CENAS REAIS DE OMAHA BEACH | 4K COLORIDO

The Allies' landing site would be Normandy, but with a large deception operation to focus the German eyes on Pas-de-Calais. Airborne forces would secure the flanks, while assault forces would land with the Americans on the right and British and Commonwealth forces on the left. Instead of capturing a large port, Morgan also decided on the ingenious solution of bringing two prefabricated harbors across the channel to supply the Allies' breakthrough. When Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed SHAEF commander and Sir Bernard Montgomery commander of Allied land forces in December 1943, the responsibility for Overlord passed to them. But the only major change they made was to increase the strength of the airborne and seaborne landings. With a broader front, the first target would be Caen and, after that, the port of Cherbourg. After surviving the inevitable German counterattack, Montgomery hoped the Germans would retreat to defensive positions along the Seine River within three months of the landings. But that did not mean this campaign would be easy. The divisions selected for the invasion were reinforced with additional units. Both the British and Commonwealth forces and the Americans were equipped with dual-propulsion tanks or "DD tanks," which could swim to the shore. Meanwhile, the British were further reinforced by specialized armor. Instead of facing enemy tanks, the tanks that landed on the beaches were primarily intended to provide fire support for the infantry, suppressing enemy bunkers and gun positions. Many of them would be the so-called "funny tanks," like this one, which were designed by Major-General Sir Percy Hobart. This Churchill AVRE (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers) was equipped with what was known as a "Spigot Mortar" instead of a standard tank gun, allowing it to fire large explosive charges capable of destroying bunkers and casemates. It could also be fitted with various attachments to help move other vehicles across the beach, or large bundles of wood known as fascines, used to fill trenches and ditches. 00:00 - START 00:44 - An Unsustainable Commitment 06:16 - The Endless Day 18:02 - The Counterpoint of Tanks