Here are the numbers that tell you everything you need to know about D-Day.
There were Two Mulberry Harbours: A raid on Dieppe had taught the British that a defended port town would be hard to capture, so instead they created two prefabricated harbours from massive hollow concrete blocks. These were floated across the Channel and used to create artificial harbours at the landing sites, allowing supplies and troops to be landed.
6,000,000 people: The number of people involved in the invasion from the Allied side. The largest numbers were American and British, but there were many others. Troops from all over the British Empire and English speaking world. Czechs, French, Hungarians and Poles hoping to free their countries and Jews who had fled Austria and Germany. It was a remarkable alliance.
39 divisions: The number of Allied divisions in southern England immediately before the D-Day landings. Of these, 20 were from the USA, 14 British, 3 Canadian, 1 French and 1 Polish.
138 battleships, cruisers and destroyers: This was the fleet that would bombard the French coast and protect the transports on their crossing.
287 minesweepers: The ships clearing the sea lanes for the Allied fleet.
310 landing ships and 3,817 landing craft and barges: Over 4,000 vessels were used to transport the troops across the Channel and land them on the beaches of Normandy.
423 ships on the construction crew: Once the initial landings had taken place, infrastructure had to be put in to support and supply the invasion. 423 tugs and other ships carried out this construction work. Some transported and assembled the Mulberry harbors. Others laid pipes and cables across the width of the English Channel.
This included telephone lines connecting the commanders in the field with those back in London, where SHAEF – the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force – contained the officers and staff commanding and coordinating the vast operation. Equally important was PLUTO – the Petroleum Line Under The Ocean – a pipeline used to pump fuel from Britain to the waiting Allied troops. Without it, every tank, transport and communications vehicle in the invasion force would soon have ground to a halt.
1,260 merchant ships: The civilian force tasked with transporting supplies for the army once it had landed.
10,000 aircraft: The air force that participated in the operation, fulfilling three vital roles. Some of these planes were used to get troops into the action, dropping paratroopers behind the enemy line or towing gliders to the point where they could detach and make their landing runs.
Others were used to weaken German resistance to the invasion, bombing important fortifications and attacking formations of occupying troops. Thirdly, some had the task of holding the airspace above the beaches, taking out any planes the Luftwaffe brought into action. Without such defence, the troops would have been vulnerable to German air attacks as they crossed the open ground to reach the defenders.
4 British commanders: With the Americans contributing the most men and money to the operation, it was politically necessary for the man in overall command to be an American, and that man was General Eisenhower. But the execution of the landings fell to the four men immediately beneath him, all of them British. Air Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder was Eisenhower’s deputy in the operation so that the two top positions were split between the Allies.
Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay commanded the naval operations that kept the English Channel clear and saw thousands of men ferried from their starting point to the landing beaches. Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory commanded the aerial forces that provided support and transportation for the ground offensive.
And last but most famously, General Bernard Montgomery, veteran of the fighting in North Africa, commanded the ground forces. The lack of Americans in these key command positions caused some resentment among officers from the United States, but Eisenhower was experienced at managing the rivalries that arose between the two armed forces. It was his skill in handling these tensions that had earned him his prestigious position heading up the landings.
The lack of Americans in these key command positions caused some resentment among officers from the United States, but Eisenhower was experienced at managing the rivalries that arose between the two armed forces. It was his skill in handling these tensions that had earned him his prestigious position heading up the landings.
1 to 1 ratio: Equal numbers of British and American ground forces were to be used by Montgomery in the initial landings. The British would not be able to replace lost men and resources at the same rate as the Americans, and the balance of commitment would shift over time. To reflect this, Montgomery would be replaced by Eisenhower as ground commander once a significant enough beachhead had been established in occupied France.
1,500 trains: The number of locomotives knocked out by French Resistance attacks and Allied bombing in the lead-up to the landings. This amounted to three-quarters of the trains available in northern France, reducing the Germans’ ability to move troops around.
18 bridges over the Seine: There were 24 bridges across the River Seine between Paris and the sea. Bombers and the French Resistance destroyed 18 of these prior to the invasion, further limiting German movement.
5,200 tonnes: The volume of bombs dropped on German defences by the RAF as the invasion fleet set sail.
5 beaches: Allied forces arriving by sea landed at five points – Juno for the Canadians, Gold and Sword beaches for the British, and Utah and Omaha beaches for the Americans.
3 airborne divisions: 2 American and 1 British airborne divisions landed on the continent between midnight and 3am on the night the attack began.
20 airfields: To allow so many paratroopers and glider troops to be deployed, the aerial forces launched from 20 different airbases spread across south-east England.
