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CMMC Initial Strategic
Overview 6 June 1944 to 15 August 1944 Normandy to the Seine River Reference Maps: Pre-Invasion The Allied plan to invade western France and ultimately defeat Germany was code-named Operation ‘Overlord’. Operational planning for ‘Overlord’ began in early 1942 and tactical experience needed to complete the mission was hard gained in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. The Allies’ intent was to initially secure a foothold on the Continent in an area (1) that was believed to be less fortified/guarded and (2) within logistical limitations of the Allies (namely aircraft, naval ranges, as well as port capacity constraints). Normandy was selected as this location in March 1943. To complete this mission, the US FIRST Army’s 1st, 4th and 29th Infantry Divisions would land on the western flank of the invasion, between St. Laurent and Ste. Mère-Eglise. They would consolidate positions on the beaches and move to isolate the Cotentin Peninsula as rapidly as possible in order to secure the important port of Cherbourg. Their flanks would be guarded by a night drop of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. Once Cherbourg was controlled, they would attempt to break out of Normandy from positions around St. Lô. The British SECOND Army would land on the eastern flank, on beaches in front of the key town of Caen. The initial landing force was composed of the British 3d and 50th and the Canadian 3d Infantry Divisions, with the left flank screened by the British 6th Airborne Division. Their objectives were to secure Caen as rapidly as possible and link up with the Americans operating to their right. Both the US FIRST and UK SECOND Armies would use their veteran troops in the initial landings and would be reinforced quickly by follow-on infantry, armor and artillery units. Opposing the Allied invasion immediately was Field Marshall Rommel’s Armeegruppe B. Planning to defeat an invasion of Western Europe did not begin in earnest until November 1943. Fürhrer Directive 51 gave it a new priority. However, the rapidly changing reality in the Ukraine would continually drain resources from Western Europe and divide the General Staff up to the start of hostilities. German strategy was also hampered by the need to defend all coasts with either un-trained units or re-built remnants from the Eastern front. Prior to the Allied invasion, only fifty infantry divisions and ten panzer divisions were stationed in Western Europe, far to few for the task. Most importantly, only three panzer divisions (the 2nd, 12th SS, and Panzer-Lehr) were near authorized strength levels. Compounding this problem was the acute lack of operational mobility within most of the infantry divisions and many of the panzer divisions. This shortage, most notable in trucks, hamstrung movement to the all-to-predictable railway network—a perfect target for Allied air attacks. Further disagreements over the proper utilization of the panzer divisions resulted in a less than optimal initial deployment and a hazy plan for counterattack against the likely invasion areas. 6 June 1944 During a break in unusually rough spring weather, Operation ‘Overlord’ is launched. The cross-Channel passage of some 6,000 transport-craft, in 75 convoys, is protected by a vast array of naval ships and 12,000 aircraft, against which the Germans could deploy only 425 fighter aircraft and hardly any surface ships. Landing on Sword, Juno, Gold (British/Canadians), Omaha and Utah (US) beaches, the first wave meets light resist everywhere except at Omaha where the German 352nd Infantriedivision (one of the best in Normandy) fiercely resist from high bluffs. By night, all beachheads are secure and the feared German counterattack does not materialize in large scale. The first day objectives are surpassed in all areas including Omaha where 3,000 casualties were born by the veteran infantrymen of the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions, as well as the Rangers of the 2nd Battalion. German response is delayed by several factors, including the absence of many high-level commanders (most importantly, Rommel is away in Germany, visiting family). Nevertheless, key reinforcements begin moving towards Normandy, but their impact on the battlefield will be delayed by their limited mobility, a condition worsened by Allied air superiority. The 21st Panzerdivision, stationed near Caen, probes British positions with armor towards dusk, but does not develop the situation due to the outset of night. 