The Kunduzgi plyajlar ichida Kalvados va Mansh bo'limlari Normandiya, Frantsiya. Ular davomida ittifoqchilarning G'arbiy Evropaga bostirib kirishi joylari bo'lgan Ikkinchi jahon urushi.
6 iyundagi yubileyga tashrif buyurish uchun juda yaxshi vaqt, ushbu voqeani nishonlash uchun ko'plab yodgorlik marosimlari bo'lib o'tadi. Ko'p sonli qayta tiklash guruhlar ishtirok etishadi, ular ko'rgazma va atmosferani qo'shadilar. Ozodlik yilligini nishonlash uchun shaharlarda cherkov qo'ng'iroqlari chalinadi. Frantsiya xalqi sizni ko'rishdan xursand bo'ladi - bu odamlar eslashadi va kutib olish iliq bo'ladi.
1944 yildan beri ancha vaqt o'tdi va eski askarlarning ko'pi omon qolmadi, ammo ko'pincha bu plyajlarga 6 iyun kuni qaytib kelishadi. 2014 yil 70 yilligi munosabati bilan 90 yoshli qirollik floti faxriysi Bernard Jordan sog'lig'i sababli qariyalar uyidan chiqishga ruxsat berilmagan; u tashqariga chiqdi va baribir Frantsiyaga paromga tushdi. 93 yoshli amerikalik va 89 yoshli britaniyalik ikki keksa parashyutchi, o'sha kuni Frantsiyaga 70 yil oldingi kabi sakrab tushishdi.
Tushuning
- Qarang Evropada Ikkinchi Jahon urushi kontekst uchun.
Bu erda ko'rinadigan baland er Omaha plyajiga qo'nishni ayniqsa qiyinlashtirdi
1944 yil 6-iyun kuni (kun) Shimoliy-G'arbiy Evropani uzoq kutilgan bosqini ("Overlord" operatsiyasi) Ittifoqning qirg'oqlariga tushishi bilan boshlandi. Normandiya (Neptun operatsiyasi).
Bu vazifa juda qo'rqinchli edi, chunki nemislar qirg'oqni artilleriya, pulemyot, pillapoks, tikanli simlar, minalar va plyaj to'siqlari bilan o'zaro bog'langan kuchli nuqtalarga aylantirdilar. Germaniyaning shimolida 50 ta bo'linma mavjud edi Frantsiya va Kam mamlakatlarshu jumladan, zudlik bilan ushbu bosqinga qarshi foydalanish uchun kamida o'nlab pozitsiyalar.
Hujum zonalari keng havo va dengiz bombardimonidan so'ng, ittifoqchilar AQSh, Buyuk Britaniya va Kanada kuchlariga bir vaqtning o'zida qo'nishdi. O'sha kuni taxminan 160,000 quruqlik qo'shinlari, taxminan Amerikaning yarmi va Hamdo'stlikning yarmi qo'ndi. Shuningdek, operatsiyada 4000 ga yaqin kema, 11000 samolyot va ko'p minglab dengizchilar va havo kuchlari ishtirok etishdi.
Evropadagi ittifoqchi kuchlarning umumiy qo'mondoni amerikalik general Duayt D. Eyzenxauer bo'lib, u keyinchalik mamlakat prezidenti bo'ladi, britaniyalik general Bernard Montgomeri esa ular tushganidan keyin Normandiyada quruqlikdagi kuchlarni boshqargan. Germaniya tomonidan general Ervin Rommel qirg'oq mudofaasiga mas'ul bo'lgan, feldmarshal Gerd fon Rundstedt esa mintaqada umumiy qo'mondonlikka ega edi.
Bu tarixdagi eng yirik dengiz hujumi va ittifoqchilarning muhim g'alabasi edi, ammo hayot uchun ham, material uchun ham xarajatlar juda katta edi.
Qo'nish
Dunyoning ko'zlari siz tomonda. Hamma joyda erkinlikni sevadigan odamlarning umidlari va ibodatlari siz bilan birga yurishadi. – General Duayt D. Eyzenxauer
Yarim tundan keyin 24 ming kishi parashyut va planerda yonboshlarga kirib kelishdi. Keyin beshta alohida plyajga dengizga tushadigan asosiy qo'nish tongda boshlandi. Sharqdan g'arbga hujumlar:
- Yagona chap qanotda, bitta Kanadalik batalyon bilan Britaniyaning 6-havo-desanti Kan
- Mémorial Pégasus, av du Major Howard, 14860 Ranvill, ☏ 33 2 31 78 19 44. Pegasus ko'prigining qo'lga kiritilishi Glayder Pilot polkining va Buyuk Britaniyaning Oltinchi Havodagi desantining ajoyib yutug'i bo'ldi. Ushbu voqea muzeyda yaxshi yoritilgan bo'lib, eksponatlar orasida asl Pegasus ko'prigi va Horsa planeri mavjud. Oltinchi Buyuk Britaniyaning havo-desantiga bag'ishlangan bir nechta yodgorliklar ko'prik yonida joylashgan. 7.50€.
- 1 Qilich plyaji (Inglizlar).
- 2 Juno plyaji (Kanadalik).
- 3 Oltin plyaj (Inglizlar).
- 4 Omaha plyaji (Amerika).
- 5 Yuta plyaji (Amerika).
- AQShning 82-chi va 101-chi havoda, o'ng qanotda Seynt-Mer-Eglis
Har qanday plyajda yodgorliklar va muzeylar mavjud; ga qarang Sohillar batafsil ma'lumot uchun quyidagi bo'lim.
Dengiz qismidagi bo'linmalar qo'ya boshlaganda, ittifoqdosh askarlar minalar va to'siqlarga qaramay, kuchli qarshiliklarga qarshi plyajlarga bostirib kirishdi. Ular pulemyotlardan o'q uzgan ochiq plyajlarni bosib o'tib, nemis qurollari pozitsiyalariga bostirib kirishdi. Shiddatli qo'l jangi natijasida ular shahar va tepaliklarga kirib, keyin ichki tomonga ilgarilab ketishdi. Barcha sohalarda va har ikki tomonda ham talafotlar og'ir edi, garchi dastlab nemislar o'zlarining mustahkam pozitsiyalarida ittifoqchilarga qaraganda engilroq yo'qotishlarga duch kelishgan.
Kunning oxiriga kelib, 3-ingliz diviziyasi Kandan uch chaqirim narida, 3-kanadalik diviziya o'zining oraliq maqsadlarida yaxshi tashkil topdi va 50-ingliz diviziyasi Bayodan atigi ikki chaqirim narida edi. Amerika zonasida 4-chi diviziya 4 millik chuqurlik ichkarisiga kirib bordi va 82-tuni jang qilgan Shte-Mer-Eglise yaqinida edi. Omaha plyajida nemislar qo'nish joylari ustidagi blöflardan afzalliklarga ega edilar, ammo u erda ham plyaj boshlari o'rnatilgan edi.
Bu ajoyib yutuq edi; dahshatli Atlantika devori muvaffaqiyatli buzilgan edi. D kunining oxiriga kelib, ittifoqchilar Frantsiyaga dengiz va havo orqali 150 mingdan ortiq qo'shinlarini, 900 tanklari, 600 qurollari va 4000 tonnaga yaqin zaxiralarini o'z ichiga olgan 6000 avtoulovlarini tushirishdi va hayratlanarlisi, ular buni amalga oshirishda kutilmagan hodisaga erishdilar. . Oldinga o'tishni davom ettirish uchun ko'proq askarlar va jihozlar qirg'oqqa oqayotgan edi; Iyul oyi boshlarida ittifoqchilar Frantsiyada milliondan ortiq odamga ega edilar va avgust oyida ularning soni ikki millionga etdi.
