The 6th of June

Hitler knew the significance of the Western front. “In the East, the vastness of space will... permit a loss of territory... without suffering a mortal blow to Germany’s chance for survival. Not so in the West! If the enemy here succeeds… consequences of staggering proportions will follow within a short time.” He knew that D-Day was coming, and he replaced the hapless 716th Infantry Division with the well-trained and heavily armored elite 342nd Infantry Division. Somehow, allied intelligence missed that massive troop movement. It was a massacre, and 2400 died that day. The official report of the battle for Omaha Beach states that within the first ten minutes after the ramps were lowered every single Officer and every last Sergeant was dead or wounded.

Link: Blue Girl, Red State: 63 Years Ago Today