8 June 1944 The first elements of several panzer divisions arrive to reinforce the German defenses. These lead troops, lacking most of their heavy weapons, go into action against the Canadians, but well camouflaged anti-tank guns drive off this attempt. British efforts to gain ground east of Caen are stymied by the German 21st Panzerdivision. Behind the front, most of the German operational panzer reserves begin moving towards Normandy. Events to the west proceed better for the Allies, as the town of Bessin is captured, allowing the US and British bridgeheads to link up. The US landing in Omaha rapidly moves inland as more troops land on the hard-won beaches. On the Cotentin Peninsula, events are progressing against light resistance. The US 90th Infantry Division gets most of its assets ashore during the day. 10 June 1944 In the early morning, US troops from Omaha and Utah link up in Carentan, creating one large beachhead. A few hours later, word is received that the important railway line into Cherbourg has been cut and that US infantry, now supported by armor, are making progress towards the Gulf of St. Malo. In total, nearly 300,000 men and 40,000 vehicles are now ashore vs. some 100,000 Wehrmacht soldiers in the immediate area. The headquarters of I SS-Panzerkorps and elements of three panzer divisions (2nd, 12th SS, Panzer-Lehr), coincidentally the strongest divisions in Western Europe, slowly arrive at the front, opposite the British and Canadians near Caen. The German Commanders view Caen as the decisive terrain due to the congruence of vital roads there that lead out of Normandy. Additionally, the area is well suited for armored operations because of its relatively flat open terrain unlike the bocage country to the west near St. Lô. 12 June 1944 Allied attempts to expand the bridgehead around Caen are unsuccessful despite repeat efforts and heavy artillery bombardment. Without room to maneuver, under-gunned Allied tanks prove no match for the excellent Panther, of which close to 100 currently operate in the area. An attempt to outflank the German positions via Villers-Bocage fails after 48 hours of action by the UK 50th Infantry Division. 20 June 1944 The US 4th and 90th Infantry Divisions, working in close coordination with each other, isolate the city of Valognes, and shortly after, make contact with the outer defenses of Cherbourg. Meanwhile, the US 9th Infantry Division makes rapid progress towards the Gulf of Malo against weak resistance, reaching Barneville in force on the 18th, cutting off Cherbourg. The Germans, realizing that Cherbourg is lost, attempt to move whatever infantry they can to avoid encirclement and the garrison at Cherbourg prepares for a siege. They also began to stiffen resistance along the St. Lô defensive line with reinforcements from the south, including the 17th SS-Panzergrenadierdivision and the II Fallschirmjägerkorps. Between 19 and 22 June, strong gales in the English Channel destroy the US ‘Mulberry’ floating harbor at St. Laurent and badly damage the British ‘Mulberry’ at Arromanches. This severally hurts logistical efforts, as these artificial harbors were servicing the majority of the supply needs of the Allied army. Daily tonnage drops from over 25,000 tons to under 10,000 tons for several days. 27 June 1944 US infantry enter and secure Cherbourg, capturing between 15,000 and 20,000 German troops from mixed formations. Although port facilities are damaged, repairs to the facility should progress rapidly. Once this facility was in service, the Allies supply situation will improve significantly vs. the floating ‘Mulberry’. Behind German lines, reinforcements continue moving towards Normandy, but are plagued by the lack of transportation, the scarcity of fuel and the Allied air operations. Along the Seine River, all bridges capable of supporting tanks are attacked and rendered temporarily unusable because of Allied air attacks. This forces Germans to find alternative routes of getting to Normandy — for example, the 116th Panzerdivision crossed the Seine via ferries, a time consuming process. 1 July 1944 The Allies mount a second major attempt on Caen (Operation ‘Epsom’), this time lead by the UK 15th Scottish Division and the UK 11th Armored Division. This attack gets off to a promising start, but falters after being hit in the right flank by the recently arrived II SS-Panzerkorps (consisting of the 9th and 10th SS-Panzerdivision and a kampfgrüppe of the 2nd SS-Panzerdivision). The German counter-attack halts the British attack short of its objectives and continues to deny the British the city of Caen. 3 July 1944 After the fall of Cherbourg, US attention turns towards achieving the next set of objectives: Securing St. Lô, and advancing deeper into France. The terrain around St. Lô is among the densest bocage in Normandy. These hedgerows have a large impact on combat, reducing operations to a series of company/platoon level actions, typically at close range. The US VII Corps launches an attack south towards Coutances, meeting very heavy resistance. Four days later, US VIII and XIX Corps join the attack and meet equally stiff defense. German commanders recognize the inherent advantage bocages afford to the defender. They determine that the defense of the Coutances - St. Lô - Caen line is critical because the terrain past that line becomes favorable to offensive operations with its open sweeping terrain. Moreover, their lack of mobility could be exploited by the Allies, who possess greater mobility once free of the bocage. 