Dan Snow's History Hit D-Day: The Sea Invasion
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Jun 6, 2024 Exploring the massive naval operations of D-Day with 7,000 ships and 195,000 sailors. Allied sailors were crucial for intelligence gathering, naval bombardment, and sinking German U-boats. Learn about the important role of naval battles, defensive strategies, and Mulberry harbors during the invasion.
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D-Day's Naval Scale and Overshadowing
- D-Day was the largest and most complex naval operation ever, involving over 7,000 ships and 200,000 men.
- Its smooth execution led to it being underestimated and often forgotten as a naval event.
Supply Lines' Crucial Vulnerability
- Amphibious landings are extremely risky due to vulnerable supply lines connecting the army ashore to its distant bases.
- Cutting these supply routes would cripple the army more than direct naval defeat of the invasion fleet.
Massive Minesweeping Operation
- The English Channel was heavily mined by both sides, creating a massive challenge for the invasion fleet's passage.
- Allied minesweepers, ranging from old trawlers to fleet minesweepers, cleared multiple channels for the armada's safe navigation.