World War II Daily: DDay to VEDay

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crimsonaudio

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944

I have read somewhere that the marching soldiers in the famous photo above are 28th Division, and many of those pictured were killed later that year in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest.
Yah, I read various posts about it and suspect it might be 28th ID, and likely a few days after 24th as Paris wasn't fully liberated at this point.
 

crimsonaudio

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August 25, 1944: The city of Paris is liberated and the German General von Scholtitz signs the surrender of his troops. North and south of Paris, the Germans continue their rapid retreat across the Seine river. Despite the U.S. armored attacks and incessant air raids, a majority of the Germans who were positioned in Normandy over the last few weeks manage to reach the relative safety of the east bank of the Seine.

The Americans and British troops cross the bridges over the Seine and progress towards the north and south of Paris in an attempt to cut off the retreating German forces.

Northeast of Caen the soldiers of the Belgian Brigade, accompanied by the 5th Parachute Brigade (commanded by Poett: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Poett), cleanse the area of the German defenders who have been ordered to slow the Allied advance in this sector. The town of Honfleur is fully liberated, and Belgian squadrons of armored vehicles reach the villages of Saint-Gatien, Beuzeville and Fiquefleur.

Pictured: Headline regarding the liberation of Paris from The Wisconsin State Journal; soldiers of the 4th U.S. Infantry Division look at the Eiffel Tower in Paris



 

crimsonaudio

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944

August 26, 1944: For the next three days the Germans continue crossing the Seine river on floating bridges to the north and south of Paris. They are closely pursued by American and British troops, giving them no time to regroup and to counter-attack. However, the German rear guards do enough to prevent the Allies to advance quickly and help the rapid retreat of the Wehrmacht and Panzer armies.

Northeast of Caen, the paratroopers of the 6th Airborne Division, backed by the soldiers of Colonel Piron’s Belgian Brigade, liberate the villages still in the hands of the German forces in Normandy: the village of Conteville is liberated, and Belgian armored units reach the villages of Saint-Maclou, Toutainville and Pont-Audemer, which are gradually evacuated by the German defenders, who destroy bridges during their retreat.

The Battle of Normandy is coming to an end as the Allied forces continue to push east.

Pictured: Troops from the 2nd Armored Division parade in front of City Hall in liberated Paris; General Patton crosses a pontoon bridge over the Seine river, later sending a message to General Eisenhower: "Dear Ike: Today I spat in the Seine."



 

Tidewater

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944


These are bullet holes in the walls of the Ecole de Guerre in Paris.
I have been told that these were a "parting gift" from the Wehrmacht as they pulled out of Paris in August 1944.
 

TexasBama

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944

August 25, 1944: The city of Paris is liberated and the German General von Scholtitz signs the surrender of his troops. North and south of Paris, the Germans continue their rapid retreat across the Seine river. Despite the U.S. armored attacks and incessant air raids, a majority of the Germans who were positioned in Normandy over the last few weeks manage to reach the relative safety of the east bank of the Seine.

The Americans and British troops cross the bridges over the Seine and progress towards the north and south of Paris in an attempt to cut off the retreating German forces.

Northeast of Caen the soldiers of the Belgian Brigade, accompanied by the 5th Parachute Brigade (commanded by Poett: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Poett), cleanse the area of the German defenders who have been ordered to slow the Allied advance in this sector. The town of Honfleur is fully liberated, and Belgian squadrons of armored vehicles reach the villages of Saint-Gatien, Beuzeville and Fiquefleur.

Pictured: Headline regarding the liberation of Paris from The Wisconsin State Journal; soldiers of the 4th U.S. Infantry Division look at the Eiffel Tower in Paris



Allons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
 

TexasBama

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944

An engineering marvel.
Not sure we have enough inflatables to build many like that now.
Then again, our heaviest vehicles are a bit heavier than a Sherman was.
A late friend of mine, Pat Morgan (Bama '39) was a Seabee in the Pacific. He island hopped and put down the mats for the planes. Whoever built those mats and bridges knew what they were doing.
 

crimsonaudio

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944

August 27, 1944: The Battle of Normandy is effectively over.

Belgian S.A.S. Parachutist reconnaissance group drops to the east of Beauvais, where they discover complete documents giving the battle orders of German divisions. During these operations, these groups accomplish several important tasks; they inflict heavy man and material losses to the enemy, they give the allied aviation many military objectives which are later successfully attacked, and they rescue and bring back approximately two hundred fallen aviators (POWs).

