United States Army in World War II
European Theater of Operations

Cross-Channel Attack

Gordon A. Harrison

. . . to Those Who Served

CONTENTS

Forward vii

Introductory Note viii

Preface ix

Chapter Page

I. THE ROOTS OF STRATEGY 1-45

The Common Ground 1

General Marshall's Project 13

"Action in 1942--Not 1943" 21

The Period of Indecision (July-December 1942) 32

The Casablanca Conference 38

II. OUTLINE OVERLORD (JANUARY-JULY 1943) 46-82

Organization for Planning 46

Size and Shape of the Attack 54

Landing Craft Requirements 59

Allotment of Resources, May 1943 63

The COSSAC Plans 70

III. OVERLORD IN BALANCE (AUGUST-DECEMBER 1943) 83-127

Strategy Reviewed: The Quebec Conference 83

Landing Craft Again 100

Questions of Command 105

The Cairo-Tehran Conferences 117

IV. THE GERMAN ARMY IN FRANCE, 1940-1943 127-157

Organization of the West 128

Impact of the Russian and Mediterranean Fronts 140

Rebuilding the Western Defenses 148

V. OVERLORD REVISED 158-197

U.S. Organization and Training for the Assault, January 1944 158

The ANVIL-OVERLORD Debate 164

The NEPTUNE Plans 173

VI. PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS 198-230

The French Resistance 198

The Combined Bomber Offensive 207

The Bombing of French Railroads 217

VII. GERMAN DEFENSE MEASURES, 1944 231-268

OKW Policy in 1944 231

Organization for Combat 236

Command and Tactics 242

The Defense on the Eve of Invasion 258

VIII. THE SIXTH OF JUNE 269-335

The Invasion is Launched 269

The Airborne Assault 278

Hitting the Beaches 300

The D-Day Beachhead 321

IX. THE V CORPS LODGMENT (7-18 JUNE) 336-385

Securing the Beachheads 336

Junction Between V and VII Corps 351

The Caumont Gap 366

Towards St. Lô 376

X. THE CAPTURE OF CHERBOURG (8 JUNE-1 JULY) 386-449

Securing the North Flank 386

Attack to Cut the Peninsula 396

Hitler Intervenes 408

Advance to the Cherbourg Landfront 416

The Fall of Cherbourg 422

End of a Phase 438

Appendix

A. DIGEST OF OPERATION OVERLORD 450

B. DIRECTIVE TO SUPREME COMMANDER, ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 457

C. HITLER DIRECTIVE NO. 40 459

D. HITLER DIRECTIVE NO. 51 464

E. CHRONOLOGY OF MAIN PLANNING PAPERS FROM 1 JANUARY 1944 468

F. COMPARATIVE FIRE POWER OF THE U.S. AND GERMAN 1944-TYPE INFANTRY DIVISIONS 470

G. DIVISIONS AVAILABLE TO GERMANY ON 6 JUNE 1944 471

H. TABLE OF EQUIVALENT RANKS 472

I. RECIPIENTS OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS 473

J. BASIC MILITARY MAP SYMBOLS 477

GLOSSARY 479

CODE NAMES 485

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 487

INDEX 495

CHARTS

1. Simplified Command and Planning Organization for European Operations as of May 1942 3

2. German Chain of Command in the West, May 1944 244

3. Luftwaffe Command in the West 245

4. German Naval Command in the West 245

MAPS

1. Situation in Europe, 6 June 1944 268

2. German Counterattack in the Cotentin 296

3. 4th Infantry Division, 6 June 1944 305

4. German Counterattack on Carentan, 13 June 1944 366

5. Coumont Gap, Morning 10 June 1944 370

6. The la Fière Bridgehead, 9 June 1944 397

Maps I-XXV are in inverse order inside back cover

I. Cosmopolitan World Map (Rand McNally and Company).

II. OVERLORD Area.

III. The Final OVERLORD Plan.

IV. Development and Lodgment.

V. Sealing Off the Battlefield

VI. Order of Battle OB WEST, 6 June 1944.

VII. Allied Assault Routes, 6 June 1944.

