Why didn't Hitler commit his Reserves fast enough to meet the Allies landing in overlord?

Answer 1

Complicated answer- Hitler divided responsibility between generals and himself- he did not trust anyone enough. Rommel was to defend the beaches. His reserves were the Panzer units (actually tanks and attached semi-motorized infantry) were given to another general- to be released only on Hitlers direct orders.
Htiler was sleeping late that morning- and left orders NOT to be disturbed. However, the Allies had fooled the Germans into thinking the real invasion would be in the Channel across from Dover. So the Germans waited...and waited... to see what would develop. Then it was too late.
However the idea that they COULD bring those troops forward was incorrect! The Allies air superiority denied the Germans use of rail and road use for massed troops, and the ships guns would destroy any units moving to attack the landings.

Answer 2

Because the Allies had fooled the Germans into thinking that the invasion would come through at the Pas de Calais.
They did this by creating a phantom army called the 1st American Army which was stationed in England opposite the Pas de Calais and was complete with dummy tank parks and false radio messages.
For several days after June 6 the Germans persisted with this delusion which gave the Allies valuable time to consolidate their position The Germans were convinced that the Normandy invasion was just a diversion and, once all their forces had been committed to it, the real invasion would come in the Calais area.
Hitler had insisted on retaining personal control of the Panzer divisions which made things difficult for the generals in Normandy

Answer 3

1. Most German officers believed the Allies best commander, Patton, would lead the real invasion. Patton was given command of a phony army, and Germany expected this army group to lead the real assault. Due to this the Normandy landings were seen as a possible diversion from the real invasion which would occur in Calais.

2. They were unsure where the real invasion would occur, and withheld forces until the reality of the situation could be understood.

3. Hitler was asleep

4. The possibility for sweeping defeat was too great to risk throwing the reserves at Normandy, since doing so would allow forces landing at Calais to trap and destroy German forces in a devastating defeat. They didn't know exactly what was happening, and so waited until they could better understand the situation.

Answer 4

Operation Bodyguard - the Allied deception plan to persuade the Germans that the "real" landings would be at the pas De Calais, this was an outstanding success and kept the panzer divisions in that area for about 20 days.
The second thing was Allied air and ground interdiction of the routes reinforcements would take, with bombers pounding bridges and marshalling yards, fighters hitting roads and railways and the French resistance harrassing convoys and trains there was no way the Germans could get their forces to Normandy quickly anyway.

Answer 5

2 reasons . 1- Hitler was sleeping on D-Day morning and his staff were afraid of his wrath if they disturbed him
2- He was sure what intelligence was before him that the Allied Forces would be attacking Calais with their main force.

Answer 6

The jerk was sleeping in the first hours of invasion and gave strict orders not to be awakened.