the northwestern coast of France, possibly the one most critical event

of World War II unfolded; for upon the outcome of the invasion hung

the fate of Europe. If the invasion failed, the United States might

turn its full attention to the enemy in the Pacific-Japan-leaving

Britain alone, with most of its resources spent in mounting the

invasion. That would enable Nazi Germany to muster all its strength

against the Soviet Union. By the time American forces returned to

Europe-if indeed, they ever returned-Germany might be master of the

Although fewer Allied ground troops went ashore on D-Day than

on the first day of the earlier invasion of Sicily, the invasion of

Normandy was in total history's greatest amphibious operation,

involving on the first day 5,000 ships, the largest armada ever

assembled; 11,000 aircraft (following months of preliminary

bombardment); and approximately 154,000 British, Canadian and

American soldiers, including 23,000 arriving by parachute and glider.

The invasion also involved a long-range deception plan on a scale the

world had never before seen and the clandestine

It was decided by the Allies that the beaches of Cotentin would be the

deception. D-Day was a tremendous achievement for British, Canadian

Under Operation Fortitude, a fictitious American force-the 1st

would have to be close to at least one major port and airbase to allow

high command in France doubted that the invasion would strike the Pas

compromised German agents all focused on the Pas de Calais with only

divisions-and the 19 divisions of the massive Fifteenth Army in the

the Thames river, huge but unoccupied camps, dummy tanks-all

attack, but when he reported what he had done to the high command in

had been withheld. The rest of the armoured reserve in France-five

focus of the deception had shifted from the regions of the Balkans

for efficient supply lines. Possible sites included among others, the

commander for the allies in Europe. British General, Sir Frederick

Ultra and to the deception that Ultra made possible.

of the invasion. To accomplish this, the British already had a plan

Some common words found in the essay are:
Ultra Allied, Operation Overlord, Field Marshal, Eisenhower COSSAC's, Union American, Canadian American, Calais Dummy, D-Day Hitler, Adolf Hitler, Meanwhile German, pas de, de calais, pas de calais, main invasion, invasion normandy, german agents, ultra allied command, allied command, primary reason, deception remarkably, primary reason invasion, ultra allied, opinion primary reason, reason invasion deception, allied troops,
Approximate Word count = 1349
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)