions. The few mechanized units should have been held in reserve behind the front as a counterattack force. A counterattack The failure of German logistics to provide infantry Divisions to the front forced this strategy of using up their mechanized units in a defensive attrition battle. The complete failure of the German air force to contest Allied air supremacy meant that German units could not conduct the sort of highly mobile, fluid battle at which they excelled. Also, the Allied deception plan kept substantial German units in the Fifteenth Army sector far from the battle area. Operation Fortitude was the codename for the Deception operations used by the Allied forces during World War II in connection with the Normandy landings
Planning
The Allied ground forces commander was British General Bernard Montgomery, commanding Twenty-first Army Group. Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC, (məntˈgʌmərɪ əv ˈæləmeɪn The 21st Army Group was a formation comprising British and Canadian forces stationed in the United Kingdom Under him he had American armies in the western part of the theater and British and Canadian in the east. Montgomery's original plan for the Normandy campaign envisioned strong offensive efforts both in the eastern and western sectors, ultimately resulting in United States forces on the west of the theater 'wheeling round' to the Loire. Over a period of several weeks, the U. S. 1st Army commander, General Omar Bradley, worked on a breakthrough plan, possibly being advised by his colleague tank warfare expert George S. Patton. For the 19th century Scottish jurist/politician see George Patton Lord Glenalmond. On July 10, 1944, Bradley revealed these plans to Montgomery and to British 2nd Army commander General Miles Dempsey (his counterpart). Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The British Second Army existed in both the First and Second World Wars World War I During World War I, the army was formed on Montgomery instructed Dempsey to supply the supporting attacks for the American advance in this operation up to Caen by attracting as much of the German forces as possible "to ease the way for Brad". This led, in part, to Operation Goodwood which was also approved by Montgomery that day. Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on July 18 1944 during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen. The Supreme Commander, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, ensured that the Allied air forces would support the attack with tactical forces as well as medium and heavy bomber units. Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them The air commanders were reluctant to use their bombers in the tactical battle, believing both that they were unsuited to the role and that they would be better employed in their intended strategic role. Nevertheless, they participated in several 'carpet bombing' operations in Normandy on July 7 (Operation Charnwood), July 18 (Operation Goodwood) and July 24-July 25 (Cobra). Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Background As part of General Montgomery's plan for the Normandy Campaign, Caen had been a D-Day objective for the British 2nd Army. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on July 18 1944 during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler
On July 12, Bradley briefed his subordinate commanders. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. The Cobra plan had three phases. The first was for VII Corps to punch a narrow hole in the German front; second, the breakthrough Divisions would form strong 'shoulders' on either side of the breakthrough, and a three-division exploitation force would push through the gap. For the VII Corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War see VII Corps (ACW. Meanwhile, the VIII Corps and XIX Corps would conduct local attacks to prevent German formations in their sectors from reinforcing the breakthrough area. If the first two phases were successful, German resistance on the VIII Corps front would be untenable and the entire Cotentin peninsula would be taken. General J. Lawton Collins, the VII Corps commander, suggested slight modifications to the plan, aiming the breakthrough units slightly more south. Joseph "Lightning Joe" Lawton Collins ( 1 May 1896 &ndash 12 September 1987) was a General in the United If the breakthrough were successful, Collins' modification enabled the possibility of a faster exploitation into Brittany, seizing the Atlantic ports there. The original plan did not envision the wholesale collapse of the German front in Normandy, merely a major expansion of the bridgehead, transition to more mobile warfare beyond the bocage country, and possible seizure of major ports.
The attack would be preceded by a massive bombing of the attack sector by medium and heavy bombers. It was expected that the combination of physical destruction and shock value in this short, intense bombardment would greatly weaken the German defense. Infantry units would then attack and penetrate into the German position until resistance weakened; at the critical point when resistance was collapsing in the immediate area, the exploitation force would be unleashed. Because the air strike was such a critical component of the plan, and the aircrew depended on good weather to hit the target, Air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory had responsibility to set the time of the attack. Air Chief Marshal ( Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a senior Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force (RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh Leigh-Mallory KCB, DSO & Bar ( 11 July 1892 – 14 November 1944) was
Key units conducting the breakthrough were the US VII Corps with the 4th, 9th, and 30th infantry divisions. The 4th Infantry Division is a modular division of the United States Army based at Fort Carson, Colorado, with four Brigade combat The 9th Infantry Division was an important unit of the United States Army in World War II and the Vietnam War. The 30th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. The exploitation force consisted of the 1st Infantry Division, the 2nd, and 3rd Armored Divisions. The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army &mdashnicknamed “ The Big Red One ” after its Shoulder patch; and also nicknamed " The Fighting The 2nd Armored Division of the United States Army &mdashnicknamed Hell On Wheels &mdash played an important role during World War II in the invasions The 3rd Armored Division &mdashnicknamed the Spearhead Division &mdash and sometimes colloquially referred to within the U The 1st Infantry Division was temporarily motorized for the operation with trucks supplied by First Army quartermaster truck companies.