Boshqa ittifoqchilar
Asosiy bosqinchi kuch Amerika, Buyuk Britaniya va Kanadaliklar edi, ammo boshqa bir qancha ittifoqchilar kuzatuvchilar ishtirok etgan yoki boshqa yo'llar bilan qatnashgan.
Evropani asirga olgan xalqlar o'zlarining ozod bo'lishlariga katta hissa qo'shdilar; ularning barchasida (hattoki Germaniyada ham) qarshilik ko'rsatish harakati bo'lgan va bir nechta rasmiy kuchlar ishtirok etgan; D kunida plyajlarda frantsuzlar va dengizda Norvegiya, Gollandiya va Polsha dengiz kuchlari kemalari bor edi. Polsha zirhli diviziyasi Normandiyada Kanada armiyasi tarkibida jang qildi. D-Day kunidan boshlab Frantsiya, Belgiya va Gollandiyadagi barcha janglar davomida qarshilik Germaniya aloqa vositalarini ham, zudlik bilan zarur bo'lgan yordamchi va materiallarni ko'chirish harakatlarini ham buzdi. D-Day kuni frantsuz frantsuz parashyutchilari tushirildi Bretan (Normandiyaning g'arbiy mintaqasi) bunga yordam berish; ularning yutuqlari Amerika g'alabalariga omil bo'ldi Kotentin yarim oroli D-Day-dan ko'p o'tmay va keyinchalik Bretaniyada.
Ushbu urush davriga kelib Britaniya imperiyasi eng yuqori cho'qqisidan ancha oldinda edi, ammo bu hali ham kuchga ega edi. D kunida qo'nish kuchlarining taxminan yarmi inglizlar yoki kanadaliklar edi va imperiya bundan tashqari o'z hissasini qo'shdi. Yangi Zelandiyadagi dengiz dengiz kemalari RAF va USAF bilan birgalikda RAAF, RNZAF va RCAF qo'shinlari va Britaniyada joylashgan eskadrilyalarni harakatga keltirdilar. Shuningdek, Britaniya xizmatlarining har bir tarmog'iga imperiyaning boshqa mamlakatlaridan kelgan xodimlar kirgan.
Shaharlar
Plyajlarga tashrif buyurish uchun odatiy asoslar - Caen yoki Bayeux; barcha plyajlarga ikkalasidan ham osonlik bilan etib borish mumkin, garchi ikkalasi ham plyajlarda bir oz quruq joylashgan.
- Kan bo'limining asosiy shahri hisoblanadi Kalvadosva Normandiyada Ruandan keyin ikkinchi muhim shahar; u turli diqqatga sazovor joylarga va ajoyib xaridlarga ega. Sohildan 15 km (10 milya) uzoqlikda joylashgan. The Memorial de Caen muzey har kuni sayohlarni jalb qilishni taklif qiladi.
- Bayeux qirg'oqqa va bosqinchilar qo'nish maydonining markaziga yaqinroq bo'lgan kichikroq shahar. Kirish va chiqish oson, tashrif buyurish uchun qulay Omaha, Oltin va Juno plyaj sohalari. Bu erda piyodalar uchun qiziqarli bo'limga ega ajoyib restoranlar va do'konlar mavjud.
Boshqa tanlovlar mavjud.
- Ouistreham qo'nish maydonining sharqiy qismida qirg'oqda joylashgan Qilich plyajiva qulay bo'lishi mumkin, chunki unda feribot bor Portsmut.
- Arromanches-les-Bains markazga yaqin sohilda joylashgan Oltin plyajva D kunidan ko'p o'tmay "tut porti" (sun'iy port) qurilgan joylardan biri edi.
- Seynt-Mer-Eglis g'arbda, ichki qismida joylashgan Yuta plyaji; Amerikalik parashyutchilar dengizga bostirib kirishdan bir necha soat oldin bu hududga tashlangan va shahar va uning atrofida qattiq jang olib borishgan.
Hududda ko'plab boshqa qishloqlar mavjud; aksariyati juda chiroyli va sayyohlarni qabul qilishga qodir.
D kunidan keyingi bir necha hafta ichida muhim jang bo'lib o'tgan haqiqiy qo'nish zonasi tashqarisidagi shaharlardan birida qolish mumkin edi. Ga qarang Normandiya kampaniyasi batafsil ma'lumot uchun quyidagi bo'lim.
Urush paytida ushbu hududdagi deyarli har bir shahar zarar ko'rgan; ba'zilari - kabi Kan, Sent-Lu, Vire va Falaise - asosan vayron qilingan. Biroq, ularning barchasi uzoq vaqtdan beri qayta tiklangan. Bayeux xayriyatki zarar ko'rmagan va shuning uchun ham O'rta asr xarakterini saqlab qolgan.
Iqlim
Normandiya mo''tadil zonali dengiz iqlimiga ega. Yozi iliq, qishi yumshoq. Yomg'ir yil davomida iqlimning bir qismidir, qish esa yozdan ko'proq yomg'ir yog'adi. Davom etayotgan yomg'ir ko'pincha ta'tilni buzish uchun etarli emas va buning foydasi bor, tabiat nihoyatda yam-yashil. Qish vaqti-vaqti bilan qor va sovuqni ham ko'radi, ammo umuman qishda iqlim juda mo''tadil.
Yoz Britaniyaning janubiga qaraganda bir oz iliqroq, kuniga 8 soatgacha quyosh nuri tushadi. Velosipedchilar mintaqani juda yaxshi ko'rishadi, chunki u Frantsiyaning aksariyat hududlari singari deyarli issiq emas va ichki Frantsiyaga qaraganda Angliyaning janubi bilan solishtirish mumkin. Qanday bo'lmasin, quyosh kremi va shlyapa kerak; hatto butun Frantsiya singari issiqni sezmasa ham, quyosh hali ham kuch bilan urmoqda!
Chiqinglar
Normandiyaga Parijdan mashinada (2 dan 3 soatgacha) yoki poezdda (2 soatdan keyin) osongina borish mumkin Parij St Lazare stantsiyasiga Kan markaziy stantsiya).
Shu bilan bir qatorda, kanal bo'ylab parom sizni uch soatdan ko'proq vaqt ichida olib boradi Portsmut ga Ouistreham, eng sharqiy kunlik nishon, ideal boshlanish nuqtasi. Portsmut istilo boshlangan portlardan biri bo'lgan va a Kunduzgi muzey.
Boshqa paromlar qatnaydilar Cherbourg va Le HavrHaqiqiy qo'nish maydonida bo'lmasa-da, yaqin. Cherbourg yirik shahar bo'lib, iyun oyi oxirida amerikaliklar tomonidan ozod qilingan; qarang Tarkib yarimoroli quyida. Le Havre - kichikroq shaharcha va plyajlardan narida; bu asosan torpedo qayiqlari uchun nemis dengiz bazasi edi. Sentyabr oyining boshlarida urushning eng og'ir bombardimonlari va erdagi shiddatli kurashdan so'ng, asosan ingliz kuchlari tomonidan ozod qilindi.
Caen shuningdek, qishloqqa yaqin aeroportga ega Carpiquet shaharning g'arbiy qismida. D-Day-dan keyingi bir necha hafta ichida aerodromni boshqarish qattiq tortishuvlarga duch keldi.
Atrofga boring
Sayohat plyajlar va jang maydonlari, turli muzeylarni ko'ring va qabristonlar butun mintaqada va dengiz bo'yidagi qishloq va shaharlarga tashrif buyuring. Avtoulovda yoki jamoat transportida mustaqil sayohat qilish mumkin.
Mahalliy turistik axborot idoralari tashrif buyuruvchilarning diqqatga sazovor joylari ro'yxati berilgan varaqada (ingliz tilida), shuningdek, yo'l tarmog'ida belgilangan ettita marshrut marshrutlari haqida batafsil ma'lumotga ega.
