The Longest Day:

[Robert]

Germans were shooting down on US GI's at Normandy. They were being slaughtered if they lay down or stood up. Also, Germans had mortars that had targeted the beach. The only way to possibly survive was to get off the beach.

The video on D day does not bring it up, but Field Marshall Rommel went there earlier and set up the defenses. He set things up to hit all parts of the beaches, The video says boys and old men were defending this for the Germans. i did not know about that.

[jirqoadai]

The video on D day does not bring it up, but Field Marshall Rommel went there earlier and set up the defenses. He set things up to hit all parts of the beaches, The video says boys and old men were defending this for the Germans. i did not know about that.

Rommel wanted Tigers, ON THE BEACHES. like the one at Anzio

[sargentodiaz]

Hitler's preoccupation with the Russian Front left nothing but secondary troops to defend the beaches of Normandy. Even then, Rommel's brilliance had set up defences that were nearly impregnable. If was only once the breakthroughs had been made that the allied forces had an advantage.

What I enjoy most was learning that Ike walke out after 5 minutes of the film.

[valley ranch]

Tell us the reason the rule of order is to get off the beach asap, exits or no.

BTW, every exit in Normandy was heavily defended, and they were footpaths. But please, answer the question.

On the Beach you are just a target with the enemy looking down your neck, shooting at will ~ get off the beach where there is cover and you can do the job you came to do ```

[Rita Marley]

On the Beach you are just a target with the enemy looking down your neck, shooting at will ~ get off the beach where there is cover and you can do the job you came to do ```

The enemy always pre-targets the beaches with artillery and mortars. First rule is to get off the beach.

[darroll]

My favorite part was later after D-Day some/most of the 101st were dropped off target and were catching up (My Uncle). Someone saw a jeep and yelled hey Mac, which way to Berlin. Patton grinned and pointed toward Berlin.

[Robert]

Hitler's preoccupation with the Russian Front left nothing but secondary troops to defend the beaches of Normandy. Even then, Rommel's brilliance had set up defences that were nearly impregnable. If was only once the breakthroughs had been made that the allied forces had an advantage.

What I enjoy most was learning that Ike walked out after 5 minutes of the film.

There is a good book about what Rommel did for Normandy. Sure, Ike knew the actual story. I never finished the Rommel book but it was interesting. It had a good bit of details. Rommel was going about in his huge car and got shot at by allied planes. He had to abandon the car I think the book related.

[valley ranch]

The video on D day does not bring it up, but Field Marshall Rommel went there earlier and set up the defenses. He set things up to hit all parts of the beaches, The video says boys and old men were defending this for the Germans. i did not know about that.

I don't think it mattered who pulled the trigger or through the shell in the cannon or dropped the bird in the mortar tube ~ 95% of the first wave died and almost 80% of the second ~ they had to change barrels on the machine guns when they turned red from the heat ~ seems like the big guns from the ships should have been able to knock out the bunkers and gun emplacements a 14" ship gun shoots a water heater full of explosive ~ one hit should have ~ seems like they should have fired until there were no emplacements left above the beach ```

[jirqoadai]

I don't think it mattered who pulled the trigger or through the shell in the cannon or dropped the bird in the mortar tube ~ 95% of the first wave died and almost 80% of the second ~ they had to change barrels on the machine guns when they turned red from the heat ~ seems like the big guns from the ships should have been able to knock out the bunkers and gun emplacements a 14" ship gun shoots a water heater full of explosive ~ one hit should have ~ seems like they should have fired until there were no emplacements left above the beach ```

there were frog men on the beach directly prior to loading time, taking out the belgian gates.

[sargentodiaz]

One of the things learned during WWII on sea assaults was that bombardment from ships never really were able to destroy off of the emplacements on shore. The only way to destroy them was from direct frontal assault by marines or soldiers - at huge loss of life.

We now have the ability to assault them via aircraft with laser-guided munitions along with the ability to directly attack with overwhelming force.

In addition, our landing craft are far better protected and much faster.