The U. S. VIII Corps, under General Troy Middleton, had the 8th, 79th, 83rd and 90th Infantry Divisions in the assault and the 4th Armored Division in reserve. Lieutenant General Troy Houston Middleton ( October 12, 1889 &ndash October 9, 1976) was a distinguished soldier-educator who served as a The 8th Infantry Division was a military formation of the United States Army during the 20th Century The 79th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II The 83rd Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. The 90th Sustainment Brigade, formerly the 90th Infantry Division is a unit of the United States Army that served in World War I and World War II The 4th Armored Division of the United States Army was an armored division that compiled a distinguished career in the European theater of World War II
Over 1,300 M4 medium tanks, 690 M5A1 light tanks, and 280 M10 tank destroyers were available in these units, along with hundreds of tubes of divisional and corps artillery. World War II foreign variants and use Lend-Lease Sherman tanks. The Light Tank M3 was an American light Tank of World War II in use with British and Commonwealth forces prior to the entry of A self-propelled anti-tank gun or tank destroyer, is a type of Armoured fighting vehicle designed specifically to engage enemy armor forces and not produced for an infantry Approximately 140,000 rounds of artillery ammunition of all calibers was allocated to the operation. The VII Corps attack front was only 7,000 yards wide.
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was launched on July 18. Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on July 18 1944 during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, The tactic of using heavy bombers as a form of artillery preparation was used, as at Cassino several months before. For information about the World War II battle see the Battle of Monte Cassino. Unlike Cobra, however, Goodwood relied on a massed tank attack in the offensive rather than breaching the enemy front with infantry. Goodwood was costly - over 400 Shermans were destroyed in the operation. But the operation secured Caen and caused the Germans to commit most of their armor to the eastern part of the theater, so that one and a half Panzer divisions faced the American armies against six and a half further east, far away from the intended attack frontage for Cobra. The Americans correctly estimated that no German counterattack would occur in the first few days after the Cobra attack, and that if attacks occurred after that date they would consist of no more than battalion-sized operations.
Pre-attack phase
In the days leading up to the attack, units of the US VII and VIII Corps secured jumping-off positions, at heavy cost in infantry casualties. The mission was to secure positions that were both good tactically as jumping-off points and that were easy to identify from the air. The line chosen was the Saint-Lô-Periers road. Saint-Lô is a town and commune of France, the Préfecture (capital of the Manche département, in
The air commanders recommended a 3,000 yard distance between the bombing target and any friendly forces. Because the cost of these limited pre-Cobra attacks was so high, Bradley was reluctant to give up too much of the hard-won ground and wanted to withdraw only 800 yards. In the end, the front-line Infantry positions were withdrawn 1,200 to 1,400 yards back from the bombing zone to provide some measure of safety. Major units moved back one hour prior to the air strike, leaving observation posts behind until 20 minutes before the strike.
Battle
Initial attack July 24-27
The date for the attack was originally set for July 18. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, However, poor weather delayed the attack several times, and Montgomery had told Bradley that he need not rush the operation. The date was eventually finalized for July 24. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. However, poor weather on that day forced Leigh-Mallory to postpone for 24 hours. Some heavy bombers from the Eighth Air Force did not get the recall order and proceeded with their mission. Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC About 335 B-17s, some hindered by poor visibility, dropped 685 tons of bombs. Some of the bombs fell on U. S. positions, despite the planning done to prevent just such an occurrence. Bradley had specifically requested that the aircraft approach the target area by flying parallel to the front in order to minimize the risk of friendly fire. Friendly fire or non-hostile fire, a term originally adopted by the United States military, refers to fire from one's own side or allied forces as Although he believed the air commanders had committed to the parallel route, in fact only the fighter-bombers of the Ninth Air Force approached the target parallel to the front. Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central is a Numbered Air Force in Air Combat Command (ACC The bomber units had made no such agreement and approached perpendicular to the front line. The 'short' bomb drops thus fell on the very units that were expected to lead the assault.