VIII. The Airborne Assault, 6 June 1944.

IX. 101st Airborne Division Drop Pattern, 6 June 1944.

X. 82d Airborne Division Drop Pattern, 6 June 1944.

XI. V Corps D-Day Objectives.

XII. OMAHA Beach Assault.

XIII. The Second British Army on D-Day.

XIV. German Countermeasures, 6 June 1944.

XV. V Corps, 7-8 June 1944.

XVI. VII Corps on D+1.

XVII. Battle for Carentan and Junction of the Beachheads, 8-12 June 1944.

XVIII. V Corps Advance, 9-13 June 1944.

XIX. Kampfgruppe Heintz, 6-11 June 1944.

XX. Toward St. Lô, 14-18 June 1944.

XXI. Securing the North Flank, 8-14 June 1944.

XXII. Attack to Cut the Peninsula, 10-18 June 1944.

XXIII. The Advance North, 19-21 June 1944.

XXIV. The Attack on Cherbourg, 22-26 June 1944.

XXV. The Advance Inland, 6 June-1 July 1944.

ILLUSTRATIONS

1. President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill 7

2. General Marshall 14

3. U.S. Soldiers in Ireland 20

4. Casablanca Conference 39

5. General Morgan 50

6. British Landing Craft on Beach at Dieppe 55

7. German Submarine Under Aerial Attack 85

8. Quebec Conference 89

9. General Montgomery 118

10. Tehran Conference 124

11. Field Marshal von Rundstedt and General Jodl 132

12. German High Command 134

13. Enemy Coast Artillery 139

14. Field Marshal Rommel 150

15. General Eisenhower 159

16. Invasion Training in England 161

17. Assault Training 163

18. Vauville Beach, Spring 1944 178

19. Preinvasion Bombing 195

20. Hitler Leaving Railway Carriage at Compiégne 199

21. V-Bomb Over London, June 1944 216

22. Bombardment of Marshaling Yards 226

23. Results of Air Attacks 229

24. Antilanding Obstacles 251

25. German Mobile Infantry 255

26. Captured German Armor 256

27. Preinvasion Scenes 271

28. Allied Invasion Chiefs 273

29. German Field Commanders 277

30. Parachute Troops 279

31. Hedgerow Country 285

32. Merderet River Crossing 294

33. Crossing the Channel 299

34. Troops on Utah Beach 303

35. Aerial View of Utah Beach on D-Day Morning 306

3. Aerial View of Omaha Beach on D Plus 1 310

37. Terrain on Omaha Beach 312

38. Assault Landings, Omaha Beach 314

39. First Aid on the Beach 316

40. Rangers Scaling the Cliffs at Pointe du Hoe 323

41. Ninth Air Force B-26 Over British Beachhead 331

42. Troops on Utah Beach Under Artillery Fire 343

43. Planes and Gliders Circling Les Forges 346

44. U.S. Commanders 352

45. St. Côme-du-Mont Area 354

46. Carentan Causeway 358

47. Carentan and Hill 30 Area 362

48. Tank Equipped with Hedgerow Cutter 385

49. Crisbecq Fortification 389

50. Azeville Forts 391

51. Quinèville 394

52. La Fiére Causeway 399

53. Tank Entering St. Sauveur-le Vicomte 405

54. Ste. Colombe-Néhou Area 407

55. Seine River Bridge at Mantes-Cassicourt Under Bombardment 409

56. Utah Beach During the Build-up 424

57. Omaha Beach During the Build-up 425

58. Artifical Port at Omaha Beach 427

59. American Artillery in Action Against Cherbourg 433

60. Fort du Roule 435

61. House-to-House Search in Cherbourg 437

62. American Infantry Captain with Cherbourg Prisoners 439

Glossary * Military Map Symbols

	CHARTS
1.	Simplified Command and Planning Organization for European Operations as of May 1942	3
2.	German Chain of Command in the West, May 1944	244
3.	Luftwaffe Command in the West	245
4.	German Naval Command in the West	245
	MAPS
1.	Situation in Europe, 6 June 1944	268
2.	German Counterattack in the Cotentin	296
3.	4th Infantry Division, 6 June 1944	305
