assault

TheNormandyLandings

Thelargestandmostambitiousmili­taryexpeditioninhistorywasthe

inva­sionofNormandyinnorthernFrancebyBritish,Americanand

tureplayed

arole.

lttookmorethanayearformilitaryplannerstoorchestrateevery

movementoftroops,artillery,shipsandaircraftandtoteverythingin

uld

liberateFranceandopenthewayforthefinalassaultonGer­manyitlf.

Everythingwascontrolled;rightdowntotheplacementofmilitary

decoysacrosstheEnglishChanneltofooltheGermansintothinkingthe

attackwouldcomefromBritain'sclostpointtoFranceatPasdeCalais3

ratherthaninNormandyasplanned.

Everythingwascontrolled,thatis,excepttheweather.

D­Day,thecodenamegiventothedayofinvasion,wasoriginally

tehadbeenar­rivedatbyconsidering

twofactors­rofthein­vasionwouldneedto

benearsunri,

wouldenablethemtolandclototheobstaclesthathadbeenplacedto

swiththeproper

tide­moonlightformulaclosttothetargetdatewere5,6and7June.(1)

ThefifthwaschonforD­Daytoallowasafetymarginincatheattack

neededtobepostponed