D-Day

Today is the 64th* anniversary of D-Day, the day of the allied invasion of Hitler's "Fortress Europe." If you're not familiar with the history behind this endeavor, I suggest you read the following accounts:

D-Day: Operation Overlord
D-Day Timeline
Normandy Invasion: The Story in Pictures

Even though the landing at Normandy was the greatest convergence of war machines the world has ever seen, the most amazing facet of D-Day might have been allies' ability to fool Hitler into thinking that the attack would take place at Pas-de-Calais:

Planning D-Day

Thousands of soldiers lives were saved by an elaborate but little-known deception in World War II - code-named "Fortitude South". When the Allies started planning the "Second Front" in 1943, they knew that landing on the far side of the channel and securing a bridgehead would be the most difficult part.

Whilst they planned to land in Normandy, they decided to try and deceive the Germans into thinking that the main attack would come in the Pas-de-Calais and the Low Countries to the east.

The Atlantic Wall

The Germans expected an invasion. They had erected strong fortifications right along the coast: beaches were lethal jungles of mines and barbed wire; guns faced out to sea; reinforcements waited inland.

Creating a phantom landing force

From 1943, a skilled team worked to create the illusion of a large invasion force being massed in Kent. Dummy tanks and aircraft were built of inflatable rubber and placed in realistic looking "camps". Harbours were filled with fleets of mock landing craft. To German reconnaissance aircraft, it all looked real, even down to attempts at camouflage. Knowing that German intelligence would be trying to find out more, double agents planted stories and documents with known German spies. US General Patton was supposedly commander of the non-existent force. Pretend radio transmissions were broadcast, just as if a large army were busy being organised.

The hoax was successful beyond the Allies wildest hopes. German forces were concentrated in the Pas-de-Calais. The deception continued during and after D-Day. While the real invasion force landed in Normandy, Allied planes dropped silver foil to give the impression of massed planes and ships crossing from Dover. The Germans thought the Normandy landings were a diversion, and kept back reserves of tanks and troops in the Calais area - to counter what they thought would be the "real" invasion. By the time they realised, it was too late. The Normandy bridgehead had been secured, and Allied troops were fighting their way across northern France.

If you're really interested in the details of this great deception, watch this documentary mini-series: D-Day The Total Story

And if you're interested in learning more about D-Day in general, I suggest you watch the following films: The Longest Day & The Big Red One

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* This is a re-post from last year: D-Day

And don't miss this related post: If Contemporary journalists Covered D-Day