Mashinada
Normandiyada avtoulovlarni ijaraga olish Avis, Budget, Eurocar va Hertz kabi bir necha xalqaro tarmoqlar orqali amalga oshirilishi mumkin. Kanda mashinalarni olib ketish mumkin. Frantsiyada haydash yo'lning o'ng tomonida va barcha masofa va tezlikni o'lchashlari km ga teng.
Avtobus
Kan va Bayo, Bay va Oistreham va Bayo o'rtasida Grandkampgacha xizmat ko'rsatadigan Normandiyadagi avtobus yo'nalishlari. Ular asosiy qo'nish plyajlarining aksariyat qismini qamrab oladi. Barcha marshrutlar tomonidan boshqariladi Avtobus Verts du Calvados☏09 70 83 00 14 (jug'rofiy raqam)va bepul jadvallarni asosiy sayyohlik ofislaridan olish mumkin.
Bayeux temir yo'l stantsiyasidan D-Day plyajlarining bir qismiga avtobusda borishingiz mumkin. Ustida avtobus veb-sayti D-Day plyajlariga avtobus yo'nalishi xaritasi mavjud. 70-avtobus sizni Omaha plyajiga, Amerika qabristoniga va Pointe Du Hocga olib boradi. 74-avtobus sizni Tut limanlari joylashgan Arromanches sohiliga olib boradi. Vikipediyaga ko'ra: "Omaha plyaji 8 milya uzunlikda, Seynt-Honorin-des-Pertesning sharqidan Viervil-sur-Merning g'arbiy qismigacha" va bu qishloqlarga 70-avtobus orqali borish mumkin. Avtobuslar juda kam. , shuning uchun bir nechta avtobus sonini hisobga oling. Bundan tashqari, qalin qor yog'ganda avtobuslar ishlamaydi, shuning uchun qor mavsumida avtobus veb-saytini oldindan tekshirib ko'ring.
Velosiped
Frantsiyada velosiped turlari juda mashhur va velosipedda harakatlanish - bu jang maydonlariga tashrif buyurishning eng yaxshi usuli. Siz velosipedlarni Frantsiyaning eng yirik shaharlari va temir yo'l stantsiyalarida ijaraga olishingiz mumkin.
D-kuni ba'zi bosqinchi qo'shinlar velosipedlardan foydalanishdi; ingliz qo'shinlarining quyidagi fotosuratlariga qarang Sher-sur-Mer va kanadaliklar Juno plyaji.
Ekskursiyalar
Ekskursiyalar, shu jumladan transport mavjud; agar kerak bo'lsa, mintaqadagi aksariyat sayyohlik agentliklari va ko'plab mehmonxonalar ularni tashkil qilishlari mumkin Kan yoki Bayeux, ba'zi kompaniyalar ingliz tilida so'zlashadigan yo'riqnomalar bilan jang maydonlariga yarim kunlik yoki to'liq kunlik ekskursiyalarni taklif qilishadi.
- Normandiya bo'ylab sayohatlar Bayeuxdan barcha beshta qo'nish plyajiga va undan tashqariga sayohatlar taklif etadi. Ular kichikroq guruhlar va yaxshi tajriba uchun 8 o'rinli furgonlardan foydalanadilar. Qo'llanmalar frantsuzlar va asosan Normandiyadan kelgan mahalliy aholi, barchasi ingliz tilida so'zlashadilar.
- La Rouge turlari asosan sobiq harbiy xizmatchilar tomonidan olib boriladigan professional Battlefield Guides boshchiligidagi ekskursiyalarning misollaridan biri.
The Memorial de Caen muzey, shuningdek, har kuni sayohlarni jalb qiladi.
Sohillar
D-Day-dan 70 yildan ko'proq vaqt o'tgach, Kalvados va Manshning Normandiya qirg'oq bo'yida dengiz bo'yidagi yoqimli shaharlar va go'zal plyajlar mavjud. Ko'pgina shaharlarda narsa-sur-mer shaklining nomlari bor; sur-mer frantsuzcha "dengizda" degan ma'noni anglatadi. Sohil orqasida g'alla maydonlari, qoramollar va yaylovlar, to'siqlar va dehqon uylari qadimgi dehqonchilik manzarasi mavjud.
- "Plyajlarda va qishloqlar bo'ylab sayr qilish uchun vaqt ajrating va yana qishloq ritmlari bilan tartibga solinadigan qishloq yo'llarini haydab chiqing, xuddi ular hech qachon vayron bo'lmagandek. Bu juda chiroyli va ta'sirli, va bu erda g'alati narsa Odamlarning eng yaxshi tomonlarini ochib beradi. Havoda hurmat va tashrif buyuruvchilar o'rtasida umumiy rishtalar mavjud. Xalq o'zini tutadi, tabassum qiladi va odatdagidan ko'ra osonroq suhbatlashadi. "
Entoni Peregrin, Sunday Times.
Biroq, urush va D-Day xotiralari manzarada muhrlangan. 80 km (50 milya) kunlik bosqinchilik sohilida nemis qurollarining qoldiqlari va bunkerlari bor, urush yodgorliklari va yodgorliklari esa ittifoqchi kuchlar tushgan joyni belgilaydi. Ichki qismda deyarli har bir qishloqda va yo'lning har bir burilish qismida yodgorliklar mavjud, chunki u erda kurash olib borilmagan kvadrat hovli deyarli yo'q. Sohil va ichki tomonda D-Day bilan bog'liq ko'plab muzeylar mavjud. Faqat tashrif buyurib, korxona kengligi to'g'risida to'g'ri tasavvurga ega bo'lasiz.
Plyajlarning quyidagi tavsifi sharqdan g'arbiy yo'nalishda tartibga solingan, shunda u qirg'oq bo'ylab haydash yoki velosiped safari rejalashtirish uchun ishlatilishi mumkin. Ekskursiyaning davomiyligi odam qancha sayt va muzeylarni ko'rishga qaror qilganiga bog'liq. Meraklılar bir necha hafta sarflashlari mumkin edi, lekin asosiy saytlarni yoritish uchun ikki yoki uch kun etarli. Yaxshi boshlang'ich nuqta - bu kunning tarixi va tarixiga yo'nalishni o'rganishdir Mémorial de Caen yoki Arromanches-dagi Débarquement Musée (qo'nish muzeyi) va u erdan kashf qilish uchun yo'l oldi.
Plyajlar bugungi kunda ham D-Day kod nomlari bilan tanilgan.
Qilich plyaji
Qilich plyaji, beshta plyajning eng sharqiy qismida joylashgan Ouistreham Luc-sur-Merga. Buyuk Britaniyaning 3-piyoda diviziyasi Oistreham va Lion-sur-mer o'rtasidagi 4 km (2 4 milya) plyajga tushdi. 41-qirol dengiz piyoda qo'mondoni Lion-sur-Merga, Buyuk Britaniyaning N ° 4 qo'mondoni Oistrexemga tushdi. N ° 4 Britaniya qo'mondonligi bilan birlashtirilgan, birinchi to'lqinda Normandiya tuprog'iga qadam qo'yish sharafiga ega bo'lgan Fuzilyerlar Marins komandolari 1-batalyonining 177 frantsuzlari. Qilich plyajining sharqiy qanotida Oltinchi Britaniya havo-desanti Orne daryosi va Kan kanalidagi ko'priklarni egallab olish, qurol batareyalarini o'chirish va D-Day plyajlarining sharqiy qanotini himoya qilish uchun 6-iyun kuni erta tongda parashyut bilan sakrab tushdi. Asosiy to'ntarish hujumi Pegasus va Horsa ko'priklarini egallab olib, qilichga qaragan baland erga kirishni ta'minlashni ta'minladi.