10 July 1944 The Germans counterattack the main US effort around St. Lô. The elite Panzer-Lehr Division, under cover of darkness, advances into the hedgerows against the US 9th Infantry Division. Panzer-Lehr’s attack breaks up on difficult terrain and firm American artillery and anti-tank response. US efforts to breakthrough the bocage reach a climax. American artillery has slowly weakened the German LXXXIV Corps, forcing the commitment of the last local reserves to prevent a breakthrough. Infantry casualties are approaching 50% in many units. 18 July 1944 The US 29th Infantry Division takes St. Lô after a difficult advance. The tactically important Hill 192 falls shortly afterwards. The German LXXXIV Corps has exhausted its reserves and most of its front line units have been reduced to skeleton formations. The British launch ‘Goodwood’, the third major attempt to secure Caen. This time, three UK Armored Divisions (7th, 11th and Guards) lead the effort. Poor coordination from the start bogs the attack down within several kilometers of start line. Determined to breakthrough, the British attack again the next day, but again achieve little headway. The British lose more than 400 tanks, about 36% of their tanks on the continent. The German defenders have won a defensive victory, but are exhausted, dispersed, and might not be able to resist another onslaught without regrouping and a respite. German leadership—Hitler, von Rundstedt and von Kluge (replacing Rommel after he was injured in an air attack)—meets to discuss strategy against the Allied invasion. Von Rundstedt and von Kluge argue for permission to retreat to the Seine River, and from there establish a strong defensive line. They believe it is vitally important to retreat prior to the inevitable American breakout in the St. Lô area, because any attempt at retreat after the breakout would likely end in a rout due to the slower movement speeds of German formations. Hitler, struggling to deal with the severe situation in the East (Heergruppe Mitte was being destroyed in Byelorussia), agrees to the retreat strategy, but imposes several conditions on its resolution. The first German soldiers will begin pulling out of front-line positions the next day. Slower infantry and artillery units will leave first, relying on faster moving reconnaissance and armor units to cover the rear. 25 July 1944 The US VII Corps launches Operation ‘Cobra’ from positions west of St. Lô. This attack is prepped by a massive artillery and carpet-bombing barrage. The armored spearhead bogs down in the cratered landscape left by this barrage. However, once through the effected area, the advance makes rapid progress against the thin screen of the remaining German defense. The German LXXXIV Korps is pushed back to the Villedieu-Vire line after 24 hours of fighting, in the process sustaining heavy casualties (most a result of faster US units over-taking retreating defenders). US FIRST and THIRD Armies exploit this opportunity the following day. In the Caen area, the Germans pull II SS-Panzerkorps from the front and it begins to move back towards the proposed Seine River line. Within hours of this departure, the remaining German units (II Fallschirmjägerkorps, XLVII Panzerkorps and I SS-Panzerkorps) fall back towards the Condé-Falaise-Argences defense line. The German intent is to hold this line until the remnants of LXXXIV Korps retreat from the Vire area. Then mobile units will conduct a fighting withdrawal to the Seine. Port facilities in Cherbourg are proving more difficult to bring on line, given extensive mining of the harbor approach. Several days of high seas prevent material amounts of supplies from reaching Normandy, resulting in key shortages of artillery ammunition and motor fuel. 28 July 1944 The weather turns rainy and foggy, grounding air operations on the Continent. The important city of Avranches at the entrance to Brittany falls to the US THIRD Army. This unit, under General Patton, turns its attention to capturing Brittanty, while co-currently moving east, across the German’s left flank as they retreat back towards the Seine. They are virtually un-opposed in this movement. After a pause on the Vire River, the US FIRST Army pushes the retreating German LXXXIV Korps east towards Condé. The decimated Panzer-Lehr Division