BREAK OUT FROM NORMANDY 1944

During late July and August 1944, the Western Allies successfully
broke the stalemate that had emerged in the Battle for Normandy and
subsequently translated this into a decisive strategic victory that saw the
German forces expelled from the region.

The development of such a stalemate was far removed from Allied plans. Their expectations were that once the D-Day landings had established a beachhead subsequent operations would quickly force the Germans to withdraw behind the river Seine, where the decisive battle would ensue. Hitler, however, ordered his forces to prevent the Allies advancing inland, forcing the latter Allies to mount continual attacks against fierce resistance that turned the campaign into a bitter six-week attritional stungle.  these grinding battles began to hear fruit in mid-July as Allied numerical superiority wore down the Germans. In mid-July, General Bernard Montgomery launched Operation Goodwood, an armored assault to achieve its objectives, it did facilitate the success of the subsequent US offensive - Operation Cobra. To sustain their fierce defensive stand against logistical supplies to the eastern sector of the front. Consequently, the German forces defending the front were starved of vital logistical supplies just prior to Cobra, and their ensuing shortages of fuel and ammunition made it easier for the Americans to secure success.

WAR OF ATTRITION

General Omar Bradley's First US army initiated Cobra, a massed break-in operation preceded by massive aerial and artillery bombardments, Once these infantry forces had torn a hole in the German line, the Americans aimed to insert three mobile divisions that would advance through the enemy's rear areas to the coast near Countances, thus cutting off sizable enemy forces. The heavy bombing stike so weakened the defending German forces that Corps drove forwards during that first day. US audacity turned this break-in into a decisive breakout by securing advance. Americans had ripped asunder the German front and so Bardley now widened the scope of Cobra. Between US forces crossed the Selune river at Pontaubault, thus rounding the base of the Contentin peninsula and opening the gateway for further advances west into Brittany, south towards the Loire and east towards the Seine. Montgomery launced an improvised British offensive from Caumont towards Vire, codemaned Bluecoat. By the grinding attritional battle of Normandy had been transformed by Cobra into a rapid campaign of mobile warfare. The growing US influence on the campaign was now underscored when Bradley's Twelfth US Army Group became operational and assumed command of the First Army and General George Patton's Third Army.

FALAISE BREAKOUT
Between 16 and 19 August, Simonds' armour thrust southeast towards Trun and linked up with the Americans to close the pocket. This weak Allied blocking position could not withstand the ensuing German breakout, for as the battered remnants of Seventh Army desperately fought their way out of the pocket through these blocking positions, SS armour also attacked the latter from outside the pocket, These attacks enabled some 40,000 German troops to escape, albeit without their heavy equipment. With Seventh Army no longer cohesive and with the Americans racing into the interior of France, the Germans now had no choice but to withdraw back to the Seine. Even before the falaise pocket had been closed, Montgomery had initiated his own offensive towards the Seine, reflecting his desire to enact the 'long ' rather than short envelopment. By 21 August, four corps had struck northeast towards the Upper Seine north of Paris, seeking to catch up with the US advance. However, between 21 and 30 August, the battered remnants of Army Group B mounted a controlled withdrawal back to the northern bank of the Seine. At Vernon on 26 August, the first British bridgehead was established across the river. Just four days later, all German resistance south of the Upper Seine had ceased and with this the Normandy campaign ended. By this  juncture, Paris had fallen and the Americans had raced north beyond the Seine and east into the interior of France. The Allies had won the Battle of Normandy and now their thoughts turned to advancing into the German Reich itself.

TIGERS IN NORMANDY
The PzKpfw VI Tiger Mark I heavy tank entered service in late 1942. The appearance of the Soviet T-34 Spurred the production of the Tiger, mounting the formidable 88mm (3.46in) gun and extremely thick armour. It was automotively less impressive. Nonetheless the Tiger - deployed in heavey tank battalions at the corps and army level was the scourge of Allied tank crews in Normandy. It could deal with any of the British and US tanks deployed and was virtually invulnerable to the Sherman's 75mm (2.95in) gun from the front. It achieved massive tactical success on occasion, but there were never enough available to make a difference.