The Invasion of Normandy the Allied Forces of Britain, America, Canada, and France Attacked German Forces on the Coast of Normandy, France on June 6Th, 1944

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D-DAY The Invasion of Normandy The Allied Forces of Britain, America, Canada, and France attacked German forces on the coast of Normandy, France on June 6th, 1944. With a huge force of over 150,000 soldiers, the Allies attacked and were victorious in a battle that became a turning point for World War II in Europe. The famous battle is often referred PREPARATION to as D-Day or the Invasion of Normandy. Prior to the invasion of Normandy, Germany invaded France and were attempting to take over all of Europe, including Britain. Britain and the United States managed to slow down the expanding German forces though, and put themselves in a position to turn on the offensive. To prepare for the invasion of Normandy, the Allies amassed troops and equipment in Britain. They increased air strikes and bombings in German territory. Before the Normandy invasion, over 1,000 bombers were hitting German targets daily. Railroads, bridges, airfields, and other strategic locations were bombed to slow down and hinder the German army. PRIOR TO THE INVASION Germany knew an invasion was inevitable because they noticed all the forces gathering in Britain, along with additional airstrikes. They did not know when the Allies would strike though. To confuse the Germans, the Allies attempted to make it appear as if they were going to attack north of Normandy at Pas de Calais. ©Teaching to the Middle THE ATTACK The D-Day invasion had been planned for months, but it was almost cancelled due to bad weather. It was important there was a full moon for light, so they only had a small window of time to invade. U.S. General Eisenhower agreed to attack, despite overcast skies. The weather affected the Allies ability to attack some, but it also surprised the Germans, making them less prepared. The Allies attacked during high tide to avoid obstacles the Germans had put in the water. FIRST WAVE The first wave of the invasion of Normandy started with paratroopers, men who jumped out of planes using parachutes. They jumped at night, landing behind enemy lines. They were to destroy key targets and capture bridges in order for the main invasion force to land on the beaches of Normandy. Thousands of dummy soldiers were dropped in order to draw fire and confuse the enemy. NEXT STAGE During the next stage of the battle, thousands of planes dropped bombs on German defenses. Warships started to bomb the beaches from the water. At the same time, underground members of the French Resistance sabotaged the Germans by cutting telephone lines and destroyed railroads. The main invasion forces of over 6,000 ships carrying troops, weapons, tanks, and equipment approached the beaches of Normandy. The Americans landed at Omaha and Utah beaches. The Omaha beach landing resulted in fierce fighting and many U.S. soldiers losing their lives, but they were finally able to take the beach. The Utah landing proved successful. RESULTS Over 150,000 troops landed in Normandy by the end of D-day. They were able to push their way inland, allowing for more troops to land in France over the next several days. Over half a million Allied troops arrived in France by June 17th and began pushing the Germans out. ©Teaching to the Middle Name______D-DAY The Invasion of Normandy D-Day Full Canada Utah France Paratroopers Weather German Telephone North

FILL-IN-THE-BLANK: Use the word bank to complete each sentence.

1) The Allied Forces of Britain, America, ______, and France attacked the German forces on the coast of Normandy, France in 1944. 2) Germany invaded ______and tried to take over Britain prior to the invasion of Normandy. 3) Prior to invading Normandy, the Allies amassed troops and equipment in Britain and increased air strikes and bombings in ______territory. 4) The Allies tried to make it look like they were going to attack ______of Normandy to confuse the Germans. 5) The D-Day invasion was almost cancelled due to bad ______. 6) The Allies needed a ______moon and high tide for their invasion. 7) ______were used during first wave of the invasion of Normandy. 8) Members of the French Resistance sabotaged the Germans by cutting ______lines and destroying railroads. 9) American troops landed at Omaha and ______beaches. 10) Over 150,000 troops landed in Normandy by the end of ______.

SHORT ANSWER: Answer each question.

11. Why was D-Day a turning point in World War II?

12. Why did the Allies bomb German railroads, bridges, and airfields prior to D- Day?

13. How do you think the war would have been different had the D-Day attack been cancelled?

14. Why was the D-Day invasion successful for the Allies?

15. Which nation landed at Utah and Omaha beaches? A. France B. United States C. Great Britain D. Canada

16. Which nation invaded Juno Beach? A. France B. United States C. Great Britain D. Canada

17. Why were the cities of Ouistreham, Benouville, and Caen important? A. They were on the coast. B. They were on the Omaha beach. C. They were on a river. D. They were on a major road.