In mid-1943, Allied planners faced a critical choice: where to invade Hitler’s Fortress Europe. The shortest route, across the 21-mile Pas-de-Calais, was the most obvious. But its defenses were the strongest in the Atlantic Wall. Lieutenant General Frederick Morgan, Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander, championed a riskier alternative: the beaches of Normandy. The crossing was a hundred miles, but the beaches were less fortified, sheltered from westerly winds, and within range of British fighter planes. A successful landing there could create a large beachhead between the major ports of Cherbourg and Le Havre. In August 1943, at the Quebec Conference, the decision was finalized. The Allies would not take the shortest path, but the one that offered the greatest chance of surprise.
D-Day
On June 6, 1944, roughly 132,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, beginning the largest amphibious assault in history.
The Impossible Choice
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Normandy chosen for the D-Day landings?
Normandy's beaches were within range of Allied aircraft from Britain, were less heavily fortified than the more obvious target of Calais, and offered a large, suitable area to establish a beachhead for the invasion force.
What was Operation Fortitude?
Operation Fortitude was a massive Allied deception plan. It used a 'ghost army' in southeast England, complete with inflatable tanks and fake radio traffic, to convince Germany that the main invasion would strike at the Pas-de-Calais.
How did the Allies supply their army without a major port?
The Allies built and towed two enormous prefabricated artificial harbors, called Mulberries, across the English Channel. One of these, 'Port Winston' at Arromanches, became the main supply port for the Allied armies for months.
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