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To: investigateworld

Before I forget, it was Wermacht SOP (after Anzio) NOT to oppose Allied amphibious landings with massed armor, because that armor was vulnerable to Allied naval gunfire. At Anzio, a German armored regiment sent to counter-attack the tenuous beachhead was nearly wiped out by such gunfire.

Thus, the reluctance to meet the Allies on the beaches of Normandy (or Calais) with massed, armored counter-attacks.

Three german panzr formations were in Normandy, however, and these were primarily wasted by delay: the need to get Hitler's personal permission to move, the confusion caused by the Allied airdrops, overwhelming Allied airpower and finally,the actions of the French Resistance, which prevented much of it from even being entrained and moved to the battlefield.

When the remnants of German armor did belatedly show up, it ran smack into Montgomery. the fighting around Caen was some of the most ferocious of the war, and Monty (by the skin of his teeth, and by virtue of Allied airpower) managed to emerge victorious in that battle of attrition.

And just in case I haven't said it; Thanks for your kind words.


503 posted on 05/17/2006 3:52:55 PM PDT by Wombat101 (Islam: Turning everything it touches to Shi'ite since 632 AD...)
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To: Wombat101
My father rarely spoke of his time in the Army, if one saw his scars, they would understand.
He did once mention as he was riding his landing craft ashore, a British cruiser was firing over his head as a rifle, not as a howitzer.
I tracked down what UK cruisers were present that day and one is still afloat.
It's the HMS Belfast, so when in London I always hoist a tankard in it's direction and salute those guys.
507 posted on 05/17/2006 4:47:37 PM PDT by investigateworld (Abortion stops a beating heart)
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