Nemislar barcha plyajlarda qattiq kurashdilar, ammo D-Day-ning o'zida zirhli diviziya bilan qarshi hujumni amalga oshirishga qodir bo'lgan yagona Qilich edi. Bu katta talofatlarga sabab bo'ldi va inglizlarning avansini bir muddat to'xtatdi.
- Batteri-de-Mervil muzeyi, Place du 9ème Bataillon, 14810 Merville-Franceville (Mervil qirg'og'idagi akkumulyator batareyasida), ☏ 33 2 31 91 47 53. Muzey Britaniyaning oltinchi havo-desant operatsiyasini qayta tiklaydi. 6.50€.
- D'Ouistreham sayti. Dengiz bo'yidagi ushbu go'zal kurort shaharchasida plyajdagi mehmonxonalar, mayda qumlar, shamolli jarliklar va postkartalar bilan bezatilgan baliq ovlari portlari o'rtasida bemalol joylashgan istehkomlar, yodgorliklar, muzeylar va harbiy qabristonlar mavjud. Shaharda bir nechta yodgorliklar mavjud, ular orasida Erkin frantsuz yodgorligi, Qirollik dengiz floti va Qirol dengiz piyodalari yodgorligi, 13/18-qirol Hussars yodgorligi va 4-sonli Commando plakatlari mavjud. Kieffer yodgorligi nemis bunkerining tepasida turibdi va hujumni uyushtirgan qo'mondon leytenant nomi bilan atalgan.
- Musée Nr 4 Komando (N ° 4 qo'mondonlik muzeyi), Alfred Tomas, 14150 Oistreham shahri, ☏ 33 2 31 96 63 10. Ushbu muzeyda Qilich plyajiga tushgan Franko-Britaniya qo'mondonlari haqidagi voqeani qayta ko'rib chiqish uchun masshtabli maketlar, qurol-yarog 'va formalarni ko'rish mumkin.
- Musée du Mur de L'Atlantique (Atlantika devorlari muzeyi), av du 6 Juin, 14150 Ouistreham, ☏ 33 2 31 97 28 69. Atlantika devoridagi qadimgi artilleriya poligonida bu balandligi 17 metr bo'lgan beton minora yagona hisoblanadi va qayta tiklanib, asl holiga keltirilgan. 7€.
- Lion-sur-Mer sayti. Yodgorliklarga Ozodlik yodgorligi, Qirol muhandislari korpusi yodgorligi va 41-qirol dengiz piyoda qo'mondoni steli kiradi.
- Kollevil-Montgomeri sayti. 1-batalyonning Suffolk polk askarlari xotirasiga bag'ishlangan Hillman Battery asosiy blokxonasida plakat o'rnatilgan. Shuningdek, General Montgomery haykali va Muvaqqat qabriston, Kieffer va Montgomery yodgorligi mavjud.
- D'Hermanville sayti. Hududdagi yodgorliklarga 3-piyoda diviziyasi va Janubiy Lankashir yodgorligi, Qirollik artilleriyasi yodgorligi, Ittifoq shtab-kvartirasi va Field kasalxonasi plakatlari va Ittifoq floti dengizchilari yodgorligi kiradi. 1003 askar dam oladigan Buyuk Britaniyaning Hermanville-sur-Mer qabristoni Hermanvil-sur-Merga yaqin joylashgan.
- Musée Du Radar (Radar muzeyi), Route de Basly 14440 Duvres la Delivrande, ☏ 33 2 31 06 06 45. Nemislarning mustahkamlangan radiolokatsiya bazasi joylashgan joyda muzey radarning rivojlanishi va ishlashini tushuntiradi. Uning tashqarisida Germaniyaning Vursburg radarini kuzatish mumkin.
Ushbu plyaj yaqinida ikkita Hamdo'stlik qabristoni mavjud; ga qarang qabristonlar tafsilotlar uchun bo'lim.
Juno plyaji
Juno plyaji kengligi besh milga teng bo'lib, unga Sent-Oubin-sur-Mer, Bernier-sur-Mer va Kursul-sur-Mer shaharlari kiradi. 2-Kanada zirhli brigadasi tomonidan mustahkamlangan 3-chi Kanada piyoda diviziyasi ikkita brigada guruhiga tushdi va plyajlar bo'ylab o'tib shaharlarga yo'l oldi. 48-sonli dengiz piyoda qo'mondoni Langrune-sur-Merda chap qanotni himoya qildi.
Qurol-yarog ', beton qoziqlar, pill qutilari, tikanli simlar va minalar bilan qirg'oq chizig'i. Kanadaliklarning qo'nish paytida duch kelgan qarshiliklari Omaxadan boshqa hamma sohillarga qaraganda kuchliroq edi.
- Langrune-sur-Mer sayti. Shahar markazida, dengiz jabhasida 48-qirol dengiz piyoda qo'mondoni yodgorligi joylashgan. Shahar hokimligining kirish zalida 48-qirol dengiz piyoda qo'mondonligi faxriylari va Langrune-sur-Mer fuqarolari o'rtasidagi do'stlik xotirasiga bag'ishlangan lavha o'rnatilgan.
- Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer sayti. Kanadaning Place du-da 50 mm lik qurol saqlanib qoldi. Bu erda Shimoliy qirg'oq (Nyu-Brunsvik) polkiga, Garri otiga va 48-qirol dengiz piyoda qo'mondonligiga tosh yodgorliklar mavjud.
- Bernières-sur-Mer sayti. Ushbu go'zal dengiz bo'yidagi qishloq o'zining cherkovi bilan XIII asrdagi qo'ng'iroq minorasi va 67 m (220 fut) shpil bilan ajralib turadi. Kanadaning La Maison malikasining o'z miltiqlari ushbu polk odamlarini yodga oladi. Uy plyajdagi taniqli uylardan biridir, chunki u ko'plab kinoxabarlarda va rasmiy fotosuratlarda paydo bo'lgan. Qirolichaning o'ziga xos miltiqlariga bag'ishlangan yodgorliklar, Le polk de la Chaudier va Fort Garry Horse, La Place du Canada-dagi nemis bunkeri tomonidan. Sohilni bunker holatidan ajoyib manzarasi bor va D-Day dramatik hujumining asosiy to'lqini sifatida bu erga qirollarning 800 nafar o'z miltiqlari bostirib kirganida qanday bo'lganini tasavvur qilishingiz mumkin. Shuningdek, Shimoliy Nova Scotia Highlanders plakati va Jurnalistlar shtab-kvartirasi bor. Dengiz bo'yida piyoda yo'l bor, u okean bo'ylab yoqimli sayr qilishni ta'minlaydi. Agar siz dengiz qirg'og'i bo'ylab sharqdan ½ km atrofida yursangiz, mashhur qirollik filmida kadrda paydo bo'lgan uyni ko'rishingiz mumkin Kanada qirolichasining o'z miltiqlari kun bo'yi plyajga bostirib kirgan.
- Courseulles-sur-Mer sayti. Courseulles-sur-Mer shahar markazida, dengizning old qismida Sherman Duplex Drive (DD) tanki namoyish etiladi. Ushbu tanklar qisman amfibiya edi, ular qo'nish kemalaridan qirg'oqqa suzish imkoniyatiga ega edilar; askarlar "DD" ni "Donald Duck" deb talqin qilishdi. Bular Normandiya qo'nish uchun maxsus ishlab chiqilgan, asosan AQShda ishlab chiqarilgan, barcha ittifoqchilar tomonidan ishlatilgan va ularning dizayni uchun javobgar bo'lgan ingliz generalidan keyin "Xobartning kulgilari" deb nomlangan g'ayrioddiy zirhlarning bir nechta turlaridan biri edi. Ushbu maxsus tank 1970 yilda dengizdan olib chiqilgan va tiklangan. Hududda jang qilgan polk bo'linmalarining nishonlari unga payvandlangan. Hududdagi yodgorliklar orasida Qirollik Vinnipeg miltiqlari yodgorligi, Regina miltiqlari polk steli, Kanadalik Shotlandiya polk steli, qirol muhandislari lavhasi va Liberation va De Goll yodgorligi mavjud. Croix de Lorraine yodgorligi General de Gollning Frantsiyaga qaytishini yodga oladi.
