D-day occurred on June 6th 1944, but the planning for the event started way earlier. The operation that D-day was a part of was Operation Overlord which enveloped many other operations inside of it. Operation Bodyguard was a plan used by the allies to trick the Germans into believing that the attack was not going to be on Normandy, but on Pas de Calais instead. This deception plan continued after the invasion, and kept Hitler believing that a second invasion was coming. Although this plan fooled Hitler, Rommel was not convinced. He saw Normandy as a likely place for invasion and tried to convince Hitler of that fact. Rommel built fortifications and added antitank and antiaircraft weapons to his strongholds in the area. He also set many traps along the beaches to slow an advance because he lacked many of the needed materials to properly defend an area. His soldiers, who were mostly volunteers from Russia and Mongolia, lacked advanced firepower and used stolen weapons …show more content…
Operation Pointblank occurred right before it with the aerial raids were the start as a means of destroying German fortifications, and dropping paratroopers on the ground to clear a path for the amphibious troops, and the start of Neptune. British and Canadian troops had the task of taking Juno Beach, Sword Beach and Gold Beach. These beaches were used to defend the flanks of the American troops, and allow for the construction of airways to bring more troops in. The Americans focus was based on Omaha and Utah Beaches. At Utah beach little German opposition was faced, and assembling the beachhead was not excessively difficult. Omaha beach however had a much larger supply of German’s, and was the most heavily defended beach. Rommel had set the most traps there, and was commanding his panzer divisions on that beach. The Americans also went in expecting limited German forces, but Omaha was very well defended and had full manpower to do