With the name “Battle of Normandy,” it is intended the war campaign conducted between D-Day, June 6, 1944 and the end of August in Normandy. Here is described the evolution of the fighting parting from the first terrible and confusing hours of the landing, when it was demonstrated that no good plan holds up to the trial of events.
D-Day was programmed for June 4, but the adverse meteorological conditions forced the High Allied Command to postpone the landing. The Allied units had already boarded the multitude the ships and landing means of every type of dimension, which constituted the largest invasion ever grouped together in world history.
The landing could not be postponed for long. Soon the enemy would be able to locate and perceive the destination of this enormous fleet, and the morale and physical conditions of the Allied troops rapidly worsened.
The afternoon of June 5 the British meteorological service was able to single out a window of good temporal conditions, which would allow the lead of an attack on June 6. The German counterpart instead believed that the weather could not improve, therefore, the German Command had faith in the improbability of an attack.
The choice that Head Commander Eisenhower had to make was extremely difficult. If he decided to launch the attack, beyond the risk that the good weather would not last long enough there was the certainty that the conditions would not allow Allied fighters to lead sorties of interdiction and to provide close air support. If instead he decided not to risk and postpone the invasion, acceptable meteorological and tidal conditions would present themselves only after numerous weeks and the veil of secrecy over the plans would be lifted.
Eisenhower decided to launch the invasion to the relief of the commanders and soldiers who with difficulty held back the tension after months of planning and training. The army of invasion launched itself toward its objectives.
I have divided the story of the Battle of Normandy in several parts following the chronological lines of the events: The longest day, june 6th 1944 Cherbourg and Caen, june 7th - july 24th 1944 Operation “Cobra”, july 24th - august 1944