(6/6) Timewatch Omaha Beach World War II

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At six miles wide, Omaha was the largest of the landing areas, with the toughest defense. The water and beach were littered with mines and the entire beach being overlooked by 30-metre cliffs. The experienced 352nd German Infantry Division had the beach covered.
The 1st Infantry assault experienced the worst ordeal of the D-Day operation. All but two out of 29 amphibious tanks sank and almost all the senior officers were killed or wounded as they set foot on the beach. Despite a 50% casualty rate, the survivors regrouped and pressed on.
Aided by heavy naval bombardment, the infantry crossed the beach and began scaling the cliffs. Paratroops closed in on the German defense from behind, enabling the beach exits to be secured by midday.
The Americans suffered 2,400 casualties at Omaha on June 6th, but 34,000 Allied troops had landed by nightfall.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• World
• War
• II
• D-Day
• Omaha
• Beach
• 1st
• Infantry
• German
• Division

[2bn442RCT]

Its very easy to understand why there were high casualties at Omaha Beach. First of all the 352nd ID was a fully constituted division and NOT an Ost or static defense garbage unit. Omaha was defended by the 916th Grenadier Regiment at nearly full strength. The defenses were overcome by US Navy gunfire, follow-up tank support, after the DD disaster, and reinforcement by the 2nd RNGR Battalion.

[EnoAmbient4]

To all the soldiers of all countries, thanks for your courage and sacrifice.

[alanheath]

I also express my appreciation but I am very glad I was not there with them!

[N4bpp1]

What is so sad is when you look at Europe and America today all those deaths seem to have been in vane . They all died for liberty, freedom but today England, Europe and America have become or becoming the very thing all of this was to have stoped. We all have become a socialist state with thugs having more rights than the victim. It's like we saved the wor

[jebcarlo1]

God bless america

[MrSoakitincider]

If you haven't served, please be silent out of respect.......

[SPForcesJ]

@EnoAmbient4 FUck some SOldiers HOMO!

[smallfire66]

THAT GRAVEYARD IS SO BIG....TOO BIG....

[silver760]

The allies had been taking aerial photographs of the defences since the outbreak of war but stopped doing so months before the invaision?? Whose bright idea was that?Did they expect them not to change in that period of time?Very short sighted on the part of the planners,what happened to using current up to date data?They could be walking into a giant trap.Intelligence from their agents could have been false. No wonder Eisenhower wrote a "We've been defeated" letter in case of failure.

[marcolovatto]

The Allied bombardement was inssuccessfull. That's the reason. Just 3-5 bombs out of 100 fell on the right place.

[churdude]

such a pity the bombing was poor,

[nico1m]

loosing so many men...what a victory

[arnbo88]

@HoustonGD According to wiki only half of the 130 german prisoners taken at omaha on D-day made it to the collection point. Look up "Allied war crimes of WW2" on wiki. You may be shocked at some of the dark sides of the Canadian and US militaries. The 328th and 45th Infantary divisions did some pretty bad things in WW2. It proves that barbarism can affect all men in conflict.