D-Day

[Manonthestreet]

Never Forget

 

[Polishprince]

I've always wondered if invading the Balkans instead of Normandy in 1944 would have brought the war to a conclusion quicker and with fewer American casualties?

 

[Manonthestreet]

 

[Manonthestreet]

 

[1srelluc]

 

[gipper]

I've always wondered if invading the Balkans instead of Normandy in 1944 would have brought the war to a conclusion quicker and with fewer American casualties?

Patton had a plan to breakout of Normandy very quickly and move the US army rapidly through Paris and onto Berlin. Thus ending the war sooner. Some think the plan was too good and they felt the advance might threaten the Red Army. US Senior command chose not to implement it.

 

[whitehall]

A direct assault on an impregnable fortress is a bad military move. The media created the legend of secrecy that allegedly fooled the Germans about the initial landing but it was only partially correct. It didn't take long for the Germans to respond. The "landing" might have been considered a success with only 2 or 3,000 casualties but the "breakout" would take several months at the cost of another 30,000 Americans. The strategy was to kill as many Germans as it took and Ike was prepared to feed as many draftees into the conflict even if it took a million.

 

[Manonthestreet]

Patton had a plan to breakout of Normandy very quickly and move the US army rapidly through Paris and onto Berlin. Thus ending the war sooner. Some think the plan was too good and they felt the advance might threaten the Red Army. US Senior command chose not to implement it.

Where did you read or hear that? Interesting if true

 

[gipper]

A direct assault on an impregnable fortress is a bad military move. The media created the legend of secrecy that allegedly fooled the Germans about the initial landing but it was only partially correct. It didn't take long for the Germans to respond. The "landing" might have been considered a success with only 2 or 3,000 casualties but the "breakout" would take several months at the cost of another 30,000 Americans. The strategy was to kill as many Germans as it took and Ike was prepared to feed as many draftees into the conflict even if it took a million.

My father was a draftee and stationed in southern England on D-Day. He landed in France much later at Le Havre, which is directly across the Channel. The allies bombed the shit out of Le Havre, to dupe the Germans. He said the French there were not happy with the allies, because of course they murdered many civilians.

 

[Dekster]

One of my ancient dead uncles by marriage was at D-Day. Never talked about it. In fact, I didn't even know he had been there until he died and it was in his obituary. He was very low-key about his service. I recall as a little one hearing him talk about some colorful guy from Kentucky he met in the army who taught him to play whatever song it was that he had just played on his guitar. Other than that I don't recall him even talking about being a veteran. I was told after he died that he was embarassed they gave him a medal for helping take out a pillbox that he is pretty sure had nothing to do with since he was pinned down at the time.

 

[Oddball]

Patton had a plan to breakout of Normandy very quickly and move the US army rapidly through Paris and onto Berlin. Thus ending the war sooner. Some think the plan was too good and they felt the advance might threaten the Red Army. US Senior command chose not to implement it.

The powers that be already knew that they wanted a permanent "enemy", to keep the warfare-welfare state churning along in perpetuity.

Patton was right and it cost him his life.

 

[Oddball]

A direct assault on an impregnable fortress is a bad military move. The media created the legend of secrecy that allegedly fooled the Germans about the initial landing but it was only partially correct. It didn't take long for the Germans to respond. The "landing" might have been considered a success with only 2 or 3,000 casualties but the "breakout" would take several months at the cost of another 30,000 Americans. The strategy was to kill as many Germans as it took and Ike was prepared to feed as many draftees into the conflict even if it took a million.

So "impregnable" that it's strongest point -Omaha- was breached and infiltrated by noon on the 6th.

The strategists had no clue about the nature of bocage country, and how the Wehrmacht had turned it into the death zone it was...Once Cobra started, there was nothing but logistics stopping the Allied onslaught.

 

[Manonthestreet]

 

[shockedcanadian]

I've always wondered if invading the Balkans instead of Normandy in 1944 would have brought the war to a conclusion quicker and with fewer American casualties?

There are so many variables in WWII, it is mind boggling.

The first for me, was France and the UK protecting Poland as they had agreed to. If they simply send their troops to Polands defense (as the had promised), Germany retreats and the element of surprise is gone, the world more aware.

How about the Neutrality Pact that Germany and Russia signed? Russia provided the fuel for Germanies economy and war machine while agreeing not to.get involved (Russia had their own ambitions which would have been realized in a couple of years if Germany hadn't attacked them). Without this pact Germany isn't even half as successful.

D Day was a horrible mission that could easily have been and really should have been a failure if not for SO much effort in deception. Unrivaled in history really.

 

[Markle]

My Ol' Man was a DI and taught motor pool at Camp Blanding (near Jacksonville, FL). He told people he had a double invasion that day, I was born. Further emphasizing the confusion on the day, someone in records at the hospital at Camp Blanding changed my name on the birth certificate.

A couple of weeks later he was transferred to somewhere in New England for advanced infantry training then a ship to France. There he was assigned to Patton's Army as they turned North to Bastogne.

Note the date
The watches and rings he refers to are the ones they took off dead bodies.

Two days later he was critically injured.

 

[shockedcanadian]

My Ol' Man was a DI and taught motor pool at Camp Blanding (near Jacksonville, FL). He told people he had a double invasion that day, I was born. Further emphasizing the confusion on the day, someone in records at the hospital at Camp Blanding changed my name on the birth certificate.

A couple of weeks later he was transferred to somewhere in New England for advanced infantry training then a ship to France. There he was assigned to Patton's Army as they turned North to Bastogne.

Note the date
The watches and rings he refers to are the ones they took off dead bodies.

Two days later he was critically injured.

This is gold, thank you for sharing.

 

[Votto]

Patton had a plan to breakout of Normandy very quickly and move the US army rapidly through Paris and onto Berlin. Thus ending the war sooner. Some think the plan was too good and they felt the advance might threaten the Red Army. US Senior command chose not to implement it.

Yes, they were more concerned about being PC than defeating Hitler

Funny that.

 

[Markle]

This is gold, thank you for sharing.

Thank you. My Mom had kept his letters. I found them after they both had passed.

 

[skye]

May GOD Bless them all and every single one of them!

 

[whitehall]

So "impregnable" that it's strongest point -Omaha- was breached and infiltrated by noon on the 6th.

The strategists had no clue about the nature of bocage country, and how the Wehrmacht had turned it into the death zone it was...Once Cobra started, there was nothing but logistics stopping the Allied onslaught.

I'm talking about the continent, not the beach.