Over 100 U. S. soldiers were killed and approximately 500 were wounded. One unit, 1st Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment, from the 30th Infantry Division, suffered 25 soldiers killed (including General Lesley J. McNair) and 131 wounded. A battalion is a Military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel The 30th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. General Lesley James McNair ( May 25, 1883 &ndash July 25, 1944) was an American Army officer who served during
Some consideration was given to altering or canceling the attack, since it was presumed that the element of surprise had been lost. However, Bradley elected to go ahead. In hindsight his decision was correct; the Germans did nothing to reinforce their defenses in the 24 hours they had prior to the actual attack on July 25. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler They believed an actual attack attempt had been made but that it had been stopped by their artillery fire. Indeed, elements of the Panzer Lehr Division shifted slightly southward into the target area. The Panzerlehrdivision (also called Panzer-Lehr-Division commonly known as Panzer Lehr, was a German armored division during World Elements of the 2nd Panzer Division were pulled back towards the British sector in the east.
On the morning of July 25, visibility was good, and the attack went ahead at 09:40. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Medium and heavy bombers dropped over 3,300 tons of high explosive on the target area. Once again, bombs fell on U. S. as well as German positions. U. S. ground casualties on July 25 from the bombing were 111 killed and 490 wounded. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Several factors contributed to the bombing errors, including the small size of the target and the fact that wind blew smoke from the bombs towards the U. S. positions. Some bomber crews bombed into the smoke rather than clearly identifying their targets. Given the technology available it is difficult to see how these errors could have been avoided.
The assault units recovered rapidly from the bombing. Despite heavy casualties in some units, only one battalion needed to be replaced; every other unit attacked that morning. Some units were delayed but the attack commenced by 11:00.
German units were devastated by the storm of bombs. The elite Panzer Lehr Division was rendered completely ineffective by the bombing. Tanks were overturned, positions were destroyed and surviving personnel were often stunned into incoherence. Command and control largely broke down, and two-thirds of the division's personnel were casualties.
The initial infantry attack went slowly. To some extent this may have been because units had gotten used to very slow, cautious movement through heavily defended bocage fields. Initial German resistance was weak. However, the attack gained momentum as the thin crust of the German position gave way with nothing behind it. The first day's advance of 4,000 yards, at a cost of over 1,000 casualties, was followed on July 26 by an 8,000 yard advance. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus
Breakthrough and Breakout July 27-August 4
Collins gambled that a breakthrough was imminent and committed elements of all three exploitation Divisions on the morning of July 26. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus This was a critical decision. Committing the exploitation units too early, before the German front was broken, would result in crowded units jamming up the attack sectors and exhausting some of their strength. On the other hand, waiting too long might result in a slower-than-necessary advance, allowing the Germans more time to shore up defenses or mount a coordinated counterattack. Thus the decision on July 26 required a good 'feel' for the battle. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus
By July 27 the full weight of all three divisions was committed and the VII Corps front essentially broke open; U. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. S. mechanized units were advancing at will against scattered resistance. The VIII Corps front also began to collapse as German units fell back to avoid being cut off. By July 28 Collins's judgment was vindicated as the U. Events 1540 - Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of Treason. S. VIII Corps gained 12 miles (19 km) and the 4th Armored Division took Coutances, a major road junction well beyond the Germans' tactical zone. At this point the VIII Corps joined the exploitation under Patton's "guidance" (the Third Army was not yet operational). For the 19th century Scottish jurist/politician see George Patton Lord Glenalmond. By July 30 the 4th Armored Division captured Avranches, cutting off the base of the Cotentin peninsula. Events 1419 - First Defenestration of Prague. 1502 - Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off The Cotentin Peninsula, also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a Peninsula in Normandy, forming part of the north-western coast of France Meanwhile, Canadian II Corps was attacking in the east to pin German units in place. By this time there was no coherent German front facing the 1st Army. Advance units were essentially penetrating into undefended territory. By August 4, four divisions of the 3rd Army had advanced beyond Avranches. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. The bocage was left behind as the mobility of the U. S. forces dictated the pace and direction of the battle. The German Oberbefehlshaber (Commander-in-Chief) in the west, Gerd von Rundstedt, had suggested to his superiors that the best course of action was to "make peace, you fools", and had been replaced by Hans von Kluge. Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt ( December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Günther “Hans” von Kluge ( October 30, 1882 – August 19, 1944) was a German military leader
On August 4th Montgomery ordered a major change in the pre-invasion plan. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Instead of concentrating the U. S. 3rd Army on Brittany in an effort to open up the ports there, in view of the German collapse, most of the 3rd Army was sent east. Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into Meanwhile 1st Army also drove east, and the British 2nd Army and Canadian 1st Army continued attacking east and south in an effort to encircle the remnants of the German Army. The race for the Falaise Gap and the dash across France had begun. During August 1944 the Falaise pocket was the area between the four towns of Trun, Argentan, Vimoutiers and Chambois near Falaise
Aftermath
Cobra was a transforming operation, effectively ending the Normandy campaign and opening up the dash across France which continued until mid-September 1944. The Allied advance was finally ended not by German resistance, but by lack of supply. Allied units, victims of their own success, outran their logistics.