- 1 Juno plyajining markazi (Juno plyaj markazi), voie des Français Libres, 14470 Courseulles-sur-Mer, ☏ 33 2 31 37 32 17. Juno plyaj markazi Kanadaning Ikkinchi Jahon Urushidagi harbiy harakatlardagi va frontdagi urush harakatlaridagi rolini namoyish etadi. Film, audio va displeylar urushgacha va urush davridagi Kanadani jonli ravishda olib keladi, shuningdek, jangovar tajribalarni yoritib beradi. Juno Park markazining old tomonida talqin panellari bilan yurish yo'laklari, saqlanib qolgan nemis bunkeri va plyajga olib boruvchi yo'l mavjud. Bu erda ozgina rivojlanish mavjud, shuning uchun sizning plyaj va okean haqida o'ylashingizga hech narsa xalaqit bermaydi. Siz minalar ustiga tashlangan qumlarni, uchqunli metall "kirpi", tikanli simlar va qo'nish kemalaridan yurakni yirtib tashlash uchun mo'ljallangan boshqa barbarizmlarni va shu hududga tushgan 14000 kanadalikni tasavvur qilishingiz mumkin. 7€.
- Graye-sur-Mer sayti. Yodgorliklarga Ozodlik yodgorligi, Cherchill "One Charlie" tanki, kashfiyot lavhasi, Royal Winnipeg miltiqlari va 1-Shotlandiyalik Shotlandiya plakati, Kanada plakati va Inns of Court yodgorligi kiradi.
Ushbu plyaj yaqinida Kanada qabristoni mavjud; ga qarang qabristonlar Bo'lim.
Yulduzli trek ixlosmandlari Jeyms Doonan - asl seriyada Skotti rolini o'ynagan aktyor - ushbu plyajda jarohat olgan kanadalik zobit bo'lganligini bilish qiziq bo'lishi mumkin.
Oltin plyaj
.jpg/220px-LST-21_unloads_tanks_during_Normandy_Invasion,_June_1944_(26-G-2370).jpg)
Oltin plyajning kengligi 5 mildan oshadi va La Riviere, Le Hamel va boshqa shaharlarni o'z ichiga oladi Arromanches-les-Bains. Britaniyaning 8-zirhli brigadasi tomonidan kuchaytirilgan Britaniyaning 50-piyoda diviziyasi Oltin plyajga ikkita brigada guruhiga tushdi. 47-qirol dengiz piyoda qo'mondoni Port-en-Bessinni qabul qilish maqsadida g'arbiy qanotga tushdi.
- Musée America Gold Beach (Amerika Gold Beach muzeyi), 2, joy Amiral Byrd, 14114 Ver-sur-Mer, ☏ 33 2 31 22 58 58. Ushbu muzey AQSh va Frantsiya o'rtasidagi birinchi aviakompaniyaning parvozini va D-Day Landing retrospektivasi va Gold Beachdagi ingliz plyaj qirg'og'ini eslatib o'tadi.
- Arromanches 360, Chemin du Calvaire, 14117 Arromanches, ☏ 33 2 31 22 30 30. Film Ozodlik narxi 1944 yil iyun oyidagi arxivlangan filmni bugungi rasmlar bilan ta'sirchan tarzda aralashtirib yuboradi va 9 ekranda dumaloq teatrda namoyish etiladi.
- Tut porti. Da Arromanches, siz Oltin sohil bo'ylab va Tut porti joylashgan joyni tomosha qilyapsiz. Bosqin katta miqdordagi materiallarni etkazib berish uchun portga muhtoj edi. Shunday qilib, ittifoqchilar beton pontonlarni qurishdi, ular kanal bo'ylab tortilib, portning tashqi atrofini hosil qilish uchun cho'kib ketishdi. Asl 115 pontondan 20 tasi hali to'lqinlarga qarshi turadi.
- Musée du Débarquement (Landing muzeyi), Place du 6 Juin, 14117 Arromanches, ☏ 33 2 31 22 34 31. Tutlarning haqiqiy qoldiqlari oldida ushbu muzey inglizlar tomonidan sun'iy port qurish va barpo etishda erishgan ajoyib texnologiyasiga bag'ishlangan. Ingliz va frantsuz tillarida davriy filmlar. Suzuvchi docklarning to'lqinlar va to'lqinlar bilan qanday aylanishini ko'rsatadigan ta'sirchan dinamik shkalali modellar. Tashqarida namoyish etilgan Mulberry suzuvchi ko'prigining 75 metrlik qismi. Tashqarida harbiy texnika, jumladan, Amerikaning yarim trassasi va Xiggins qayig'i namoyish etilmoqda. £3.90.
- Batterie de Longues, Longues-sur-Mer (D514 yo'lidan kirish (yo'l belgilariga rioya qiling)), ☏ 33 2 31 06 06 45. Longues-sur-Mer akkumulyatori 150 km uzunlikdagi to'rtta qurolni 20 km masofaga joylashtirdi va 6 iyun kuni ertalab Ittifoq kemalariga zarba berdi. Bu qurollarni saqlagan yagona qirg'oq batareyasi bo'lib, Atlantika devoridagi qurol-yarog 'siljishi aslida qanday bo'lganligi haqida ta'sirchan rasm beradi.
- Port-en-Bessin sayti. Port-en-Bessin va Asnellni ozod qilish paytida halok bo'lgan 47-qirol dengiz piyoda qo'mondoni askarlari xotirasiga bag'ishlangan yodgorlik portning g'arbiy qismida joylashgan jarlikning tepasida.
- Musée des épaves sous-marines (Suv osti halokatlari muzeyi), Bayeux-Commes yo'nalishi, 14520 Port-en-Bessin, ☏ 33 2 31 21 17 06. Ushbu muzey qirg'oq bo'yidagi qo'nish hududida yigirma besh yildan ortiq vaqt davomida olib borilgan qidiruv ishlari natijasida topilgan qoldiqlar va eksponatlarni taqdim etadi. Qoldiqlarga Sherman tanki kiradi.
- Musée Mémorial de la Bataille de Normandie (Normandiya janglari yodgorlik muzeyi), boul Fabian Ware, 14400 Bayeux, ☏ 33 2 31 51 46 90. Ushbu muzey Normandiya jangi voqealarining xronologik taqdimotini jihozlar, qurol-yarog ', qurol va kiyim-kechak, filmlar, esdaliklar va slaydlar ko'rgazmasi bilan birga taqdim etadi. Ingliz va frantsuz. Tashqarida: Germaniyaning "Marder" tankga qarshi vositasi, Sherman Tank, amerikalik tankni yo'q qiladigan va Britaniyaning "timsoh" otash tanki. Ichkarida: Amerikaning o'ziyurar 105 mm gubitsa, Radio yuk mashinasi, zirhli buldozer, Amerikaning to'rtburchak-50 kalibrli zenit qurol (aka "go'sht maydalagich") va boshqa bir qancha yirik qurollar. Bir kuni artefaktlarning muvozanatini va boshqa tomondan tushuntirishlar va tarixiy kontekstni taqdim etadigan eng yaxshi kun muzeylaridan biri.
