Lesson 19
WW II -- End of the War in Europe
Lesson Objectives
• Describe and analyze the logistics issues that defined the Allied
thrust through France and into Germany.
• Describe and analyze the political issues that defined the Allied
thrust through France and into Germany.
• Describe the differences in the operational strategies of Patton and
Montgomery.
• Analyze Operation Market Garden, comparing its objectives with its
outcomes.
• Describe the major events leading to the end of the war in Europe.
Loose End
The Landing
“You will enter the continent of Europe … “
June 6, 1944
BBC: World War Two
Battle for Normandy
Capturing the Cherbourg Peninsular
Port of Cherbourg heavily damaged by Germans
BBC: World War Two
Battle for Normandy
The Battle in the Hedgerows
BBC: World War Two
Battle for Normandy
The Breakout: Operation Cobra
Use of heavy bombers to support ground forces
BBC: World War Two
Battle for Normandy
The Falaise Pocket
Germans counter attack August 6th
Allies reply with massive air strikes, ground thrust from north
BBC: World War Two
Liberation of Paris
Allies closed Falaise Gap August 17th
Germans lost 10,000 killed, 50,000 captured; Allies lost 6,000
BBC: World War Two
Liberation of Paris
August 25, 1944
Liberation of Paris
August 25, 1944
German POWs n Paris
Liberation of Paris
August 25, 1944
Charles de Gaulle on the Champs Elysees.
BBC News
Campaign in NW Europe
A Case Study in Military Logistics
Attacking Germany
The Plan
British 21st AG - Montgomery
US First - Hodges
US 12th AG - Bradley
US Third - Patton
US Seventh– Patch
Attacking Germany
The First Problem: Logistics
Only
Ports
September 1944
Logistics Challenges
Only operational ports: Cherbourg & Normandy beaches
Supply lines stretched over hundreds of miles
• Not enough trucks to fill pipeline and provide needed supplies
Units in combat required huge amounts of material
• One division in combat required 700-750 tons/day
• Average of 28 divisions north of the Seine after Paris liberated
Problem: How to deliver the goods with the trucks available?
Solution: Change the Process
Red Ball Express
Convoy System to expedite delivery of supplies
Red Ball Express
Used two, one-way highways restricted to military vehicles only
Red Ball Express
Other innovations:
• En route maintenance points
• Remove the governors from the trucks
Operated August – November 1944
(Port of Antwerp opened)
Historivia
What is this?
Historivia
Jerry Cans
German soldiers, Russia, 1941
Historivia
Jerry Cans
Original German
U.S. Version
Early British Container
“The Flimsy”
Historivia
U.S. Jerry Cans By the Thousands
Red Ball Express, France, 1944
Attacking Germany
Problem: Who gets the supplies?
British Montgomery
US - Patton
Montgomery & Patton
Monty
&
George
Video
The Prize: Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power
Part 4: War & Oil
The Battle for Gasoline
The Prize, Part 4: “War & Oil”
( 38:01 – 42:45 )
"The Circle of Modern War" and logo
© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
Attacking Germany
Defenses
Siegfried Line
Ardennes
Forest
Operation Market-Garden
17–25 September 1944
Combined (US-British) attempt to flank the Siegfried Line
• Operation Market: airborne assault to secure bridges
• Operation Garden: ground ops to relieve airborne within 4 days
Operation
Market - Garden
September 17-25, 1944
Air Drop
Arnhem Bridge
Video Excerpt
10:49 – 18:06
“The Bridge Too Far”
Market-Garden
After Thoughts
Underlined the precarious nature of all airborne assaults
Major considerations:
Airlift available for initial insertion & resupply
Likelihood of timely relief by ground forces
Availability of fire support (organic or air)
Intelligence
WEATHER
Success = Good Planning & Luck!
Western Europe
December 1944
Western Europe
December 1944
Average Daily Tonnage Offloaded:
Channel Ports: 18,450
Antwerp: 16,600
Battle of the Bulge
Objective
Situation,
of German
December
Counteroffensive
1944
16 December 1944 – 26 January 1945
Primary Objective: Capture port of Antwerp
Battle of the Bulge
16 Dec 44 - 24 Dec 44 - 26 Jan 45
Battle of the Bulge
Newsreel
(7:59)
Documentary
19:45 – 30:27
Eastern Front
December 1944
Fall of Germany
Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
Video (7:38)
German Surrender
May 7, 1945
Fall of Germany
Significant Events in Liberation of Western Europe
Timeline
6 Jun 44
Operation Overlord, invasion of Western Europe, begins
25 Jul 44
Operation Cobra & breakout from Normandy begins
25 Aug 44
17 Sep 44
16 Dec 44
Paris is liberated
Operation Market-Garden begins
Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes) begins
7 Mar 45
US Forces cross Rhine River at Remagen, Germany
7 May 45
Germany Surrenders
What Mistakes Did Hitler Make?
( Beside invading Russia? )
Next:
Lesson 20
WW II: The Pacific War
Lesson Objectives
• Understand the Japanese and American strategies for
the war in the Pacific and Asia.
• Analyze the impact of the military revolution during
the interwar years on the war in the Pacific theater.
• Become familiar with the timeline of events in the
Pacific war.
• Understand the significance of the Battle of Midway
and the role of signals intelligence in the outcome.
End