4.	German Counterattack on Carentan, 13 June 1944	366
5.	Coumont Gap, Morning 10 June 1944	370
6.	The la Fière Bridgehead, 9 June 1944	397
Maps I-XXV are in inverse order inside back cover
I.	Cosmopolitan World Map (Rand McNally and Company).
II.	OVERLORD Area.
III.	The Final OVERLORD Plan.
IV.	Development and Lodgment.
V.	Sealing Off the Battlefield
VI.	Order of Battle OB WEST, 6 June 1944.
VII.	Allied Assault Routes, 6 June 1944.
VIII.	The Airborne Assault, 6 June 1944.
IX.	101st Airborne Division Drop Pattern, 6 June 1944.
X.	82d Airborne Division Drop Pattern, 6 June 1944.
XI.	V Corps D-Day Objectives.
XII.	OMAHA Beach Assault.
XIII.	The Second British Army on D-Day.
XIV.	German Countermeasures, 6 June 1944.
XV.	V Corps, 7-8 June 1944.
XVI.	VII Corps on D+1.
XVII.	Battle for Carentan and Junction of the Beachheads, 8-12 June 1944.
XVIII.	V Corps Advance, 9-13 June 1944.
XIX.	Kampfgruppe Heintz, 6-11 June 1944.
XX.	Toward St. Lô, 14-18 June 1944.
XXI.	Securing the North Flank, 8-14 June 1944.
XXII.	Attack to Cut the Peninsula, 10-18 June 1944.
XXIII.	The Advance North, 19-21 June 1944.
XXIV.	The Attack on Cherbourg, 22-26 June 1944.
XXV.	The Advance Inland, 6 June-1 July 1944.
	ILLUSTRATIONS
1.	President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill	7
2.	General Marshall	14
3.	U.S. Soldiers in Ireland	20
4.	Casablanca Conference	39
5.	General Morgan	50
6.	British Landing Craft on Beach at Dieppe	55
7.	German Submarine Under Aerial Attack	85
8.	Quebec Conference	89
9.	General Montgomery	118
10.	Tehran Conference	124
11.	Field Marshal von Rundstedt and General Jodl	132
12.	German High Command	134
13.	Enemy Coast Artillery	139
14.	Field Marshal Rommel	150
15.	General Eisenhower	159
16.	Invasion Training in England	161
17.	Assault Training	163
18.	Vauville Beach, Spring 1944	178
19.	Preinvasion Bombing	195
20.	Hitler Leaving Railway Carriage at Compiégne	199
21.	V-Bomb Over London, June 1944	216
22.	Bombardment of Marshaling Yards	226
23.	Results of Air Attacks	229
24.	Antilanding Obstacles	251
25.	German Mobile Infantry	255
26.	Captured German Armor	256
27.	Preinvasion Scenes	271
28.	Allied Invasion Chiefs	273
29.	German Field Commanders	277
30.	Parachute Troops	279
31.	Hedgerow Country	285
32.	Merderet River Crossing	294
33.	Crossing the Channel	299
34.	Troops on Utah Beach	303
35.	Aerial View of Utah Beach on D-Day Morning	306
3.	Aerial View of Omaha Beach on D Plus 1	310
37.	Terrain on Omaha Beach	312
38.	Assault Landings, Omaha Beach	314
39.	First Aid on the Beach	316
40.	Rangers Scaling the Cliffs at Pointe du Hoe	323
41.	Ninth Air Force B-26 Over British Beachhead	331
42.	Troops on Utah Beach Under Artillery Fire	343
43.	Planes and Gliders Circling Les Forges	346
44.	U.S. Commanders	352
45.	St. Côme-du-Mont Area	354
46.	Carentan Causeway	358
47.	Carentan and Hill 30 Area	362
48.	Tank Equipped with Hedgerow Cutter	385
49.	Crisbecq Fortification	389
50.	Azeville Forts	391
51.	Quinèville	394
52.	La Fiére Causeway	399
53.	Tank Entering St. Sauveur-le Vicomte	405
54.	Ste. Colombe-Néhou Area	407
55.	Seine River Bridge at Mantes-Cassicourt Under Bombardment	409
56.	Utah Beach During the Build-up	424
57.	Omaha Beach During the Build-up	425
58.	Artifical Port at Omaha Beach	427
59.	American Artillery in Action Against Cherbourg	433
60.	Fort du Roule	435
61.	House-to-House Search in Cherbourg	437
62.	American Infantry Captain with Cherbourg Prisoners	439

Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation

	Forward		vii
	Introductory Note		viii
	Preface		ix
Chapter			Page
I.	THE ROOTS OF STRATEGY		1-45
		The Common Ground	1
		General Marshall's Project	13
		"Action in 1942--Not 1943"	21
		The Period of Indecision (July-December 1942)	32
		The Casablanca Conference	38
II.	OUTLINE OVERLORD (JANUARY-JULY 1943)		46-82
		Organization for Planning	46
		Size and Shape of the Attack	54
		Landing Craft Requirements	59
		Allotment of Resources, May 1943	63
		The COSSAC Plans	70
III.	OVERLORD IN BALANCE (AUGUST-DECEMBER 1943)		83-127
		Strategy Reviewed: The Quebec Conference	83
		Landing Craft Again	100
		Questions of Command	105
		The Cairo-Tehran Conferences	117
IV.	THE GERMAN ARMY IN FRANCE, 1940-1943		127-157
		Organization of the West	128
		Impact of the Russian and Mediterranean Fronts	140
		Rebuilding the Western Defenses	148
V.	OVERLORD REVISED		158-197
		U.S. Organization and Training for the Assault, January 1944	158
		The ANVIL-OVERLORD Debate	164
		The NEPTUNE Plans	173
VI.	PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS		198-230
		The French Resistance	198
		The Combined Bomber Offensive	207
		The Bombing of French Railroads	217
VII.	GERMAN DEFENSE MEASURES, 1944		231-268
		OKW Policy in 1944	231
		Organization for Combat	236
		Command and Tactics	242
		The Defense on the Eve of Invasion	258
VIII.	THE SIXTH OF JUNE		269-335
		The Invasion is Launched	269
		The Airborne Assault	278
		Hitting the Beaches	300
		The D-Day Beachhead	321
IX.	THE V CORPS LODGMENT (7-18 JUNE)		336-385
		Securing the Beachheads	336
		Junction Between V and VII Corps	351
		The Caumont Gap	366
		Towards St. Lô	376
X.	THE CAPTURE OF CHERBOURG (8 JUNE-1 JULY)		386-449
		Securing the North Flank	386
		Attack to Cut the Peninsula	396
		Hitler Intervenes	408
		Advance to the Cherbourg Landfront	416
		The Fall of Cherbourg	422
		End of a Phase	438

Appendix
A.	DIGEST OF OPERATION OVERLORD	450
B.	DIRECTIVE TO SUPREME COMMANDER, ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE	457
C.	HITLER DIRECTIVE NO. 40	459
D.	HITLER DIRECTIVE NO. 51	464
E.	CHRONOLOGY OF MAIN PLANNING PAPERS FROM 1 JANUARY 1944	468
F.	COMPARATIVE FIRE POWER OF THE U.S. AND GERMAN 1944-TYPE INFANTRY DIVISIONS	470
G.	DIVISIONS AVAILABLE TO GERMANY ON 6 JUNE 1944	471
H.	TABLE OF EQUIVALENT RANKS	472
I.	RECIPIENTS OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS	473
J.	BASIC MILITARY MAP SYMBOLS	477
GLOSSARY		479
CODE NAMES		485
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE		487
INDEX		495

United States Army in World War II European Theater of Operations

Cross-Channel Attack

. . . to Those Who Served

CONTENTS

United States Army in World War II
European Theater of Operations