- Musée Mémorial du General de Goll (General de Goll yodgorligi), 10, rue Bournene, 14400 Bayeux, ☏ 33 2 31 92 45 55. Sobiq gubernator uyida ushbu muzey generalning Bayoga qilgan ko'plab tashriflariga, xususan 1944 yil 14 va 1946 yil 16 iyunda bo'lib o'tgan ikkita muhim nutqlarga bag'ishlangan. Filmlar arxivlari, fotosuratlar, qo'lyozmalar, hujjatlar va esdalik buyumlari.
Bayo urushi qabristoni ushbu plyajning ichkarisida emas va uning yonidagi Bayeaux yodgorligi qabristoni noma'lum bo'lgan askarlarni xotirlaydi. Ga qarang qabristonlar tafsilotlar uchun bo'lim.
Omaha plyaji
Omaha plyaji 46 metrgacha ko'tarilib, plyajlarga buyruq beradigan bluflar tomonidan e'tibordan chetda qolmoqda. Ushbu tabiiy kuchli mudofaa pozitsiyalari mohirona beton qurollari, tankga qarshi qurollar va pulemyotlar bilan mustahkamlangan edi. Xususan, Pointe du Hoc-dagi qurollar o'limga olib kelishi mumkin edi, garchi ular aslida D-Dayda o'q uzmagan bo'lsalar ham, uch kun davomida Amerikaning ikkala plyajida ham otishma davom etgan Maisy batareyasi edi. Ittifoqchilarning bombardimonlari bularni deyarli buzilmasdan qoldirdi va plyajda qopqoq bo'lmaganligi sababli, ushbu tinch plyaj qirg'in maydoniga aylandi. Plyajning orqa tomoniga bir chaqirim narida Kollevil-sur-Mer, Sen-Loran-sur-Mer va Viervil-sur-Merning mustahkam qishloqlari yotar edi.
AQSh 1-piyoda diviziyasi kun davomida butun ittifoqchilar hujumida eng qiyin qo'nishni boshdan kechirdi va 2000 ga yaqin odamni qurbon qildi. Buning bir sababi - er usti, boshqasi - ular qirg'oqdagi nemis qo'shinlarini to'liq to'ldiradigan yagona nemis bo'linmasiga duch kelishgan. Kotentin yarim orolida to'rtta bo'linma va sharqda ingliz va kanadalik plyajlarni himoya qiladigan yana uchta bo'linma mavjud edi, ammo bu bo'linmalar kuchdan pastroq yoki qisman rus, polyak va boshqa majburiy chaqiriluvchilardan iborat edi.
Omaha plyajiga qo'nish Oskar mukofotiga sazovor bo'lgan filmda namoyish etilgan Xizmatkor Rayanni qutqarish va, Gollivuddan farqli o'laroq, jang sahnalari juda aniq. Biroq, qo'nish ketma-ketliklari plyajlarda suratga olingan Ueksford okrugi, Irlandiya, bu Normandiyadagi plyajlarga deyarli jismoniy o'xshashlik keltirmaydi.
- 1-piyoda diviziyasi yodgorligi (Sen-Loran-sur-Mer). "Big Red One" ga bag'ishlangan yodgorlik, AQSh 1-piyoda diviziyasi, dengiz jabhasida, Amerika qabristonidan uzoq masofada joylashgan. Hududdagi boshqa yodgorliklar qatoriga 5-muhandis maxsus brigadasi yodgorligi va shu erdan o'tgan Amerika zirhli mashinalari xotirasiga bag'ishlangan plakatlar kiradi.
- 2 2-piyoda diviziyasi yodgorligi (Sen-Loran-sur-Mer). Ruxet vodiysidan Sen-Loran-sur-Merga boradigan yo'lni himoya qilgan Germaniyaning mudofaa bunkeri Widerstandsnest 65 (WN 65) tomonidan AQShning 2-piyoda diviziyasiga bag'ishlangan yodgorlik.
- Musée Mémorial d'Omaha Beach (Omaha plyajidagi yodgorlik muzeyi), Libération av, 14710 Sen-Loran-sur-Mer, ☏ 33 2 31 21 97 44. Ushbu muzeyda forma, qurol-yarog ', shaxsiy buyumlar va transport vositalarining yaxshi to'plami mavjud. Dioramalar, fotosuratlar va xaritalar, shuningdek, faxriylarning ko'rsatmalari aks etgan film Omaha plyajiga va Pointe du Xokga tushishni tushuntiradi. Tashqarida qo'nish kemasi, Sherman tanki va "Long Tom" 155 mm qurol bor.
- Mushee D-Day Omaha (Omaha kunlik muzeyi), Grandcamp-Maisy yo'nalishi, 14710 Viervil-sur-Mer, ☏ 33 2 31 21 71 80. Omaha plyajiga qo'nishga bag'ishlangan. Turli xil jihozlar, shu jumladan: transport vositalari, qurollar, radiolar va muhandislik uskunalari.
- Vierville-sur-Mer sayti. Bu erdagi yodgorliklar orasida AQShning 29-piyoda diviziyasi steli, Milliy gvardiya yodgorligi, 6-muhandis maxsus brigada steli, 29-DI muhandis plitasi, 81-CM batalyoni va 110-chi bat. Plitalar, 5-Rangers batalyoni plitasi, 58-zirhli batalyon steli, 58-artilleriya batalyoni xotirasiga bag'ishlangan chegara belgisi. Les Moulinsdan 500 m masofada joylashgan qirg'oq bo'ylab yo'l bo'ylab Omaha plyajidagi Normandiyada birinchi Amerika qabristoni joylashgan joyda yodgorlik joylashgan. U erga qo'shilgan askarlar keyinchalik Kollevil-sur-Merdagi harbiy qabristonga ko'chirilgan. Sohilning xarobaga aylanishi, qum ustida jang qilayotgan askarlarni tasavvur qilish uchun kuchli maydonga aylantiradi, nemis artilleriyasi oldida butunlay zaif.
- La Pointe du Hoc. Plyajlar ustida ko'tarilgan qoyali boshliq, La Pointe du Hoc Amerika qo'shinlarining jasoratining ramziga aylandi. Bu erda nemislar bunkerlar va artilleriya joylashtirgan edi. Pozitsiyalar bombardimon qilindi, o'qqa tutildi va keyin 225 nafar AQSh reynjerlari hujumga o'tdilar, ular 35 metrlik tosh devorni kattalashtirdilar, bunkerlarni qamal qildilar va nihoyat ularni oldilar, ammo qurol umuman yo'q edi. Qurollar demontaj qilingan va bog 'ichkarisida yashiringan edi. Sammitda faqat 90 ta qo'riqchi turardi. Bugungi kunda bomba va snaryad kraterlari qolmoqda. La Pointe du Hoc akkumulyatoriga hujum qilgan va qo'lga kiritgan 2-chi Ranger batalyoni xotirasiga bag'ishlangan yodgorlik mavjud. The memorial is built on a control firing casemate where bodies of the soldiers still lie under the ruins.
- Musée des Batteries de Maisy (Ranger Objective) (Grandcamp Maisy). This outdoor German group of artillery batteries and HQ has been preserved and is camouflaged in over 14 hectares of land close to Grandcamp Maisy. The site covered the Omaha Sector and opened fire at Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc on the morning of D-day. The US 29th Division as well as the 5th and 2nd Rangers attacked the site on 9 June 1944 and after heavy fighting they captured the position. It is the largest German position in the invasion area and has original field guns, Landing craft and other D-day objects on display. American Rangers monument is on the site.
There is an American cemetery near this beach; see the cemeteries section.
Utah Beach
Utah beach, the most westerly of the five beaches and the only one in Manche, was attacked by the US 4th Infantry Division. Due to navigational errors, the landings all took place on the south part of the beach which happened to be less well defended. Airborne troops landed through the night to secure the invasion’s western flank and to open the roads for their colleagues landing by sea at dawn. The objective was to cut the Cotentin Peninsula in two and take Cherbourg.
