page_title: Operation Overlord
section_title: Allied invasion plan
hierarchical_section_title: Operation Overlord / Plans for D-Day / Allied invasion plan
caption_attribution_description: English: Allied invasion plans and German positions in Normandy. Deutsch: Alliierte Invasionspläne und deutsche Positionen zur Invasion in der Normandie.
context_page_description: Operation Overlord was the 1944 campaign for the invasion of continental Europe in World War II. It was fought by the Allied forces against German forces. The most critical part was the Normandy landings, which were to get the Allied armies onto the continent of Europe. This might have failed. Heavy casualties were expected, even if it succeeded. It was successful. The Battle of Normandy raged until German forces retreated across the Seine on 30 August 1944. This marked the close of Operation Overlord.
  The main Allied forces came from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Nine other nations also sent units, the rest being Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Poland.
  Preparations were large and complex. Operation Overlord was the largest and deadliest amphibious assault in the history of warfare. Almost three million troops crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy in then German-occupied France.
context_section_description: The British did an airborne assault on the River Orne. The British goal was to capture the Orne River bridges to prevent German armor from using them and to prevent retreating Germans from blowing them up. This way, they could be used by Allied armor and vehicles.
  The British sea attack units would attack through Sword and Gold Beaches. The United States had an airborne division and land units, which were to take Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc and Utah Beach. The Canadians would work with British units to attack Sword Beach. The British and Canadians had separate beaches, Gold Beach and Juno Beach, respectively.
  The Invasion Fleet was made upfrom eight navies made up of warships and submarines, split into the Western Naval Task Force (Rear-Admiral Alan G Kirk) and the Eastern Naval Task Force (Rear-Admiral Sir Philip Vian). The fleet was led by Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay.
caption: D-day assault routes into Normandy
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