Figure 1.--The Ameicans driving north from the D-Day beachhead liberated Cherbourg (June 27). This unidentified French boy in liberated Cherbourg salutes with the playing of the national anthemn for the first time in 4 years. The port was, however, thorougly wrecked and would take several months to be put back in operation. Source: The photograph was numbered 331503, but we are not as to the organization.

There were twonport of any importance in the Normandy area. The Americans moving off Utah Beach managed to quickly seal off the Cotentin Peninsula and then move north to Cherbourg. This took priprity over the drive into France because of the need to obtain a deepwater port. The German garrison surrendered within only 2 weeks and without a mjor fight (June 27 )and a few days more to secure surrounding Grman positions. Le Harve proved a much tougher nut to crack. The German garrison as Hitler had ordered held, even after the British crossed the Seine. German resistance did not end until most of France had been liberated (September 12). By this time the Allies were moving toward the borders of the Reich. While the Allies had the ports, they were so thoroughly wrecked by demolition crews that the Allies still had to depend on supplies being landed on the beaches. Here Operation Pluto was a vital assett.

Cherbourg (June 27)

Cherbourg at the tip of the Cotentin Peninsula was a key objective because of its important port. The Americans from Utah Beach cut off the Peninsula. The Germans in Cherbourg held out for a few weeks and did their best to destroy the port. The Germany thought that without a deepwater port that the Allies could not ammount a decisive military force in France. The Germans did not anticipate Mulberry. They also expected the German garrison to hold out longer than it did. General Sattler, deputy German commander, surendered June 27 bringing the end to directed German resistance on the Cotentin Peninsula, although some isolated German units around the city continued to hold out for a few days. Hitler ordered the garison to hold out to the last man. Few of the soldiers involved chose to do so. All organized resistenced was ended (July 1). The port was, however, thorougly wrecked and would take several months to be put back in operation. The first Pluto pipeline was laid from the Isle of Wight to Cherbourg, about 70 miles. This first line was operational (August 12). Without Pluto, he lack of aport would have severely limited Allied operations.

Le Harve (September 12)

Le Harve was the second majorport located in the Normandy area. It was located just outside the initial Normandy landing sites. The Allies knew that Le Harve would be strongly fortified and bevause it was located just north of the Seine, did not go for it on the first day. As it worked out, the Le Harve garrison resisted even after the Allies crossed the Seine and the port was surounded. Fighting in th city was very heavy, but we have few details at this time. The city was almost totally destoyed by the Germans and fighting. The Germans did not surrender until September 12, by that time the Allies had reached Belgium and had liberated most of France. The German surrender finally ended the D-Day campaign. Le Harve was to play a role after the War. It was embarcation point for thousands of GIs returning home. The first GIs to return home were thouse wounded in cobat and then the POWs liberated from German camps.

Brest (September 17)

Brest was one of the most important French ports. Brest in Brittany was located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France. It is the along the western edge of continental Europe. For 4 years the Germans used it to support U-boat operations in the North Atlantic. The Germans defended the nothern approaches out of Normandy, but could not defend the south. Supplies were a major problem after the Normandy Mulberries were hit by a fierce Atlantic storm. This and the destrution of the port facililities ar Cherbourg made it even more important for the Allies to get their hands on Brest. Brest as the only other port the Allies seemed capable of taking from Normandy. The inability of the Germans to maintain a southern defense resulted in the Allies breaking into the the Brittany peninsula. This was carried out by Patton's Third Army as part of Operation Cobra. The US VIII Corps was diverted into Brittany to take Brest and secure the northern flank of the breakthrough. This was a massive diversion of resources and Bradly has been criticized for the decesion. Patton was furius, but restrained himself. The Germans on Britainty retreated into fixed defenses arounf Breast where supplies had been stockpiled. The resulting Battle for Brest involved some of the fiercest battles and most costly fighting conducted as part of Operation Cobra.

Lorient and St. Nazaire

Lorient and St. Nazaire were important port located along the wesrern coast of Britanty. The Germans used both for their U-Boat fleet and build masive bunkers there to protect the U-boats. These facilities proved to virtually industructanle. And tgey were use by smllngarisons to resust the Allies.

Created: 6:12 AM 1/23/2015
Last updated: 9:50 AM 4/1/2015