- Dead Man's Corner Museum, 2 Village de l'Amont - 50500 Saint Come du Mont, ☏ 33 2 33 42 00 42. At the point where the 101st Airborne Division encountered the Green Devils (the German paratroopers) you can get an insight into the battle for Carentan on the site which has remained largely intact.
- Musée Airborne (Airborne Museum), 14 rue Eisenhower - 50480 Sainte-Mère-Église, ☏ 33 2 33 41 41 35. The story of D-Day is told in pictures and mementos of the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. On display is a Douglas C-47, a Waco glider, a Sherman tank, several artillery pieces, vehicles, equipment, many small arms, uniforms and historic objects. Film. One of the best D-Day museums to strike a balance between an extensive collection of artifacts together with explanations and context. £2.85.
.jpg/220px-Normandy_'10-_Ste_Mere_Eglise_La_Fiere_Bridge_(4823099763).jpg)
- Ste Mère-Eglise. Sainte-Mère-Église is perhaps the most famous "D-day village" of all. Street panels around Ste Mère-Eglise explain the operations of the US paratroopers. In the square, a parachute effigy still dangles from the church, commemorating what happened to John Steele when his parachute snagged on the spire. Inside the church is a stained glass window featuring the Virgin and child, surrounded by paratroopers. Monuments in the area include the 82nd Airborne plate, 505th Parachute regiment stele, and Sainte-Mère-Église liberators stele.
- Musée du Débarquement (Utah Beach Landing Museum), Ste Marie-du-Mont, (opposite the beach on the Utah site), ☏ 33 2 33 71 53 35. This museum uses film, documents and models to recall D-Day in a unique and innovative manner. Several armored vehicles, equipment and a landing ship are on display. £2.70.
- Monuments located by the Utah Beach Museum. American Soldier's Monument, 4th Infantry Division Monument, 90th Infantry Division Monument, VIIth Corps headquarters plaque, Coast Guard plaque, and US Navy plaque.
- Batterie d’Azeville (Azeville Battery), La Rue - 50310 Azeville, ☏ 33 2 33 40 63 05. Near Ste Mère-Eglise, the Azeville Battery consisted of a dozen casemates, including four blockhouses with 105mm heavy guns, 350 m of underground tunnels, underground rooms and ammunition storage. The position was held by 170 German gunners. Guided tours of the Azeville battery offers insight into the German coastal defenses and the battle that took place here.
- Musée de la Batterie de Crisbeq (Crisbeq Gun Battery Museum), Route des Manoirs, Saint-Marcouf, ☏ 33 6 86 10 80 59. The Crisbeq Gun Battery was one of the largest German coastal artillery batteries located on Utah Beach. There are 21 blockhouses linked by more than 1 km of trenches and restored recreation rooms, hospital, and kitchens.
- Mémorial de la Liberté Retrouvée (Museum of Freedom Regained), 18, av de la Plage, 50310 Quinéville, ☏ 33 2 33 95 95 95. This museum recalls the French peoples daily life during the German occupation until the liberation.
Normandy campaign
The successful landing was a turning point in World War II, a major step toward the defeat of Nazi Germany; after D-Day, the Allies went on to liberate all of Europe. On the Western Front, the three main participants were the US, Britain and Canada. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces continued to drive forward relentlessly as they had been doing since long before D-Day.
D-Day (June 6) was the start of a campaign in Normandy that lasted until late August. Those interested in wartime history may wish to visit the sites of the other main battles of that campaign, described below.
Meanwhile an attempt to assassinate Hitler on July 20, 1944 led to at least 7,000 arrests and almost 5,000 executions. Some of the plotters were senior officers and the repercussions greatly disrupted the German military. Among others, Rommel was forced into suicide.
Around Caen
Caen is symbolically important as the capital of the Calvados department and the largest city in Lower Normandy, and was strategically important as the transport hub of the region. The allies attacked it forcefully, and the Germans reinforced it heavily; at one point they had nine armored divisions plus infantry in and around the town. The British and Canadians fought house-to-house in Caen itself and pressed hard in nearby areas, but did not gain full control of the town and environs until mid-July.
The airfield at Carpiquet, just west of Caen, was one of the first Canadian objectives after D-Day, but it was defended by an entire SS panzer division plus other troops and the Canucks were beaten back. Both sides sent reinforcements and there was heavy fighting around the town until the Allies finally took it in early July.
- 3 Ardenne Abbey (Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe, between Caen and Carpiquet). Twenty Canadian prisoners were shot by Waffen SS troops in the abbey courtyard in early June; over 150 Canadian prisoners were killed during the Normandy campaign. The regimental commander, Kurt Meyer, was using the Abbey as his headquarters at the time and was later convicted of war crimes.
By the end of the battle, much of the city was reduced to rubble and nearby villages were also heavily damaged.
Cotentin Peninsula
There was heavy fighting on the Cotentin Peninsula, west of the beaches, shortly after D-Day.
The Allies urgently needed the port of Cherbourg at the tip of the peninsula, and sent an American force to take it. Other Allies kept much of the German armor tied down around Caen, preventing it from them joining the battle on the peninsula and attacking the Americans from the rear. However the Americans still faced a difficult fight; four German divisions were on the peninsula, and terrain there is largely unsuitable for tanks so a lot of hard foot slogging was required.
Hitler, against his generals' advice, ordered German forces to defend the whole peninsula rather than withdrawing to strong positions around the city. They did that and made the Americans fight for every bit of ground, with heavy casualties on both sides. Later Hitler commanded the defenders to fight to the last man, sacrificing themselves for the Fatherland. However when the situation became hopeless, General von Schlieben fought a delaying action while his troops demolished the port, then surrendered rather than let his remaining men die pointless deaths.
Cherbourg fell at the end of June; it was the first major French city liberated, and Caen the second.
After Cherbourg, the Americans turned south to take Saint-Lô at the base of the peninsula against stiff opposition; the town was thoroughly destroyed. Other units swept down the West side of the peninsula taking Coutances, Granville va Avranches.
American breakout
The American victories on the peninsula got them out into open territory more suited for tanks, and they then moved quickly in several directions.
By this time nearly all German reserves had been committed in unsuccessful attempts to hold Caen and Saint-Lô, and many German formations had been badly chewed up. Some German units were tied down fighting the British and Canadians, four whole divisions had been wiped out by the Americans on the peninsula, and both the French Resistance and Allied bombing raids disrupted German efforts to bring in reinforcements.
The Americans had both more tanks and far better air support than the enemy; they used these advantages to full effect in a textbook example of fast-moving armoured tactics, similar to the blitzkrieg (lightning war) with which the Germans had devastated several countries a few years earlier. Part of the American force swung west to take Brittany with little resistance. Other units, most of the American force plus three British amoured divisions, moved south to Nantes va Angers on the Loire and east to Le Mans va Alençon, despite much more serious opposition.
In early August they took part in the battle around Falaise, and by the end of August they had liberated Paris.
Falaise
The decisive battle of the Normandy campaign was fought around Falaise, some distance inland of Caen, in the first half of August.
Over 100,000 German troops were almost surrounded in the "Falaise Pocket". Commonwealth forces by now held everything around Caen on the north side and the British had taken the area around Vire on the west, while the rapid American advance had put them on the south side. Among other German forces, the pocket had those retreating after defeats in the intense battles for Caen, Saint-Lô and Vire. The Allies hammered them from the air and with artillery, pressed in with armour and infantry, and hoped to completely surround them by closing off the only exit, the "Falaise Gap" on the east.
To close the gap the Canadians thrust south near Falaise and Americans moved north in the Argentan area. However the by-now-desperate Germans fought hard to keep the gap open and escape through it; there was more than a week of extremely heavy fighting before it was finally closed.