375 square miles: The area over which the American 101st Airborne were spread after weather and anti-aircraft fire scattered the planes carrying them, spreading their landing across the French countryside.
8 months: How long the Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches saw heavy use. It had been designed to last 3 months.
2,500,000 troops and 4,000,000 tonnes of supplies: The men and supplies unloaded through the Arromanches Mulberry Harbour over the 10 months following D-Day.
Hapa ni namba ambazo kukuambia kila kitu unahitaji kujua kuhusu D-Siku. Meli mbili za Mulberry zilikuwa zimetengenezwa kwa kutumia mawe ya saruji, na kwa sababu ya uvamizi wa Dieppe, Uingereza ilijifunza kwamba mji wa bandari uliotetezwa ungekuwa mgumu kukamata, kwa hivyo badala yake waliunda bandari mbili zilizotengenezwa kutoka kwa vitalu vikubwa vya saruji. Meli hizo zilipelekwa kwenye bahari ya Channel na kutumiwa kutengeneza bandari za bandia kwenye maeneo ya kutua, na hivyo kuruhusu vifaa na askari kutua. Idadi ya watu waliojihusisha na uvamizi kutoka upande wa Muungano. Idadi kubwa zaidi ilikuwa ya Wamarekani na Waingereza, lakini kulikuwa na wengine wengi. Majeshi kutoka sehemu zote za Milki ya Uingereza na ulimwengu unaozungumza Kiingereza. Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Waingereza, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa, Wafaransa. Lilikuwa muungano wenye kutokeza. Idadi ya vikosi vya majeshi ya Muungano katika kusini mwa Uingereza kabla ya kutua kwa D-Day Kati ya hao, 20 walikuwa kutoka Marekani, 14 kutoka Uingereza, 3 kutoka Canada, 1 kutoka Ufaransa na 1 kutoka Poland. Meli 138 za kivita, meli za kivita na meli za kuvunja meli: Hii ilikuwa meli ambayo ingebomoa pwani ya Ufaransa na kulinda usafirishaji kwenye kuvuka kwao. 287 - Meli za kuondoa mabomu ya ardhini zilizokuwa zikisafirisha meli za majeshi ya Muungano. Katika kipindi cha miaka ya 1930 hadi 1917, meli za kivita na meli za kivita zaidi ya 4,000 zilitumika kusafirisha askari-jeshi kupitia Channel na kuwakilisha kwenye fukwe za Normandy. Meli 423 za ujenzi: Mara tu kutua kwa kwanza kumefanyika, miundombinu ililazimika kuwekwa ili kusaidia na kusambaza uvamizi. Meli 423 za kuvuta na meli nyingine zilifanya kazi hiyo ya ujenzi. Wengine walipeleka na kukusanya bandari za Mulberry. Wengine waliweka mabomba na nyaya katika upana wa Mlango-Bahari wa Uingereza. Hii ilijumuisha mistari ya simu kuunganisha makamanda katika uwanja na wale nyuma katika London, ambapo SHAEF - Makao Makuu ya Juu, Allied Expeditionary Force - zilizomo maafisa na wafanyakazi kuamuru na kuratibu operesheni kubwa. Jambo muhimu pia lilikuwa PLUTO - Mstari wa Mafuta Chini ya Bahari - bomba lililotumiwa kusukuma mafuta kutoka Uingereza hadi kwa majeshi ya Muungano yaliyokuwa yakingoja. Bila hiyo, kila gari la kivita, la usafirishaji, na la mawasiliano katika jeshi la uvamizi lingekuwa limesimama upesi. Meli za biashara 1,260: Meli za kibiashara zilikuwa na kazi ya kusafirisha vifaa kwa ajili ya jeshi baada ya meli hiyo kutua. Ndege 10,000: Jeshi la anga lililoshiriki katika operesheni hiyo, likitimiza majukumu matatu muhimu. Ndege hizo zilitumiwa kuingiza wanajeshi katika mapigano, kuangusha wanajeshi wa kivita nyuma ya mpakani au kuvuta ndege za angani hadi mahali ambapo zingeweza kujitenga na kutua. Nyingine zilitumiwa kudhoofisha upinzani wa Ujerumani dhidi ya uvamizi huo, zikipiga mabomu ngome muhimu na kushambulia vikosi vya uvamizi. Tatu, baadhi yao walikuwa na kazi ya kushikilia anga juu ya fukwe, kuharibu ndege zozote ambazo Luftwaffe ilileta vitendo. Bila ulinzi kama huo, majeshi yangekuwa hatarini kwa mashambulizi ya angani ya Ujerumani walipokuwa wakivuka eneo la wazi ili kuwafikia watetezi. "Watu wa Marekani walichangia zaidi ya watu na fedha kwa operesheni hiyo, ilikuwa muhimu kisiasa kwa mtu katika amri ya jumla kuwa Mmarekani, na mtu huyo alikuwa Jenerali Eisenhower. """ Lakini kutekelezwa kwa maandamano hayo kuliangukia wanaume wanne walio chini yake, wote wakiwa Waingereza. Marshal wa Anga Sir Arthur Tedder alikuwa naibu wa Eisenhower katika operesheni hiyo ili nafasi mbili za juu zigawanywe kati ya Washirika. Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay aliongoza shughuli za majini ambazo ziliweka Channel ya Kiingereza wazi na aliona maelfu ya wanaume wakisafirishwa kutoka mahali pa kuanza hadi kwenye fukwe za kutua. Mkuu wa Jeshi la Anga Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory aliongoza vikosi vya angani vilivyotoa msaada na usafirishaji kwa ajili ya mashambulizi ya ardhini. Na mwisho lakini maarufu zaidi, Jenerali Bernard Montgomery, mkongwe wa mapigano katika Afrika Kaskazini, aliongoza vikosi vya ardhini. Ukosefu wa Wamarekani katika nafasi hizi muhimu za amri ulisababisha hasira kati ya maafisa kutoka Marekani, lakini Eisenhower alikuwa na uzoefu katika kusimamia ushindani uliotokea kati ya majeshi mawili. Uwezo wake wa kushughulikia hali hizo za mkazo ndio uliomfanya apate cheo cha cheo cha kuongoza jeshi. Ukosefu wa Wamarekani katika nafasi hizi muhimu za amri ulisababisha hasira kati ya maafisa kutoka Marekani, lakini Eisenhower alikuwa na uzoefu katika kusimamia ushindani uliotokea kati ya majeshi mawili. Uwezo wake wa kushughulikia hali hizo za mkazo ndio uliomfanya apate cheo cha cheo cha kuongoza jeshi. Kwa mujibu wa taarifa ya shirika la habari la BBC, idadi sawa ya wanajeshi wa Uingereza na Marekani walitumiwa na Montgomery katika mashambulizi ya kwanza ya nchi kavu. Waingereza hawangeweza kuchukua nafasi ya watu waliopotea na rasilimali kwa kiwango sawa na Wamarekani, na usawa wa kujitolea ungehama kwa muda. Montgomery alibadilishwa na Eisenhower kama kamanda wa ardhi mara tu mji mkubwa wa bahari ulipoanzishwa katika Ufaransa iliyokuwa chini ya utawala wa Marekani. Mashine za kukokotwa na magari-moshi 1,500 zilipigwa na mashambulizi ya wapiganaji wa Ufaransa na mabomu ya Muungano kabla ya kutua. Hii ilifikia theluthi tatu ya treni zilizopatikana kaskazini mwa Ufaransa, ikipunguza uwezo wa Wajerumani wa kusafirisha majeshi. Meli 24 za daraja juu ya Seine, kati ya Paris na Paris Ndege za kivita na waasi wa Ufaransa ziliharibu 18 kati ya hizo kabla ya uvamizi, zikizidisha vizuizi vya Ujerumani. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""kiasi cha mabomu yaliyopigwa kwenye ulinzi wa Ujerumani na RAF wakati meli za uvamizi zilipokuwa zikisafiri.""" "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Juno"" ilikuwa sehemu ya ""Juno"" kwa Wakanada, ""Gold"" na ""Sword"" kwa Waingereza, na ""Utah"" na ""Omaha"" kwa Wamarekani." Vikosi viwili vya Marekani na kimoja cha Uingereza vilitua katika eneo hilo kati ya saa sita usiku na saa tatu asubuhi. Kwa kuwa kulikuwa na ndege 20 za kivita, na kwa sababu ya idadi kubwa ya wanajeshi wa kivita na wanajeshi wa ndege za kuangazia, vikosi vya angani vilitoka katika vituo 20 tofauti vya angani vilivyoenea kusini-mashariki mwa Uingereza. "Kilele cha ""milima ya mraba"" ni eneo ambalo kikosi cha 101 cha Marekani kilichokuwa kimeangushwa angani kilipokuwa kimeenea baada ya hali ya hewa na moto wa kupambana na ndege kueneza ndege zilizokuwa zikibeba ndege hizo, na kueneza ndege hizo kwenye maeneo ya mashambani ya Ufaransa." Meli ya Mulberry Harbour huko Arromanches ilitumiwa sana. Ilikuwa imepangwa kudumu kwa miezi mitatu. Majeshi ya Marekani ya milioni 2.5 na vifaa vya tani milioni 4 vilivuka bandari ya Arromanches katika miezi 10 baada ya mapigano ya D-Day.