Osprey Campaign 1 : Normandy 1944 : Allied Landings and Breakout

D-Day, 6 June 1944, saw the largest amphibious landing operation in history. From ports and harbours on the southern coast of England, an armada of troopships and landing craft launched the Allied return to mainland Europe. Stephen Badsey provides a concise account of the Normandy campaign, from the fiercely contested landings, to the struggle to capture Caen, the 'Cobra' offensive and the dramatic pursuit of the Germans to the River Seine. This was the crucial campaign of the Western theatre: after the Battle of Normandy the only question was how soon the war would end, not who would win it. This book investigates the circumstances that led to this great Allied victory. Air superiority, numbers and the initiative all greatly aided the British and Americans in their struggle against the Germans, as did the latter's disorganisation at their highest level of command. Troops and equipment are discussed, as is the terrain that they had to operate in. Stephen Badsey shows clearly the problems that the bocage caused for offensive armoured operations and shows how the Allies overcame these to eventually surround the Germans in the Falaise pocket. The book includes a large number of black and white photos and several colour maps both of which illustrate Allied progress clearly and give the reader a sense of the soldier's experience in Normandy.

Contents

• The Origins of the Battle
• The Opposing Commanders
• The Opposing Armies
• The Opposing Plans
• The Battle of Normandy
• The Aftermath of the Battle
• Chronology
• A Guide to Further Reading
• The Battlefield Today
• Wargaming Normandy