Falaise is a distinctly controversial battle; two decisions by the senior generals kept the Allies from closing the gap sooner and having an even larger victory:
- Patton's Americans were ordered to stop their advance and dig in near Argentan, rather than risk over-extending their lines by continuing north to join up with the Canadians. One reason for this was that the Allies knew from the code breakers at Bletchley Park that the Germans were planning an attack near Argentan.
- The British reserves were not sent to reinforce the Canadians who appealed urgently for them.
These decisions were heatedly debated at the time; Patton and the Canadian generals were furious. Even with the benefit of hindsight, experts still disagree over whether they were sensible and prudent or foolish and costly.
The Canadians and Poles — unassisted on the ground, though they did get plenty of air support — could neither close the gap completely nor hold against German efforts to batter their way out. They did try and got quite badly mauled; they lost more men around Falaise than they had either on the beaches or in the battles around Caen. There were many panzer divisions in the pocket; at one point six of them were defending Falaise. By now all were badly damaged but they could still mount devastating thrusts against chosen targets.
On the German side, Hitler overruled the generals who wanted to conduct an orderly retreat early in the battle, ordering them instead to hold their ground and even mount counterattacks (the red arrows on the map). Most historians believe the generals were right, a German defeat was inevitable, and Hitler's interference only made it worse. In particular, ordering tanks withdrawn from the defense of Falaise for use in his counter-attacks cost the Germans dearly.
The battle was utterly devastating to the countryside.
I was conducted through it on foot, to encounter scenes that could be described only by Dante. It was literally possible to walk for hundreds of yards at a time, stepping on nothing but dead and decaying flesh. — Eisenhower
Falaise was a major Allied victory; about 10,000 Germans were killed and 50,000 surrounded and forced to surrender; some did escape to fight on, but they lost nearly all their equipment and many were wounded. After Falaise, the Germans had no effective force west of the Seine and what troops they did have in the area were in full retreat; Paris was liberated only days later.
Overall result
The campaign in Normandy that began with D-Day and ended with Falaise was a major success for the Allies. Their losses were heavy — about 200,000 killed, missing, wounded or captured — but German losses were more than twice that. Both sides lost many tanks, guns, vehicles and other supplies, but at this stage of the war the Allies could better afford those losses.
After Normandy
After Normandy, Allied forces drove toward Paris from Normandy and the Pays de la Loire which the Americans had taken after breaking out of the peninsula. After Falaise, the German forces in the area were in severe disarray and the Allies still had air superiority so the advance was rapid. The German garrison in Paris surrendered on August 25.
Meanwhile American and Free French forces, plus some British paratroopers, invaded southern France (east of Marseilles) in mid-August. Between that and the victories in the north, they soon liberated much of France.
After that, the British and Americans drove through eastern France and then into central Germany, aiming for Berlin. The Canadians took the left flank, liberating coastal parts of France, then Belgium, Holland and the North Sea coast of Germany. In the last few days of the war a Canadian parachute battalion who had been among the first to land on D-Day were sent on a mad dash to take Wismar on Germany's Baltic coast, getting there just in time to prevent the Soviets from taking that region and possibly Denmark.
After Falaise and the liberation of Paris, the Germans regrouped and were able to put up a stiff resistance and even mount some counterattacks; the Allied advance slowed down, but it was unstoppable. Caught between the Russians on the east and the Western Allies on the west, losing on both fronts and being heavily bombed as well, Germany surrendered less than a year after D-Day, in early May 1945.
Cemeteries
Beautiful cemeteries overlook the sea and countryside and are essential stops along the way to understand and reflect on the human cost of the war. This was enormous; around 100,000 soldiers (about 60,000 German and 40,000 Allied) died in Normandy during the summer of 1944. There were also air, naval and civilian deaths, plus large numbers wounded or captured.
We list the cemeteries in two groups; the first four near the coast and the rest further inland. Order within each group is east-to-west.
.JPG/220px-Bény-sur-Mer_Canadian_War_Cemetery_(8).JPG)
- 4 Ranville War Cemetery, 5357 Rue du Comté Louis de Rohan Chabot. This cemetery has mainly men of the British 6th Airborne Division who made parachute and glider landings in the area on D-Day. There are 2,235 Commonwealth graves (the division had a Canadian battalion), plus 330 German and a few others.
- 5 Hermanville War Cemetery. This cemetery has 1,003 graves, mainly of British troops who fell in the first few days of the invasion.
- 6 Beny-sur-mer Canadian War Cemetery. Just over 2,000 Canadians are buried here; nearly all of them fell during the landings or shortly after. The cemetery is near the village of Reviers, about 18 km east of Bayeux.
_remembers_D-Day_(Image_3_of_7).jpg/220px-Flickr_-_DVIDSHUB_-_USACAPOC(A)_remembers_D-Day_(Image_3_of_7).jpg)
- 7 Normandy American Cemetery, ☏ 33 2 31 51 62 00. 09:00-18:00. Overlooking Omaha Beach, this 172.5 acre (70 hectare) cemetery contains the graves of 9,387 American soldiers. The rows of perfectly aligned headstones against the immaculate, emerald green lawn convey an unforgettable feeling of peace and tranquility. The beaches can be viewed from the bluffs above, and there is a path down to the beach. On the Walls of the Missing in a semicircular garden on the east side of the memorial are inscribed 1,557 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.
- 8 Banneviile-la-Campagne War Cemetery. This cemetery has 2,170 Commonwealth dead and five Poles. Most fell after the capture of Caen in mid-July.
- 9 Grainville-Langannerie Polish Cemetery. This is the only Polish war cemetery in France. It has the graves of 696 soldiers from the Polish armoured division who fought alongside the Canadians in Normandy; most fell in the fight around the Falaise Gap.
- 10 Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery. This cemetery is near Falaise and has 2871 Canadians, most of whom fell in the fight to close the Falaise Gap.
- 11 Saint Manvieu War Cemetery. This cemetery has 1,627 Commonwealth graves and 555 German. It is near the airport at Carpiquet and has mainly men who fell in the fierce battles over that.
- 12 Bayeux War Cemetery. The largest British cemetery of the Second World War in France, containing the graves of over 4,400 Commonwealth soldiers, mostly British, and 500 others, mostly German. The Bayeux Memorial stands opposite the cemetery and bears the names of 1,808 Commonwealth soldiers who have no known grave. The cemetery is about a 15-minute walk from Bayeux train station.
- 13 La Cambe German War Cemetery. This site has the graves of 23,400 German soldiers, most of whom fell in the Normandy campaign. See also the German government site.
- 14 Orglandes German War Cemetery. This cemetery has just over 10,000 German graves, including many who fell in the defense of the Cotentin Peninsula. German government site
Nearly all the dead in these cemeteries fell sometime between the invasion on June 6 and the end of the Falaise battle in mid-August.
Keyingisi
From this area, one might go anywhere in France or across the channel to the UK. Normandy is a major tourist area with a range of attractions, as are nearby Brittany, the Pays de la Loire, and the Channel Islands.
Other places of possible interest to war buffs are the scenes of two Allied raids on the German-held French coast in 1942. A predominantly Canadian force attacked Dieppe, further north on the Normandy coast, and British commandos raided Saint-Nazaire, near Nantes to the south. Losses were extremely heavy in both places and arguably both raids were disasters, though the Saint-Nazaire attack did knock out an important drydock for the rest of the war. On the other hand, it is often claimed that these raids were essential preparation for D-Day, tests of German defenses that gave intelligence required for planning the invasion.
People interested in earlier history can see sites associated with William IV of Normandy, who invaded England in 1066 and is known there as William the Conqueror. He was born in Falaise and is buried in Caen which was his capital; his castle is now a tourist attraction. His invasion fleet sailed from Bayeux and a museum there has a famous tapestry depicting his conquest of England.