The VIII Corps failed in its task of capturing the major Breton ports. Brest held out until September 1944, and Lorient remained in German hands until May 1945. Brest (bʁɛst in French, in Breton) is a city in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France. Lorient, or L'Orient, (An Oriant is a commune and a Seaport in the Morbihan département, of Brittany. But by August, with Marseille captured intact, this did not matter very much, as recognized in Montgomery's August 4 decision to turn to the east without first securing Brittany. Marseille, ( English alt Marseilles mɑrˈseɪ — French: maʁsɛj locally — Provençal Occitan: Marselha maʀˈsijɔ Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans.
The effects of the operation were much greater than anticipated; in Bradley's words, Cobra "had struck a more deadly blow than any of us dared imagine". It is a tribute to the flexibility and extreme mobility of the Allied armies that they were able to sustain the advance for as long and as far as they did.
At noon on August 1, the U. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman S. 3rd Army was activated, taking control of the VIII Corps as planned prior to the invasion. Also at noon, the U. S. 12th Army Group was activated, with General Bradley commanding. Command of the U. S. 1st Army passed to General Courtney Hodges. General Courtney Hicks Hodges ( January 5, 1887 &ndash January 16, 1966) was an American military officer, most
As the German front in Normandy collapsed, German units fled towards the east by any means they could find. Allied air power was again decisive; by interdicting roads, bridges and railways they severely reduced the rate at which the Germans could move. Major units were trapped in the Falaise pocket. During August 1944 the Falaise pocket was the area between the four towns of Trun, Argentan, Vimoutiers and Chambois near Falaise
The defeat inflicted on the Germans was one of the greatest of WW2. Losses amounted to over 400,000 men, 1,500 tanks and Self-propelled guns, with 25 divisions essentially destroyed. A self-propelled gun (SPG is a gun whether it be an Artillery piece anti-tank gun or anti-aircraft gun mounted on a motorized wheeled or Losses during the breakout stage were actually much higher than in the more static battles that preceded it with the loss rate of German tanks skyrocketing in August compared to June or July. German Panzer Divisions arrived on the German frontier exhausted and with no tanks. A panzer division is an Armored division in the German Army (Panzerdivision
By August 25 all four Allied Armies (1st Canadian, 2nd British, 1st U. Events 1248 - The Dutch city of Ommen receives city rights and fortification rights from Otto III the S. , and 3rd U. S. ) involved in the Normandy campaign were on the river Seine. The Seine (sɛn in French) is a slow flowing major River and commercial waterway within the regions of Île-de-France and Haute-Normandie
The sense of impending stalemate in the Allied high command was replaced by the euphoria of victory. To some extent both sides believed the war was as good as over. The Allies followed up the dash across France with the decision (wrong with hindsight) to forgo clearing Antwerp's approaches, attempting to cross the Rhine with Operation Market-Garden instead. Operation Market Garden ( September 17, 1944 – September 25, 1944) was an Allied military operation fought in the Netherlands
External links
- Normandiememoire.com
- Operation Cobra and final stages of the battle in normandy at memorial-montormel.org
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