A question for WWII historians...?

Question

On D Day, why did the Allies first send in ground troups to secure Normandy, instead of using the guns from the big ships to obliterate the beach heads and clear a path for the invasion?

Answer 1

Prior to the Allied landing on the beaches of Normandy, there was both naval gun fire and aerial bombing. While these actions did "knock out" positions, the fortifications that had been built by the Germans were designed to withstand naval gunfire couple that with false targets, left many of the emplacements intact. Also the troops had bunkers in which to seek protection. Part of the actions on D-Day include the use of Airborne troops of the 82nd and 101st, both parachutist and glider-borne troops. Part of their job was to disrupt the enemy behind the seawall and slow reinforcements and prevent the flooding of field behind the seawall.

Answer 2

Actually the ground troops sent in came after the bombardments if you are talking about the beachheads. If you are talking about the Paratrooper units then the answer is the forces were too far inland to provide seaborne artillery support.

However there was heavy artillery and aerial bombardment of the costal regions of Normandy up until the landings. The thing is Artillery is far from 100% accurate or efficient.

Many shells and bombs missed their targets, others could not penetrate fortified concrete and even if they did there would be no guarantee of destroying the bunker its self. If a shell could puncture the walls of the bunker and detonate inside killing a few of the occupants, the bunker its self would remain, meaning some one else could come in occupy the bunker after it had already been “knocked out”.

It is a fair misconception about the usefulness of artillery, yes the massive guns and shells cause tremendous damage but it was only mildly effective (I am not trying to marginalize their roll in the battle). Its biggest use is/was to panic and disorient enemy troops; the actual kill ratio is incredibly small (modern rocket artillery being an exception). And for the time the explosive capacity of the shell was limited, there were no “bunker buster” shells. If you look at aerial photos of the region during and after the battle the area is literally pox marked with shell holes, but the fighting capabilities of the German forces remained strong despite the heavy shelling.

Also, it would be impossible to fully eliminate all resistance with aerial assault or shelling. The amount of damage that needed to be done to clear out even a small area would be near Hiroshima levels and would leave absolutely nothing standing (and the point was to liberate France not wipe it clean).

Even today with modern weapons and technology you still need the ground pounders to secure the area and eliminate the enemy, it is a mistake to rely just on artillery, or airpower or armored units to complete the task.

Artillery was a major player in the battle but not the key to winning it.

Answer 3

They did pound the hell out of the beach from Destroyers and from as many planes as they could. You should know that.
Normandy was well fortified by the Germans. They had a few years to build up the French coast. We sacked some of them, but a hand full of MG42 and MG43 high up on a hill in enough to take down a company if the vantage point is good enough.

Answer 4

They bombarded the beaches they bombed them the British sent in special forces during the night befor to try and destroy things and both Britain and America used paratroopers to take objectives behind the front.

No matter how much they bombarded the German defenses they where build very well and held on fine many bunkers where not even damaged in the bombardments. in the end someone has to physically take the beaches and that job fell to the infantry and some armored units. The British used special adapted tanks on there Beach's to support the infantry.

Answer 5

they did use the big guns I think they bombarded Normandy for over 18 hours before the actual invasion,

Answer 6

Actually, there was considerable shelling of the beaches before the landings. But much of it was inaccurate and, in any event, could only reach about five or six miles inland. And too much shelling of the beaches would only kill the French civilians who lived there -- the people who we were supposed to liberate.

Answer 7

I think they were trying to capture Normandy by stealth. If the big guns were used it would have given them up and the Germans, who had great flying power back then, would have readily retaliated.

Answer 8

They did a pre bombardment but you can't hold ground with aircraft or artillery only ground troops can do that.