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| The Atlantic Wall - from the Baltic to the Pyrenees |
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| After the fall of France in 1940, the German army controlled the entire coast of
Northern France. Having forced the Allies to evacuate at Dunkirk, Hitler had hoped that Britain would agree to negotiate a peace.
When British determination, particularly during the Battle of Britain, showed otherwise and left Germany unable to carry out
an invasion of Britain, Germany was forced to establish a defensive line along the coast.
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| The Germans anticipated the Allied invasion. In fact it was, for many in the German
forces, longed for because as soon as the British and Americans were defeated the whole of the Nazi war machine could be weighed
upon the Russians. Defences had to be a particlulalry high quality because, as both sides realised, that the victor during invasion
would most likely win the war.
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| Building of the "Atlantic Wall" began in early 1942. It involved the construction of 3000
miles of minefields, concrete walls, concrete bunkers, barbed wire fences, and fortified artillery emplacements Field Marshal Karl Gerd
von Rundstedt was instructed to oversee this effort. |
| In 1943, responsibility of the Atlantic Wall in Normandy was passed to Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.
On inspection, Rommel declared the defences grossly inadequate. He quickly set about improving them, laying minefields on the beaches and beach
approaches and in the English Channel. Fortifications were strengthened, fields of fire were improved, and obstacles of all sorts were placed
in the water at approaches to possible landing sites. In addition, flood plains were flooded and fields were positioned with poles to prevent
their possible use as landing areas.
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| Rommel's Asparagus - wooden poles erected to prevent ariel landings. 'Unfortunately' many French villagers were 'unable' to build them quickly or properly. |
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Czech Hedgehogs - beach defences used to damage landing craft. |
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A German soldier guards a pill box. |
| Despite all the improvements, Rommel realised that the fortifications were unlikely to repel invasion.
He understood that quick effective use of men and artillery on the beaches was needed to prevent the Allies establishing a foothold.
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| Unfortunately, Rommel had to answer to his superior, Rundstedt. This was a problem because he hindered Rommel's
intentions. Before moving units between different armies Rommel had to ask the permission of Rundstedt, who would in turn send the request to Hitler. Similarly,
Rommel's superior refused to allow the six Panzer division to be placed at the coast, in wait of the Allies. Instead they were held back to protect them from
naval bombardment.
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| By D-Day the German forces available to defend France numbered 46 infantry divisions and 9 Panzer divisions. Some
soldiers were of particlualrly low quality, including Russian and Polish prisoners who had volunteered to fight for Germany. The vast majority were however very
well trained, some of which were battled-hardened veterens of the Eastern Front. Typically, German divisions were slightly smaller than those of America, but
because of material and fuel shortages, it lacked significant mobile transport - relying on heavy use of horse and train.
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| A major concern for the Germans was where and when would the invasion come. Many considered the Pas de Calais as a
likely site for Allied attack. The short distance between Britain and France would allow the invaders excellent air support. Similarly the Norman coast was thought to
be an equally likely target for invasion. Consequently the majority of forces were stationned in the North to prepare for inavsion which Hitler believed would occur
in May 1944. Another site, never ruled out for invasion, was the South of France. Seven infantry divisions and 1 Panzer division were stationned here in readiness.
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