D-Day and the end of war in Europe

The Battle of El Alamein, fought in the deserts of North Africa is seen as a turning point in World War Two. This battle was primarily fought between two of the outstanding commanders of World War Two, Montgomery and Rommel.

By November 2nd 1942, Rommel knew that he was beaten. Hitler ordered the Afrika Korps to fight to the last but Rommel refused to carry out this order. On November 4th, Rommel started his retreat.
The Allied victory at El Alamein turned the tide in the North African Campaign. It led to the retreat of the Afrika Korps and the German surrender in North Africa in May 1943, ending Axis hopes of occupying Egypt, taking control of the Suez canal and gaining access to the Middle Eastern oil fields.

In 1943, USA and Britain invaded the South of Italy. Italy surrendered and the North was ocuppied by German forces.

Operation Overlord – D-Day

The aim of this operation was to liberate France, which had been occupied by Germany since 1940. The Germans had strong fortifications and well trained and experienced troops there so it would be a difficult task. Yet, this Operation started on 6 June 1944.

The Allies first attacked by air and applied decoy measures. They pounded German bridges, radar installations and rail, cutting off defenders in Normandy from reinforcements. A clever tactic they used was to attack away from where the invasion was going to start and send false radio messages in order to sidetrack the Germans.

To break out of Normandy before being trapped by the Germans, armour, reinforcements and supplies were needed by the Allies. Therefore, they sailed Giant floating harbours - ‘Mulberries’- across the Channel, they built big floating piers and they built their own oil pipeline called PLUTO - Pipe Line Under The Ocean -.

The Allies took advantage of their air superiority to defeat the Germans. Heavy bombers were used to destroy factories, fighter bombers to roam the countryside and attack German vehicles and trains and Resistance fighters to disrupt German communications and destroy supplies taken to German forces.

Resistance groups were attacking occupying German forces in other territories while the allied forces were advancing in Italy and the Soviet army was advancing from the East.

Finally, the break out of Normandy into the rest of France was achieved and Paris was liberated on 25 August 1944. Despite the fact that the Germans disrupted the Allies advance by a counter-attack in the Ardennes region (The Battle of the Bulge) and they utilised v-1 and v-2 missiles and jet aircraft, they could not completely stop the Allies’ advance.

In March 1945 the Allies were finally able to cross the Rhine into Germany and in May, the USA and British forces met up with soviet forces and the war was over.