History - War at a Glance

The Normandy Campaign In December 1943 Eisenhower is named Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, with British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery - who gave the British their first clear-cut victory with his defeat of Rommel’s forces at El Alamein - as operational commander in charge of ground forces. General Omar Bradley commands the American First Army, coordinating American efforts with those of Montgomery’s British forces in France. With the invasion leadership in place, the pace of the buildup increases. In January 1944 Montgomery attends a briefing at which Eisenhower’s staff outlines the invasion plan. He immediately insists on a wider front and a larger, more powerful initial assault. His arguments are well received because much of the staff already realizes that only a decisive blow will lead to success. The plan is soon modified to launch the invasion with an assault by three airborne and five infantry divisions (out of a total of 39 divisions available for Overlord) on a front extending north to Utah beach. Even this expanded force will not be enough to simply overwhelm the German forces in Normandy; the Allies will have to do it the hard way, fighting for every inch of ground. See Also Overpaid, Oversexed, and Over Here Invasion: The Beaches and Beyond “The Damndest Country I’ve Seen” Operation Cobra: Breaking out of the Bocage Patton Unleashed Trapped in the Pocket Racing Toward the Rhine