serves as rearguard. Most of the Korps’ remaining heavy weapons have already moved behind the I SS-Panzerkorps, holding positions in the Falaise-St. Pierre area. Meanwhile, XLVII Panzerkorps and II Fallschirmjägerkorps (a severely depleted formation) disengage from direct enemy contact. LXXXVI Korps controls the important town of Lisieux on the Touques River. British efforts against the German withdrawal are hampered by the priority of supply moving to support the US Armies to the west. Further time is spent rebuilding units damaged during the repeated attacks to take Caen. Over the month of July, some of the most casualty intensive combat of the entire Second World War occurred in Normandy: on average, the Germans suffered over 2,000 casualties per division, while the Allies faired worse with over 3,000 losses per division. 3 August 1944 North of Paris, the Seine River line is bolster by the arrival of formations from German 15th Armee (originally stationed in Pas-de-Calais to defend against a sea-borne attack). Meanwhile, the German 1st Armee begins forming a defensive line south of Paris along the Seine River. The US THIRD Army makes rapid progress moving out of Normandy and east into central France. XV Corps captures Alencon and hours later, XII Corps reports Le Mans liberated. An equally impressive distance is made west into Brittany. The day prior, the US FIRST Army pushed through Flers in strength and drives towards Argentan. On the 3rd, they reach the outskirts of that town hours after the last German units moved through and blew all bridges over the Orne. As US engineers move up bridging equipment, several battalions of infantry from the US 9th Infantry Division cross in ferries and skirmish with stay-behind soldiers from the 2nd Panzerdivision. By morning of the 4th, bridges are up, allowing the advance to continue. The British make their first probes against the LXXXVI Korps in Lisieux and within several hours had troops across the river. The majority of the LXXXVI Korps has already retreated to the Bernay area. 7 August 1944 The port of Cherbourg is finally ready to receive supplies on a large scale. However, the relatively long distance to the front (the closest combat units are nearly 120 miles away, with many over 170 miles away) makes the opening less valuable than if it had occurred several weeks earlier. The US THIRD Army advance continues nearly unchecked. The Eure River is crossed and Chartes (approximately forty miles southwest of Paris) falls to the V Corps. However, XV Corps, operating on the left of the THIRD Army, reports German resistance in Mortagne (these are elements of the I SS-Panzerkorps) and is unable to continue the rapid advance. It forms up for an attack the next day in order to open the key road leading east. Once across the Touques River, the British meet limited resistance. They report slow but steady progress towards the Seine River. The Germans have left behind small mobile groups, usually holding key roads from reverse slope positions. These groups typically ambush lead vehicles, forcing the enemy advance to halt and deploy. Many times, the ambusher immediately withdraws, using the reserve slope as cover and concealment. The US FIRST Army, after a two-day pause in operations, moves aggressive through Argentan and reaches Gacé by dark. 10 August 1944 The US 79th Infantry Division secures the city of Mantes and begins Seine River crossing operations. Elements of the French 2nd Armored Division, operating in the US V Corps, enter the western outskirts of Paris, after Resistance attacks on Wehrmacht facilities in the city. To the south, US infantry from the XX Corps reach and cross the Seine River unopposed at Melun. The German 1st Armee’s only mobile reserves are immediately dispatched to check this crossing. The British XXX Corps’ forward recon units moved into Evreux un-opposed. Slower moving infantry is several days behind. Many British armored units require extensive field replacements for the large numbers of tanks lost during the attempts to take Caen (the UK 11th Armored Division lost over 190 of its 220 tanks). Recovery operations of knocked out tanks requires round-the-clock work. In this environment, the Allied air forces are forced to play a large role, gathering intelligence, providing flank and early warning support, as well as general ground attack roles. Most of the German 5th Panzer and 7th Armee units have a withdrawn to the Seine River. They maintain footholds on decisive terrain on the west bank. 15 August 1944 CMMC begins at sunrise in the area along the banks of the Seine River between Elbeu and Evreux. The various commands receive Warning Orders for the upcoming operations—action that is estimated to last until around 20 August 1944.
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