The British 21st Army Group and US 12th Army Group continue to advance beyond the Seine River. The US 3rd Army, on the right wing of the army groups, liberates Chateau Thierry on the Marne River as well as reaching the Seine River at Troyes.

Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley make a visit to recently captured Paris, France.

Pictured: General Dwight D. Eisenhower, General Kœnig, Lieutenant General Omar Bradley in Paris; Situation map for August 27, 1944



 

crimsonaudio

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944

For those that have shown interest in my daily WWII updates - as far back as I can remember I've loved reading and studying WWII, there are a variety of reasons why but they aren't really important. I could spend hours daily for the rest of my life and only discover a small percentage of the stories of stunning valor, horrific loss, and boundless will to win...

I've spent a lot of time over the years reading and studying the Pacific Theater as well as the battles in southern Europe and the Russian push from the east. The stories are compelling across the board, but for the last decade or so D-Day and the Battle of Normandy have been what I have been most passionate about.

When I started these 'Normandy Dailies' (as I refer to them), I had no clear goal or end in mind, though the official military date of the ending of the Battle of Normandy is September 1, 1944. I knew I would continue to that point, which we're quickly approaching, after which I was (and remain) unsure as to what I would do.

The options, as I see them, are:
1- Stop the updates. The Battle of Normandy is over, the Allies have handed the Germans a stunning and decided loss across the board.
2- Continue the updates, focusing on the western front of the attack on the Germans (this one could be fun, there's a tremendous amount of interesting things that happen over the next few months that lead us to VE Day on May 8th).
3- Spread the daily coverage to include the all fronts in the European Theater. This is likely far too audacious in reality - I'm not sure I have the time it would take to do this one.

I'd love to hear feedback as to whether this should continue or not. Please let me know what you think.
 

formersoldier71

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944

August 27, 1944: The Battle of Normandy is effectively over.



The US 3rd Army, on the right wing of the army groups, liberates Chateau Thierry on the Marne River as well as reaching the Seine River at Troyes.
My Grandfather fought in that area (among other) in the First War.
 

bamachile

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944

The options, as I see them, are:
1- Stop the updates. The Battle of Normandy is over, the Allies have handed the Germans a stunning and decided loss across the board.
2- Continue the updates, focusing on the western front of the attack on the Germans (this one could be fun, there's a tremendous amount of interesting things that happen over the next few months that lead us to VE Day on May 8th).
3- Spread the daily coverage to include the all fronts in the European Theater. This is likely far too audacious in reality - I'm not sure I have the time it would take to do this one.

I'd love to hear feedback as to whether this should continue or not. Please let me know what you think.

I vote for # 2. If others want to contribute with other actions on other fronts (and some of us will), it only adds participation to the thread without overloading you.
 

Tidewater

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Re: Normandy daily - 1944

For those that have shown interest in my daily WWII updates - as far back as I can remember I've loved reading and studying WWII, there are a variety of reasons why but they aren't really important. I could spend hours daily for the rest of my life and only discover a small percentage of the stories of stunning valor, horrific loss, and boundless will to win...

I've spent a lot of time over the years reading and studying the Pacific Theater as well as the battles in southern Europe and the Russian push from the east. The stories are compelling across the board, but for the last decade or so D-Day and the Battle of Normandy have been what I have been most passionate about.

When I started these 'Normandy Dailies' (as I refer to them), I had no clear goal or end in mind, though the official military date of the ending of the Battle of Normandy is September 1, 1944. I knew I would continue to that point, which we're quickly approaching, after which I was (and remain) unsure as to what I would do.

The options, as I see them, are:
1- Stop the updates. The Battle of Normandy is over, the Allies have handed the Germans a stunning and decided loss across the board.
2- Continue the updates, focusing on the western front of the attack on the Germans (this one could be fun, there's a tremendous amount of interesting things that happen over the next few months that lead us to VE Day on May 8th).
3- Spread the daily coverage to include the all fronts in the European Theater. This is likely far too audacious in reality - I'm not sure I have the time it would take to do this one.

I'd love to hear feedback as to whether this should continue or not. Please let me know what you think.
Keep'em coming!
Option 2, please.
We're about to run into the period when logistics runs slam* into the Western Allies.
Plus, Market-Garden, Huertgen Forest, Bulge, Op VARSITY, Remagen, end of the war.

* A little Alabama dialect here.
 
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