The invasion of Normandy by allied forces was undoubtedly one of the most complex military operations ever conceived. Operation “Overlord” succeeded, despite numerous obstacles that, when combined, nearly resulted in the failure of the landings. After completing this week’s reading assignments, addresses the following: • What role did American forces play in the invasion? • What were four of the primary American units involved, and what were their objectives? • List five problems that allied forces had to overcome during the operation. Which of these problems posed the greatest threat to the success of Overlord? Why? • With the benefit of hindsight, how could the planning of Overlord have been altered to make the operation more successful?
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