This week we continue our series of articles on the D-Day landings,
completing our series on the battles on the beaches on D-Day. We also
look at the first day of the British and American airborne operations,
begin a series of D-Day related biographies and open our biggest
picture gallery yet, devoted to Overlord and D-Day.

THE BEACHES

The landing on Omaha Beach was the hardest fought and most costly of
the D-Day landings, and the one that came closest to failure. A
combination of a strong defensive position, rough seas, the loss of
most of the supporting tanks and artillery, a too-short naval
bombardment and an ineffective aerial bombardment saw the first wave
of American troops pinned down on the water's edge, and although by
the end of the day the landing was secure the Omaha beachhead was
still less than a mile deep.
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_omaha_beach.html

The landing on Gold Beach was one of the more successful of the D-Day
landings, and by the end of 6 June the British had penetrated the
German's coastal defences and were on the verge of liberating Bayeux,
which on 7 June became the first French town to be liberated
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_gold_beach.html

The landing on Juno Beach was the main Canadian contribution on D-Day,
and saw the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Armoured Brigade
overcome some of the strongest German defences and a late arrival to
achieve the deepest penetration into France of any Allied troops on 6
June
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_juno_beach.html

The troops landing on Sword Beach on 6 June had the most important
task on D-Day – to protect the eastern flank of the entire landing
area against the possibility of a major German armoured counterattack
from the east, while at the same time taking part in the attack on
Caen
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_sword_beach.html

OTHER ARTICLES

British Airborne Operations on D-Day, 6 June 1944: The eastern flank
of the Allied beachhead on D-Day was formed by the troops of the
British 6th Airborne Division, who had the job of destroying the
bridges across the River Dives and capturing intact those across the
River Orne and the Orne (or Caen in some sources) Canal
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_D-Day_UK_airborne.html

US Airborne Operations on D-Day, 6 June 1944: One of the most daring
elements of the D-Day landings was the insertion of two full US
airborne divisions in the Cotentin peninsula, on the western flank of
the Allied beachhead, where they played a vital part in the success of
the landing on Utah Beach and helped to cause so much confusion that
the Germans were unable to launch a coherent counterattack against
either American beach
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_D-Day_US_airborne.html

As the commander of the 352nd Infantry Division Major General Dietrich
Kraiss was responsible for the defence of the section of the Normandy
Coast that included Omaha Beach and part of Gold Beach, and his
deployments and actions on D-Day would play a part in the Allied
victory.
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/people_kraiss_dietrich.html

We also open our biggest picture gallery yet, devoted to Operation
Overlord and the D-Day landings, starting with 32 pictures and 12 maps
and with many more to come.
http://www.historyofwar.org/pictures_Overlord.html