Introduction

 

 

With the build up of millions of men and masses of supplies on the British coast, the Allied invasion of Europe was finally set to take place in June of 1944.  Before any troops would set foot on the beaches of Normandy however, the allies planned to land three divisions of paratroopers in France in what would be history's largest airborne operation.

 

German paratroop landings in the Netherlands, from MacDonald p. 89

With the use of paratroopers and gliders in the successful German invasion of the Netherlands both the American and British military leaders felt a need to create airborne forces for further battles. Despite high casualties among German paratroopers in their invasion of Crete, the allied command still felt that airborne forces were vital to the allied cause, and considered Crete as a vindication of the development of such forces.

German Parachute landing in Crete, from MacDonald p.90

 

 

 

 

 

However, after scattered landings of allied paratroopers in Sicily, commanders began to question the feasibility of a large-scale airborne assault against Germany. Among those who questioned further airborne assaults was general Dwight D. Eisenhower, who believed that dropping an entire division would only lead to confusion as the paratroopers would be scattered over a large area which could make regrouping troops impossible.

 

Allied Paratroop landings in Sicily, from MacDonald p. 90

Most doubts were put to rest after a successful airborne assault on the Nadzab airstrip and Japanese held port of Lee in the pacific. Along with other small but successful Allied airborne operations and improved joint training and navagitional aids, the plan of an effective large-scale airborne assault finally seemed possible.

Index     Introduction     Training and Preparation       Equipment     Anti-paratrooper Defenses      US 101st     US 82nd    British 6th     Conclusion     Bibliography