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June – August 1944 Breakout from Normandy |
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The weeks after D-Day brought more and more Allied troops to Normandy,
so that by the middle of June there were a full twenty-two divisions facing sixteen German divisions.
Nevertheless, the Germans put up a stiff resistance, so that it was not until the end of the month
that the Americans were able to capture a port city—Cherbourg—that would allow a reliable flow
of supplies across the English Channel.
Throughout the first half of July British and Canadian forces concentrated on capturing the city of Caen, and only succeeded after several attempts and heavy casualties. However, the diversion of German troops to defend Caen allowed the American further west to press Operation Cobra, which seized the town of Avranches further west. American tanks under the command of General George S. Patton then headed east from Avranches toward Argentan, leaving the Germans surrounded on three sides. The German commander, General Hans von Kluge, realized the danger and began to withdraw his forces, concentrated around the town of Falaise. Outraged, Hitler fired von Kluge and instructed his successor to fight to the last man. However, within a few days the Germans in the so-called “Falaise Pocket” were completely surrounded, and some 50,000 enemy soldiers surrendered to the Allies on August 21. Histories: Campaign Maps: Personal Accounts: Photographs: |
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